Creating a Blog

Week 3 - Engagement Activity 1

 

Reflection on Creating a Blog

With the advent of Web 2.0 tools, even relatively non-technologically savvy individuals have been provided with some very effective on-line channels through which they can share ideas, express opinions, work collaboratively with and seek the understandings of others in relation to common interests. One such tool, or on-line space, is the ‘weblog’, commonly referred to as a ‘blog’. 

A blog is ‘a Web site, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video’ (Central Queensland University, n.d.). While originally designed for the purpose of creating listings of websites of interest, blogs have evolved to encompass so much more and are increasingly utilised within educational settings to enable learners to ‘archive and publish student work, learn with far-flung collaborators, and ‘manage’ the knowledge that members of the school community create’ (Downes, 2004). Blogs are more than online journals in the sense that they offer a platform for people, other than the author, to comment on published content and, through the use of hypertext, link to other sites that support or provide further information on topical issues.  

So, how can blogs be used effectively within education, more specifically within early childhood education?

Pre-prep & Prep Journals:  

Children can use a blog as a space to compile a joint photographic journal of their play and learning activities. For example, if they bake cupcakes in class, a couple of children could be assigned the role of ‘photographers’ (everyone gets turns throughout various events). Afterwards, their teacher could facilitate their experience of downloading photos from their digital cameras, uploading chosen photos to their class blog, and typing their names beside their photos. To enhance the class blog, and provide information to parents and carers regarding the children’s school activities, the teacher could ask children to comment on the activity and type selected responses into the blog, using the children’s own words. This would serve as a wonderful memory in years to come, and introduce children to the digital world from a very young age. In addition, assuming the recipe for the cupcakes was obtained online, the children could help to create a link to the recipe site. This way, they could access this recipe at home and ‘show’ Mum and Dad how to make the cupcakes. The children could contribute initially to the creation of the blog, by suggesting names for their online space, and discussing the sorts of things they could document. Art works and various play projects, such as block constructions & socio-dramatic play could also be photographed and included in the class blog. Children could then explain, on video, what they created, built or enacted, and the photographs and videos could be uploaded to the blog. This would provide children with the sense that their ‘work’ is being valued by all. As an additional benefit, a page could be designed to provide for communication between home and school to pass on important information to parents.

Years 1-3:

Since learners are becoming, or are already, familiar with their sounds, and are learning to read at various levels throughout years 1-3, individual blogs could provide an exciting avenue for them to try out and hone these emerging skills. Younger children could be asked to perform mini-projects, from finding images that begin with given letters/sounds/ blends and such, to researching mini-beasts or other science topics and providing their research findings in their blog space along with links to related sites of interest. They could be encouraged to practice creative writing, and share their writing with friends and family. As a part of this process, they could provide positive and constructive feedback to friends and offer suggestions for the progression of each others’ stories if they experience ‘writer’s block’. Students could also document class activities that take place over a period of time, to review processes from beginning to end, such as growing plants under different conditions. Learners could upload templates of various scaffolding tools to enable them to plan and map projects and processes. 

While younger children will require greater teacher involvement and facilitation in the use of blogs, it is vitally important that twenty-first century children are exposed to the digital world and its multiple aspects and functions as early as possible.  From pre-prep to year 3, the commonly recognised early childhood schooling years, all children will undoubtedly benefit if their classroom teacher is knowledgeable about and effectively models the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Through modelling these skills, and facilitating student involvement through appropriate scaffolding techniques, students will learn valuable skills required for functioning effectively within various twenty-first century real world contexts (from cooking to studying and in-depth research and analyses). Teachers who are interested in preparing children to become lifelong learners will use appropriate and proven-effective pedagogical skills to teach essential content knowledge and skills for keeping up with advances in knowledge within a technologically rich environment. Blogs are an excellent way to introduce students to the communication aspect of technology and equip them with the skills to reach out beyond their immediate context to obtain the necessary contacts and information for their knowledge to evolve and maintain currency as the future unfolds.

BLOGS as a Teaching Tool within the Early Childhood Context 

PLUS	MINUS	INTERESTING
Children exposed to and become familiar with  digital technology, a reality of the C21st, at an early age Children have opportunity to try out digital technology in safe, monitored environment Can be used as a diagnostic and assessment tool within all age groups and year levels f EC Adds excitement to learning, as students interact within the digital world to share and gain knowledge – not just limited to teacher’s knowledge of subjects Students can share ideas and encourage each other Can be particularly appropriate for some additional needs students, providing non-threatening learning interface Provides excellent line of communication between school and home Provides platform for recognition of student work  and achievements – students feel valued that their work is appreciated – provides for encouraging comments/ feedback	Limited understanding in earlier years, therefore, limited participation Not all children interested in digital technology, therefore taking away from their time learning in other valuable areas Comment facility could be used to criticise students - could receive negative feedback that disengages them from future participation (cyberbullying)	To see how quickly young children are able to adapt to technology To see how many children are interested in this concept To see how content knowledge can be embedded within ICTs To see how the use of TPACK (including blogs) supports the development of valuable learning experiences To see how students encourage one another and if this extends to communications in the real world.

The following link provides information about ways to support critical thinking through the use of a blog (or wiki):

http://weblearn.weebly.com/critical-thinking-ideas.html

References:

Central Queensland University (n.d.). Digital Tool 1: Blogs for Learning. Retrieved November 12, 2012,  from 
http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/pluginfile.php/255893/mod_page/content/8/blogs.html

Downes, S. (2004). Educational Blogging. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/educational-blogging