Richardson, Weblogs, and the Classroom

As we probe further into computer technology by viewing Will Richardson's videos discussing blogging and including technological advancements in our classrooms, we can further realize the impact technology can have on education. Richardson, cooperating teachers, and participating students discuss the benefits and opportunities with using Weblogs: posts, discussions, mentoring, reactions, homework dependability, parent interaction, resource availability, etc. As educator's are slowly discovering, the Web can be an invaluable resource for them and their students. It allows out-of-the-classroom interaction between teachers and students, students and students, and students and other children their age. Weblogs and the Internet provide an outsourcing agent for students to be active readers, writers, and publishers of their own work, as well are contributors to others' works (Wikipedia, Blogspot), and connect with others through similar interest by way of Social Bookmarking sites (Furl, del.icio.us, Jots). Furthermore, according to a Pew Internet report entitled Social Networking and Teens: An Overview, "More than half (55%) of all online American youths ages 12-17 use online social networking sites." Social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook, Hi5, and more have taken the teenage and young adult society by storm. This means students are already using the internet, and are presumably enjoying their time using it. In this case, incorporating blogs and social bookmarking into classrooms can provide students with a better understanding of the media they are using, further enhancement in their education, and more enjoyment in the material they are learning and how they are learning it.

Ok... so what? How do we incorporate the Web and blogging into the classroom, and how do we do it effectively? Theoretically, you can introduce the Weblog in a similar way of introducing a journal or writers notebook; explain to students how they will be keeping a "journal" of anything they choose (or if you have a particular subject, introduce that as well). Only, instead of having pen and paper, students are able to type their ideas on the computer, for everyone-- other students-- to interact with. Students will be able to revise, react with, and respond to their own and others' posts; or introduce the Web on a research level, using student collaboration to create social bookmarking pages that are related to class materials. Or have a class blog to discuss literature (as Richardson did with his students and the Secret Life of Bees), to further class discussion and allow students to elaborate ideas and collaborate together regarding the literature outside of class, requiring student-student interaction over the Web. The interactions between students and teachers with regards to the Weblogs, "give [them] control over [their] own learning" (Richardson YouTube). That's the important thought: having control over learning. Students can feel and understand the responsibility of the work they're being required to do, but will also value the their ability to be creative and have say in what they are doing.