The Benefits of Classroom Blogging

Dawn Anderson

May 20, 2015

EDET 780

A Critique ofMacBride, R., & Luehmann, A. L. (2008). Capitalizing on emerging technologies: a case study of classroom blogging. School Science and Mathematics, 108(5), 173+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA180277955&v=2.1&u=uscaiken&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=e3d8cf72fd6531020db7fc38747101b1

Reason For Study

• As teachers, we face the challenge of incorporating technology into our classrooms

• Finding tools which mimic online communication students are familiar with could increase learning

• Literature shows the potential blogging holds, but current use of classroom blogs are rare.

Focus of study

• Teacher intention for creating a blog-creates additional forms of participation and increases student exposure time with content

• In what ways are blogs used?

• How is the use of a classroom blog perceived by the teacher and students? Is the investment worthwhile?

Data Collection

Authors searched for classroom blogs within many search engines such as google.com and yahoo.comTheir extensive research found only 17 classroom blogs, and were considered based on four criteria: utilized by a high school teacher, frequently updated, contained high levels of student contribution, and were publically available. This narrowed study to 4 blogs. Only one of these classroom blogs was included within the study.

Participants

The chosen classroom blog was created by a veteran mathematics teacher in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The blog was used within his eleventh grade Pre-Calculus class. The particular blog studied was from his Analytical Geometry unit.

Details

The blog studied had• 1,292 lines of text• 30 student posts• 11 teacher posts• 26 student comments• 3 teacher comments

Material Used Within Study

• The content of the blog was read four times

• The teacher interview was transcribed and structured, and he shared helpful links

• Content of blog included scribe posts in which students gave highlights of daily lessons, student reflections of learning, and teacher resource posts.

Results of Literature Review

Literature Review supported the potential of blogs to:

• Support learning• Promote reflective thinking• Nurture collaboration and relationship-building• Increase accountability and quality of student

work• Encourage peer support• Extend learning outside of classroom

What is a Blog?

A blog is frequently updated webpage containing many posts. Blogs mainly contain text, but can also have images, hyperlinks and allow for audience comments. Blogging closely parallels current forms of social media used by middle and high school level students.

Positive Support of Classroom Blogging

• Collaborative learning increased• Socialization between students through chat boxes • Classroom participation increased• Students were participating within a global

community of learners• Created a student-centered learning environment• Place for reflection• Enrichment opportunity

Critique

The success of this study appears to be due to the planning and incorporation into the curriculum by a seasoned, technology savvy educator. He included such concepts as a Sunday game post, chat boxes, sharing of resources, and del.ilcio.us accounts, which is a social bookmarking service available on the internet, a visitor’s map (“a textbook for the world”), digital stories, and an online class for when students are absent. During the conclusion, the authors admit that this one case study supported their literary research, but results will not be automatic for all teachers who choose to use a classroom blog. This was a helpful study, but the dating and small sample used do not offer the reader an accurate picture within today’s society.

Next Step

This case study opens the door to many questions and topics for research, as we are now ten years into the future.

• How many classroom blogs can now be discovered?

• Are blogs as effective within other disciplines?• Have any more case studies been conducted to

explore the benefits of classroom blogs?• What new technology is available to educators

which would also mimic student’s interaction and comfort level with social media?