Using blogs to enrich learning in the classroom is a fairly
new concept in my district. We are
always looking for ways in which to reach our diverse student population in a
way that is new and exciting for the students.
This is an exciting method to improve communication and writing skills
for all students involved.
If I were to design a blog for my Pre-AP English 1
classroom, what immediately springs to
mind is discussion of literature. We
will begin To Kill a Mockingbird
shortly, and if I were to use a blog to engage students in a pre-reading
discussion after they have researched the era (1930s South, Jim Crow Laws and
segregation, etc.), it might make for some thoughtful discussion. They have to write an essay before they read
about how they feel about whether they feel that evil wins out if good
men/women stand by and do nothing.
Having a meaningful discussion about these topics could be a springboard
for interest in beginning the novel. It
would also mean that they are thinking and discussing the topics of my class
outside the classroom (which would be a wonderful thing in itself)!
In looking at Bloom’s verbs, it seems that by discussing,
arguing, and evaluating what our society was and what it has become in regards
to an individual’s civil rights would fall under the highest level of
thinking. By evaluating our society and
proving what they believe to be true, evaluation would be occurring.
This method of discussion would fall under the instructional
strategy of Interactive Instruction. They would be debating an issue online and it
could even be considered a form of online Socratic Seminar if it is done with parameters
and rules for discussion. There would
have to be definite guidelines for them to follow concerning what is and is not
appropriate in an online discussion. I
would also have to make an individual blog either for all my classes of the
same subject or for each individual section.
With this being an interactive online discussion, students
would have to have access to a computer and internet connection in order to
participate. Unfortunately many of our
students do not have such access at home.
Our campus librarian has made it a point to stay late and open the
library early to accommodate those students who need time and assistance with access
to technology. It would be prudent to
take these factors into consideration when designing a lesson and the time it
would take for responses and any rebuttals.
Students would need enough time to adequately complete their required
tasks especially if they are not able to access a computer and the internet
outside of school. Class time could also
be designated for use of a computer lab or the library in order to get students
familiar with the technology and the practice of blogging about a topic.
I think that by using this type of technology for
discussion, it would give the shy student a way to respond without the fear of
speaking aloud in class, give the student who needs to think before they
respond a chance to get their thoughts and words in order before posting, and
would give all students a way to interact in a manner (electronically) that
they are already accustomed to doing in their world of social media.
