It is a great idea to introduce blogs into teaching. I would like to create a class blog.
The blog can be used as an information collection. All the class activities will be recorded on the blog, probably with pictures and videos if possible. Some other useful information, like tips for learning, recommended readings, or message for coming activities, can also be published on the blog. Students can use the blog to track the class history or use it as a resource for learning. I try to correspond this to the communication standard 1.2: students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
The blog can act as platform for students and me to communicate. Students are not only viewers of the blog. They can freely leave message to each other, as well as to me. They are welcomed to make comments about recent events, give suggestions to me, and share their thoughts about learning or about the class. This sees correlation with the communications standard 1.3: students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
I will also encourage students to create their own learning blogs. I will teach them how to use blogs. Thus they can post what they like or what they think are worth to share on their own blogs for their classmates to view. This idea correlates with the connections standard 3.1: students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
I'm considering a group blog that allows students to do groupwork by using blogs.
5 comments:
Hi Wenlu!
I think the several ways you talk about in your post are really helpful, thanks for sharing!
Yiren
Hi Wenlu,
I think you have a lot of great ideas on your post about ways for students to communicate using blogs! I think incorporating a lot of those ideas would help build a strong and effective classroom environment!
Have a great week!
Elisabeth M.
I hope you do experiment with a class blog.
I've just started reading our posts, but so far we seem to be all discussing how we can use blogs as a forum for further class discussion and organization of assignments/course materials. All very practical applications.
"Students are not only viewers of the blog. They can freely leave message to each other, as well as to me. They are welcomed to make comments about recent events, give suggestions to me, and share their thoughts about learning or about the class." I think this a key point you make in your post. Blogs, when done correctly, don't stop at publication, but rather continue as an ongoing collaborative process. The more invested the students are in their blogs, the more invested they are in their learning. Blogs can go a long way towards creating a truly student-centered classroom.
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