The document outlines 11 advantages of using blogs for teaching. It discusses how blogs make education more student-focused, allow learning anytime and anywhere, encourage continuous work and learning, help develop critical thinking, communication, creativity, collaboration skills, make learning less formal, open up learning, encourage experimenting with different media, and integrate learning with work and life. Specific benefits mentioned include reflection, feedback, sharing work, engaging audiences, and developing 21st century skills. Examples of blog uses by students, teachers, and parents are also provided.

1. 11 advantages
of using a blog
for teaching

2. Advantage # 1
Using a blog makes education
focused on students

3. Question
Why has the way of teaching through technology grown
dramatically?
Answer by teacher Anne Mirtschin
It just makes sense. Our students use technology constantly.
http://murcha.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/the-phenomenon-that-is-blogging/

4. http://www.academia.edu/4116911/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Using_a_Blogging_Activity_in_a_College_Euclidean_Geometry_Course
I enjoyed the connection to modern media. Students
are used to this technology and are excited when
they incorporate something, they are familiar and
skilled with, to something they are learning.
Geometry course participant

5. Blogs build confidence, self-expression and
autonomous learning. Even the shyest
students can find a voice.
http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.ch/2012/10/blogs-vastly-underused-teaching-and.html

6. Blogging allows each student to share
his or her own love of learning.
http://www.teachthought.com/uncategorized/10-reasons-why-i-want-my-students-to-blog/

7. Curiosity
http://www.imagebase.net/People/p4241790

8. What values do you have?
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Questions-to-discover-your-values-1329394

9. Advantage # 2
Using a blog helps students,
parents, friends and others
learn anytime and anywhere

10. Transitioning your school newsletter to a blog
means that parents can access the information anytime
from anywhere.
https://www.gaggle.net/speaks/5-reasons-to-replace-your-school-newsletter-with-a-blog/

11. Online tools allow students to engage with
other students and instructors instantly.
This gives students the chance to discuss
questions as they arise.
http://blog.orgsync.com/2013/benefits-online-education/

12. http://www.academia.edu/4116911/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Using_a_Blogging_Activity_in_a_College_Euclidean_Geometry_Course
I was able to work on it anytime throughout
the week. It was different than other activities
I have done in the past, which was cool. It is a
more modern way to engage students.
Geometry course participant

13. http://murcha.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/the-phenomenon-that-is-blogging/
Students are no longer confined to their class
groupings or teachers within a classroom.

14. Students said that the use of blogs helped
them check and revise their work on a
regular basis which increased the quality
and quantity of their work.
http://www.herdsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/conference/2013/HERDSA_2013_ALI.pdf

15. Learn
anywhere
http://www.imagebase.net/People/p4241788

16. The teaching factory The learning environment
There are fixed places of
education, for example lecture
halls and classrooms.
Also, there are fixed times of
education, for example 45
minute time slots.
Learning takes place anytime
and in all kinds of work and
living environments.
Adapted from
Lars Kolind: The Second Cycle, p. 155-156.

17. Further inspiration
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-can-we-rethink-education-1487725

18. Advantage # 3
Using a blog encourages learners
to work / learn continuously

19. Method A
Reproduce knowledge at exams
at the end of the year.
Working
intensity
Time
Method B
Work continuously, for example using social media

20. Challenges
Skills
Adapted from
http://lateralaction.com/articles/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/
Kouzes, James N. & Posner, Barry Z.: ”The Leadership Challenge”, location 3547.

21. Frustration
Low self
confidence
Fatigue
Unsatisfaction
Effective
problem solving
Creative
problem solving
High self
confidence
Satisfaction
Exhaustion
Irrational
problem solving
Low self confidence
Illness
Adapted from
Jonathan Freedman and Donald Edwards.
Levine, Robert: A Geography of Time, location 3432.
Performance
Time pressure

22. Further inspiration
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-do-you-motivate-yourself-1378486

23. Advantage # 4
Blogging helps people
reflect and think critically

24. Several studies conducted in higher education
have reported that blogs contribute to the
development of critical thinking skills.
http://www.cedtech.net/articles/43/432.pdf

25. The blogging
experience forces
students to do
more reflection
on their learning.
http://theedublogger.com/2013/08/08/the-state-of-educational-blogging-2013/

26. The most interesting and significant use
of blogs in education may be to use it to
promote reflective learning.
http://www.herdsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/conference/2013/HERDSA_2013_ALI.pdf

27. Advantage # 5
Blogging helps people
improve communication skills

28. A blog provides students with an opportunity
to employ language and writing principles
that demonstrate analytical thought
and comprehension.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/educational-benefits-blogging-27588.html

29. Studies that have examined how Facebook
relates to learning outcomes have found
positive impacts on learning outcomes such
as improvement in English writing
skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
http://blog.reyjunco.com/pdf/JuncoClassStandingFBJADP.pdf

30. http://www.academia.edu/4116911/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Using_a_Blogging_Activity_in_a_College_Euclidean_Geometry_Course
It’s very useful to have feedback from
fellow classmates along with feedback
from the teachers.
Geometry course participant

31. The students adapted to having their peers disagree
with their thoughts and opinions.
They did not get angry about differing perspectives
but instead focused on responding respectfully to
argue their own point.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/VM/0222-dec2014/VM0222Classroom.pdf

32. Further inspiration
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-do-we-give-feedback-1761017

33. Advantage # 6
Blogging helps people
develop creative thinking

34. http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university_of_venus/blogs_in_higher_education_some_ideas_about_their_benefits_and_downsides
A blog is a portal for creativity
and personal initiative.

