This document discusses the benefits of using blogging in classroom settings based on several articles. It describes how teachers have used blogs for students to communicate with each other and their teacher, share assignments and get feedback. Parents are also able to communicate through the blogs to stay informed on what students are learning. Blogs allow interactive, creative learning outside of classroom hours and help parents assist their children with homework. The document concludes by explaining how reading the articles convinced the author of the benefits of starting a classroom blog.

1. BLOGGING IN THE CLASSROOM SETTING How it is benefiting students and teachers

2. Introduction to Blogging A blog can be summarized as a typically self-maintained website that a person includes regular entries into that are about the subject of their choosing. A blog can include all forms of technology ranging from video casting to even simple paragraphs. Blogging is a great way for people to make others aware of what is going on in their life, but through this presentation you will also learn how teachers are using this inventive technology to teach students. Above is a picture of my blog which I use to assist in my technology class. The picture will link you to it.

6. In The Classroom, Web Logs Are The New Bulletin Boards http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/technology/circuits/19blog.html?ex=1250568000&en=33627811ca310596&ei=5090 Description The article discusses one teachers idea of using blogs as a different approach to learning. Within the classroom blog students can get help from other students on problems, the can post their homework, and they can interact with the teacher and other students. The article states that teachers feel that this venue for speaking allows those students who are often shy in class to come out. Many students tend to be more creative and expansive in their responses on the blog. Jeffrey Selingo The New York Times August 19, 2004

8. The Classroom, Web Logs Are The New Bulletin Boards In this article it discusses many different school personnel’s experiences with blogging in the classroom. The article depicts many different ways that the blog can be used. I found this article to be very helpful because of it’s expansion on different uses. The article didn’t just focus on teacher to student communication but also on student-student communication as well as teacher-parent communication. I think it is very effective when students are evaluated by their peers, and by allowing this to happen on blog posts this helps the student to develop their writing skills as well as personal skills. The article also expands on more than just an elementary setting for blog use, but it also delves into the idea of high school students using it as well. The main idea of the article was to add ideas to a typical classroom as well as enlighten teachers to the idea that students tend to enjoy blogging more than typical class work.

11. Blogging Classroom Connects To Parents Above are a few still shots of the Pinellas Parkway classroom blog that was talked about in the article. The article made me think that using a blog to provide assignment information and grades to parents is a very valuable tool. I think that allowing the parents to access their child’s grade will keep the parent more actively involved in the learning process. I also think that providing the parents with the daily rundown of what was being taught in the classroom allows the parents to be better capable of helping their child with homework. There are also calendars on the website that help parents to see upcoming events and assignments. The above links are a great example of using a blog in the classroom setting. Each picture has a link to it’s spot on the website.