Blogging in the Classroom

As I wrote the title to this blog post, I realized that many years ago, I actually presented on this topic at the Iowa 1:1 conference - strange how that slipped my mind until I wrote it. At the time, I was teaching computer classes to K-3 grade students, and supporting the teachers in integrating technology into their classrooms. Here is a copy of the presentation.

 At the same time, I was helping the 6th grade teachers and students create student blogs on Blogger for their Language Arts class. This was something I had also helped Pewaukee Middle school Language Arts teachers and students do do. Yet as I transitioned into teaching Middle School Social Studies classes, I never had the students create a blog. I guess I never saw a reason to do it.

Yet, I am very much in favor of students creating portfolios of their learning, especially when it shows a progression of work, or a compilation of skills. This past year, I have used Google Slides as the vehicle for portfolios. Mostly though, they were portfolios for just the student and myself to see. It was an easy way to show all their work in one place, hosted in Classroom so I could always access it, and could incorporate photos, videos and writing. All the things you can do on a blog. As I write this, I feel I need to revisit my thoughts on student blogging and delve a little deeper into the possibilities it could bring.

Sharing work with a larger audience, including classmates and parents, would be one advantage. Another advantage, is sharing work with the world at large (with their permission) as I do on this blog and had done extensively through Twitter - a platform I need to return to.

For in sharing with the world at large, you have a tremendous impact by sharing ideas, teaching others new things, and in return, bringing "home" new ideas to help student succeed in the classroom.

I think in the past, I always associated student blogs with the Language Arts focus of write, revise, share, revise etc. I wasn't looking at it as a portfolio, which is what this blog is. I'm starting to like the idea of a blog as a portfolio and will have to start tumbling ideas around in my head for next year.