Mastering the tech skills of blogging, in my opinion, is a lot easier than mastering the art of blogging/writing/communicating. The biggest challenge of blogging is not clicking the mouse and tapping the keys, it's figuring out what you want to say and how you want it to be said.
So, fellow DPS Tech Challenge bloggers, before you get lost in the minutiae of blogging technology, find a purpose for your blog.
If you need any inspiration, Time.com just released their list of top 25 blogs for 2011. Maybe one of us or our students will be on their list next year if we can master the ART of blogging.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2075431,00.html
Good point Jerry. In these times when school employees are under attack, I feel like everything we do has to directly impact student achievement. So then the question is, how can my blog impact student achievement? Is it enough that the process of blogging makes you more thoughtful about teaching and in particular, more thoughtful about how you can bring teaching and learning into the 21st century? Or should this be extended so it is interactive with the students? It would be a great idea with middle and high school students but I'm not sure it would be that feasible with elementary. Our students have difficulty with some of the simplest tech skills (typing!) and I know internet access at home is an issue.
ReplyDeleteBeing a "beginner blogger", most of the time I feel like the blog is a diary (not sure who I'm talking to besides myself!)
I understand completely. I think that blogging (or writing in a journal) helps anyone of any profession become a more thoughtful, reflective professional. So, even if we only accomplish that in this Technology Challenge, it will be worth it. However, from the research I have read, the only proven way to impact student achievement is by increasing engagement. I don't think that technology has a monopoly on increasing student engagement, but I do think, if used effectively, it can and, thus, impact student achievement.
ReplyDeleteA lot of class time is spent on worksheets and in textbooks, but how do we know those resources and activities impact student achievement? I do not think we do. It's the way the resource is used that is important, not what the resource is.
What I like about the web resources that are in this Challenge is that they, if used well, can break down the walls of a classroom. They can allow students to research, create, collaborate, and communicate with a larger community. All of which can lead to student engagement and, thus, student achievement.