Hello all:
Currently, as I am student teaching, I have gained a lot more experience in the actual classroom.
During this semester of student teaching I have also been taking a technology class that discusses it's use in the everyday classroom.
The final topic of this semester is blogs and websites. Can they be used effectively in the classroom?
My answer, as is the answer with all questions in life, IT DEPENDS.
In terms of blogs, I know that many teachers have blogs that discuss lesson plans and ideas for activities. This type of educational blog activity is certainly useful to educations and their colleagues. Using technology in this way can be an effective means to share ideas, successful activities, and enables an easy way for teachers to continue growing and adapting their lessons.
The real question though is: can blogs be used for students and teachers in an educational setting? I think the answer is yes, but once again, it always depends. I think that a blog could be a suitable communication and classroom tool. It could act as a format for the student to communicate assignments, clarify questions through posts and comments, and provide a forum for online classroom interaction. I think a blog could be an online classroom in a way, but I feel like there are other formatted programs that may better suite this need.
In terms of websites, I think there are numerous websites already in existences that can integrate, utilize, and amplify the use of technology in the classroom. Should a classroom teacher create a website for their classroom? I guess if used effectively to teach content and foster a positive classroom environment, why not?
For my own personal classroom use I do not think I will be creating a website of a blog to utilize in my classroom. If I want to utilize technology I think I will use programs that are specifically geared towards classroom instruction.
But who knows, may I'll stumble upon a blog or a website that will change my mind altogether.
We shall see.