35. As it is easy to incorporate images, videos,
audio and other creative items into the
written word, students will also train
creative thinking through blogging.
http://supportblogging.com/educationalblogging/

36. Further inspiration
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Creativity-exercises-2378829
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Freewriting-exercise-1464926

37. Advantage # 7
Blogging helps people
learn to work with people

38. The mission of blogging is to empower all
of us to go directly to each other
with our expertise.
http://timkastelle.org/blog/2014/03/you-should-start-a-blog-right-now/
http://scripting.com/2014/03/01/whyBlog.html

39. Helping
each other
Lecturing
Supply focus.
Focus on curriculum.
Demand focus.
Focus on ideas / thoughts
that people have.

40. By allowing our students to openly reflect, we
do not only see what they learn, but they can
learn from each other as well.
http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3721

41. Advantage # 8
Blogging makes learning
less formal

42. Chat with peopleDiscuss topics
Informal
education
Search for information
on the internet
Prepare, watch,
listen to presentations
Formal
education
Unexpected
education
Deliberate
education

43. Law students are often drawn to law blogs because
many address the issues from a practical perspective
and adopt a less formal style of writing that can be
understood by those with and without legal training.
https://info.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/pdf/perspec/2015-summer/2015-summer-2.pdf

44. Advantage # 9
Blogging opens up learning

45. Blogging widens
your horizons.
http://blog.scientix.eu/2015/06/14/blogging-in-education-a-powerful-tool-for-teachers-students-and-all-learners/

46. In the past, the children
might have written their work
in their exercise books and
put them away, never to be
seen again.
But with blogging they can have an authentic audience –
sometimes in other countries – who read what they’ve
written and comment on it, and that is really motivating for
some students. Kathleen Morris
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/global-village-of-students-teachers-and-families-20130419-2i56i.html

47. Further inspiration
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Learning-strategies-1487708

48. Advantage # 10
Blogging encourages students
to experiment with
different media

49. Blogging assists students to become more ICT literate
which is a crucial 21st century skill.
For example, blogging allows students to blend text,
image, sound, and video to communicate a message.
http://www.teachthought.com/technology/10-reasons-why-i-want-my-students-to-blog/
http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au/2013/03/08/the-benefits-of-educational-blogging/

50. http://www.academia.edu/4116911/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Using_a_Blogging_Activity_in_a_College_Euclidean_Geometry_Course
With the blogging activity, I became more
technology savvy.
Geometry course participant

52. Advantage # 11
Blogging makes learning /
working / living come together

53. Blogging provides an authentic educational experience,
where what they write is not only seen and commented
on by their teacher, but by their peers and the “public.”
For most students, it’s a bit of extra motivation
knowing their peers will see their work.
http://theedublogger.com/2013/08/08/the-state-of-educational-blogging-2013/

54. Examples of blog participants
Students

55. In the 10 years I’ve been teaching, there’s been a big
decrease in the number of parents who are available to
be at school, with most working full-time.
So the blog helps them keep up to date with what we’ve
been doing – and even allows them to be involved.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/global-village-of-students-teachers-and-families-20130419-2i56i.html
Kathleen Morris

56. Culture A Culture B
Education is isolated
from work / life.
Education is a natural
part of work / life.

57. Examples of blogs

58. Examples of blogs
http://www.folkeskolen.dk/blogs
http://blogs.goaj.org/mrshamman
http://missjordan.global2.vic.edu.au
http://blog.mrmeyer.com
http://mscassidysclass.edublogs.org
http://nativitylittlechamps.edublogs.org
http://ozgekaraoglu.edublogs.org/
http://blogs.sd38.bc.ca/sd38mathandscience/
http://www.teachthought.com
http://tskinnersbec.edublogs.org
http://wpsreceptions.edublogs.org

59. Examples of blogs
http://www.dieangelones.ch/
http://blog.caritas-zuerich.ch/
http://www.diesseits.ch/
https://hwzdigital.ch/author/hwzdigitalleader/
http://www.kalaidos-fh.ch/Blogs
http://campus.nzz.ch/blogs
https://openminds.swissre.com/stories/
https://blog.phzh.ch/zhe/
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/blogs/
https://www.travelita.ch/
http://blog.usz.ch/
https://blog.zhaw.ch/

60. Examples of blogs
http://blogs.atlassian.com
http://www.destination-innovation.com/articles/
http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com
http://www.druckerforum.org/blog
http://www.garyhamel.com/blog
https://hbr.org
http://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/new-at-mckinsey-blog
https://paulinman.wordpress.com/
http://thinkers50.com/blog
http://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/people/vg/blog
https://blog.versionone.com/

61. Hi,
Thank you for your time. If you found this work useful, I would love to hear from you.
What, in particular, did you like? What advantages of using a blog would you add?
Also, please feel kindly invited to give $5 or whatever is right for you.
https://www.paypal.me/frankcalberg
Have a great day.
Kind regards,
Frank
https://frankcalberg.wordpress.com/