The document outlines many benefits of using blogs in education, for both students and teachers. It states that blogs can improve students' reading, writing, collaboration, and time spent engaging with materials outside of class. Blogs also allow students more independence and opportunities for multimedia work and global interaction. For teachers, blogs help build professional networks, share ideas and lessons, and facilitate communication with students and other educators.

1. Cinthia Sanchez

2.  Blogs can be fun and help students develop reading and writing skills.
 Blogs increase the sense of community; students learn from one another and
discover similarities.
 Blogs can use blogs as a class journal and provide the opportunity to receive
feedback from a wide variety of readers.
 Blogs can foster collaboration and team-building skills as students work
together to achieve a common goal.
 Blogs can increase the time students spend reading outside of the classroom
since students are more likely to spend a longer amount of time reading and
responding to a blog than reading a textbook.
 Blogs can be used to encourage discussion anytime — whether in or outside of
class.

3.  Blogs are a fun way for students to develop an online portfolios.
 Most students now are digital natives. Blogs engage them by presenting
material in a way that is familiar and comfortable.
 Students have a larger audience when they blog. If the blog is public, they are
potentially writing for a global audience. This knowledge may empower them
and their work.
 Blogs allow for self-directed learning. If they are assigned as independent or
homework projects, students can work on them when they feel inspired to do
so.
 Blogs promote multimedia interaction. Students can post pictures, videos,
links, and more.
 Blogs help parents view student work without having to have parent-teacher
conference.
 Working online fosters a sense of global interaction. Students can be taught to
understand the dangers and the benefits of interacting online and producing
work online.

4.  Students can work on collaborative writing projects through blogs.
 They prepare students for online social networking.
 Work is permanently stored on a blog. Students can review their work
— theoretically — for years to come. Blog space can be obtained for
free, and so long as the teacher doesn’t remove the content, it will
remain there.
 Students can determine the topic of posts on blogs, making them
more inspired and excited to participate.
 Students can communicate with their teachers and other students
through a blog. This is especially helpful for shy students who might
not otherwise reach out.

5.  They give students an outlet for ideas or comments that may have occurred to
them after an in-class discussion has ended.
 Blogs will help students widen their vocabulary and improve their grammar
and editing skills.
 Students can use blogs as a space to brainstorm ideas and get feedback on
their ideas from other classmates.
 Blogs provide a virtual announcement board for important messages about
homework, assignments, deadlines, and more.

6.  Blogs help link an individual educator with a community of experts to offer
advise, share tips, and experiences.
 Teachers can build their professional learning network through blogs by
connecting with other experts and learning about new tools in their field.
 Blogs can be used as a forum to share and gather teaching ideas including
lesson plans, activities, and curriculum.
 Teachers can learn more about Web 2.0 tools and become more comfortable
and familiar with them through the practice of writing a blog.
 Blogs become a support board where teachers vent frustrations in the
classroom or in the working environment and receive feedback and
encouragement
 Blogs help you meet people you wouldn’t otherwise be able to meet.

7.  Blogs make teachers aware of current events and trends that are
important to students — especially pop culture.
 Blogs allow educators to initiate discussions that are meaningful and
relevant to them and create a sense of community among educators.
 Blogs give teachers a forum to share unconventional ideas that may
not have had a hearing in more traditional outlets.
 Blogs can be used to facilitate classroom discussion, post questions
based on the readings, assign discussion groups, host competitions,
and highlight the “Student of the Week” or “Student of the Month”

8.  Blogs can provide a record of what was done in class.
 Blogs can be used to track attendance if students are required to
participate in daily discussions.
 Blogs give teachers another way to connect with students.
Inspirational notes, words of encouragement, and advice can all be
shared with students through a blog.
 Teachers can use blogs to teach students about other cultures, and to
connect students with their peers in other countries.
 Blogs can be used to make last minute or emergency announcements
to students or parents.