You’ve likely heard of blogging. If I ask you to define it, could you? OK, so what is blogging? We can create all sorts of complicated definitions, but at its essence, blogging involves reading and writing. Bloggers are involved in writing posts that they hope others will read, and comment upon. But as Seth Godin says, “Once you realize that no HAS to read your blog, that you can’t MAKE them read your blog, you approach writing with humility and view readers with gratitude”.
In the context of the classroom, blogging can give students an audience for their writing, and an opportunity for student voice and student ownership. By creating a network between the students and their blogs in the classroom, you can encourage students to read each other’s blog posts. By having students comment, they can build skills of reflection, reasoning, deliberation, collaboration, and cooperation. The way that you design the use of blogs in the classroom facilitates different goals.
If you’re interested in exploring blogging with students, and have some specific goals, but you need some assistance, please let me know. If you’re blogging with students, you can do so on a classroom blog, or by having students use individual blogs.
Twice a year, the blogging challenge provides an opportunity for you to have students involved in blogging for 10 weeks. Each week, students are given a choice of themes to blog about. The challenge runs in October and March each year. If you’re interested in learning more, visit the website.