How you might use a blog to share learning
Check out this lovely wee story from Catrione Pene, A blog, an iPhone, a school visit and its impact in which she describes how she shared the day's events on a school trip with other students, family and whānau in real time.
Got a similar tip or story to share? Got a great blog example that you'd like us to see?
Replies
- Nick Ford (View all users posts) 04 May 2012 10:10am ()
This post from Anne Davis of Edublog Insights is probably one of the most commented post on the subject of the use of blogging in education with 215 comments at the time of writing ( how's that's for engagement with an audience ).
I quote from her page:
http://anne.teachesme.com/2007/01/17/rationale-for-educational-blogging/
"Blogging is educationally sound for teaching students because:
- Blogs provide a space for sharing opinions and learning in order to grow communities of discourse and knowledge — a space where students and teachers can learn from each other.
- Blogs help learners to see knowledge as interconnected as opposed to a set of discrete facts.
- Blogs can give students a totally new perspective on the meaning of voice. As students explore their own learning and thinking and their distinctive voices emerge. Student voices are essential to the conversations we need to have about learning.
- Blogs foster ownership and choice. They help lead us away from students trying to find what the teacher wants in terms of an answer.
- The worldwide audience provides recognition for students that can be quite profound. Students feel more compelled to write when they believe many others may read and respond. It gives them motivation to excel. Students need to be taught skills to foster a contributing audience on their blog.
- The archive feature of blogging records ongoing learning. It facilitates reflection and evaluation. One student told me that he could easily find his thoughts on a matter and he could see how his thinking had changed and why.
- The opportunity for collective and collaborative learning is enormous. Students have the opportunity to read their classmates blogs and those of others. This is not possible in a regular classroom setting.
- Blogging provides the possibility of connecting with experts on the topic students are writing.
- The interactive nature of blogging creates enthusiasm for writing and communication.
- Blogging engages students in conversation and learning.
- Blogging encourages global conversations about learning–conversations not previously possible in our classrooms.
- Blogging provides the opportunity for our students to learn to write for life-long learning.
- Blogging affords us the opportunity to teach responsible public writing. Students can learn about the power of the published word and the responsibilities involved with public writing."
- Blogs provide a space for sharing opinions and learning in order to grow communities of discourse and knowledge — a space where students and teachers can learn from each other.
T M (View all users posts) 19 Apr 2012 6:05pm ()Blogging can be such a useful way to bring out reflective learning - something many of our international students struggle with. The photos really stimulate the conversation.
Thank you for sharing this
- Wendy Reinink (View all users posts) 12 Apr 2012 9:06pm ()
This is an interesting discussion and makes me think about how I can incorporate blogs into the context I work in. The use of the phone to record the experiences which are then uploaded to the blog site is particularly interesting especially when it was used to involve students/parents who were not able to be there at the time.
- David Haythornthwaite (View all users posts) 26 Mar 2012 1:45pm ()
Thanks for all the inspiration about the blogger app for ipod touch. Used it today while walking around on duty when the children found a hedgehog walking through one of the vegetable gardens. Quick photo, children composed the story and published to the gardening blog: apsgarden.blogspot.co.nz. Photo has come through a bit big on the page but the message is clear.
- Karen Spencer (View all users posts) 21 Mar 2012 9:03pm ()
Thanks for sharing these stories, everyone, and being willing to experiment and share those trials and wonderings. We are really reaching here towards ways to share the learning wider than those classroom walls....which illustrates nicely the 'Beyond the Classroom' dimension in the e-Learning Planning Framework.
For example, if you are having a go and beginning to try new ways to extend the learning, you would be in the 'Engaging' phase:
"ENGAGE THROUGH TECHNOLOGIES: Principal and teachers trial technologies to engage whānau/iwi and wider communities to improve student achievement, through culturally inclusive practices that meet the needs of Māori and other ethnicities."
Check out this helpful EdTalks video from Amy Parks, talking about taking the learning beyond the classroom:
- Lisa Kimura (View all users posts) 21 Mar 2012 3:29pm ()
Hi everyone,
I have just had a chance to read some of your blogs and I really liked the link where it showed the I phone being used to show and share experiences. I think that all of this becomes so valuable even when your back in the class the next day, wanting to recount the experience. I personally have only just started playing with a blog last year but found some of my students that were often reluctant writers were dying to get on there and share with their families. I look forward to reading and sharing more ideas.
Thanks
Lisa Kimura
- Josie Woon (View all users posts) 21 Mar 2012 12:45pm ()
Hi Allanah
I follow a lot of your information on the VLN I am just starting the bloggin process. I am beginning a personal one to track my integration of ipads in the classroom for special needs and I also would like a class one.
I need to be able to post photos and video from the ipad, I looked at blogger but the posting of photos etc didnt seem that simple. Could you let me know what you think on this?
regards
Josie Woon
- Allanah King (View all users posts) 20 Mar 2012 5:32pm ()
I taught two different junior classes today- I would wait for the next school trip so used the Blogger app and posted on the move as we were working.
I had to got back in and edit it on the laptop though as the app wouldn't do an apostrophe properly and I needed to hyperlink the graphics, which the app doesn't do.
http://moturoa.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/setting-scene.html
and
http://moturoa.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/don-let-pigeon-cross-road.html
Which used an iPad app with a screen grab thrown in for good measure!!
Thanks for the inspiration to use the Blogger app.
http://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/blogger/id459407288?mt=8
- Annemarie Hyde (View all users posts) 20 Mar 2012 10:16am ()
I love her passion. Having a staff meeting on blogging this afternoon and I thought I'd show this.
- Allanah King (View all users posts) 19 Mar 2012 11:44pm ()
This is a stunning example of how cool bloging can be to share the learing in the classroom.
Thanks you for sparking all kinds of ideas in my head around how we can use the Blogger app for iPhone.
I can't wait for our next school trip!
Join this group to contribute to discussions.
