using blogs in the classroom

Being an avid online journaler for over ten years, the benefits of using a blog in the classroom are seemingly endless, with the pros outweighing the cons. It's a concise way to outline what the year will look like, dive deeper into subjects and their assignments, make "personal" goals for the class and discuss a variety of topics. 

Blogs can successfully model web 2.0 by having students comment on posts rather than simply read. It's a perfect way to keep track of expectations and rubrics for students who are prone to misplacing papers (ahem, I was and still am that kind of student). For those parents who might be hesitant to show up to the school barbeque, a classroom blog is a perfect way for parents to see what their students are learning, what homework is due (if updated regularly), and hopefully establish a connection between the teacher and parent.

Of course, there's the cons of: (a) will the blog be updated regularly or be left by the wayside [kind of like this one was], which is why it should be introduced as early as possible; (b) will students really have access to it, particularly if they don't have a home computer? Those are the two major ones that come to mind, though I'm sure there are a few more. 

Honestly though, the greatest benefit for me would be that it would chronicle my teaching journey: where my classes have been and where they are going, to see what worked and what needs to be improved on, and to truly utilize TPACK throughout my future career. 

"memory keys are so 2000."

"Memory keys are so 2000." - Zoe Branigan-Pipe

When my instructor said these words in our second day of tech class, I honestly could not agree more. After finishing a four-year degree of English and Multimedia at McMaster University (go Marauders!), I found that almost everything I learned during my Multimedia program felt ... a bit "old-school." No offense to that amazing program, it's just the way that technology works. Back in 2006, everyone was all about MySpace. Now, it's Facebook with Google+ on the rise. 

Back then, technology was frowned upon in my elementary school classrooms. Tamagotchis were BANNED. It just felt wrong. Now, I see a grade 5 student using an iPad to help with his education. Just shows that technology is pretty much moving at the speed of sound. It might seem frightening or overwhelming, but my advice is to just go with the flow. At least, that's what I'm trying to do. Figure out which social media sites work for me, figure out if I'm really going to update this or that or if it's just another thing I'm going to join. Today it's Google+, tomorrow it'll be Edublog. Let's see if I can keep up!