I found a really good article today by Monica Glewa and Margret Bogan(2007) on improving childrens literacy while promoting digital fluency. They talked about the steps needed in the growth towards literacy, with specific reference to developing digital fluency. Basically digital fluency isn’t just going to happen, but needs to be taught to students, just as we would any other literacy. I think this is a really valid point and maybe one that is overlooked a bit when deciding to introduce the likes of a classroom blog. Glewa and Bogan maintain that schools play a critical role in developing children’s digital literacy development and that we need to offer students opportunities to practice digital fluency within our classrooms. The students in this class explored the basics of writing in sentences and paragraphs and writing for an audience through setting up a class blog on Surviving a Hurricane. As these children had all experienced a hurricane firsthand, the context was really powerful and the students felt they had contributed useful knowledge to the wider community. Their comments also reflected the need to write well for an audience “I don’t want to do a blog unless it is good”. In implementing any new technology, it is important to think about the skills students need to use it effectively. I believe this is a timely reminder about how using technology can enhance our existing programmes and be a strong motivator for success and quality work.
I have been reading and thinking this week about the pursuit of excellence. One of the things that has been a repeated theme in my readings has been the need for regular focussed feedback. When students have clear goals to work towards, their learning will develop when the feedback they receive is related to their goals. So I began to wonder about using a blog as a means of teacher professional development. If teachers are all working towards a particular goal, they could put up examples of what they have tried, successes they have had, ideas to try out etc. In this way they could share their learning in a collaborative way, with specific feedback from their colleagues. I wonder if anyone has used a blog for teachers in this way.? Maybe it would also help with relationship building. How often do teachers get specific feedback on something they have tried, especially regular feedback that will help them monitor their progress and look at the journey they are taking.
For schools dipping into something new like Inquiry Learning, I can see lots of collaborative potential as teachers come to grips with new ideas and new approaches to teaching. A blog like this could lead to a really useful resource within a school or a cluster, especially as new teachers arrive and can see the journey being undertaken. As a structured means of reflection, I also see positive benefits for teachers. And what a great way to get to grips with using new technology!
The list is almost endless. Because blogs are interactive and not just static pieces of content, they can enhance learning in so many ways. One element that blogs are useful for is teaching new literacy skills. We talk about the importance of Inquiry learning and higher order thinking as being important tools in the classroom. Have we thought about using Blogs to engage in these processes? When students are using blogs they can be analysing information, using critical thinking skills, judging content, clarifying their purpose, organising their ideas, summarising, interacting, giving and gaining feedback, to name just a few skills. They are also engaged in their learning.
When students are writing for a blog, they are learning to craft their work for an audience, using a range of strategies - is this beginning to sound like the objectives from the English curriculum? So why not use it to develop these skills. It’s also an opportunity for students to have conversations and explore issues in depth - maybe calling in different experts on a subject to contribute. What about sharing the results of a maths or science investigation and gaining public comment on what has been discovered.
I think what I like most about using a classroom blog is having an authentic audience to share student work with, and for the community to contribute ideas and be part of the learning. The way most schools currently operate, there is little real sharing of the learning between home and school. Parents and the community have so much to contribute, if only they were given the opportunity.
I have been reading Will Richardson’s book (2006) on Blogs, Wikis etc today, which I have to say is excellent. So many good ideas! One section I read was on setting up a new class blog. Rather than just rushing in and doing it, there are actually some important steps to take first to get it right. Sending home a letter to parents explaining about the blog and what its purpose is, is well worth the effort. If parents don’t know what you’re on about or why you’re doing it, it probably won’t achieve its purpose in terms of parent partnerships. Then there’s the permission thing - asking parents for their permission for students to participate in the blog. The level of participation needs to be considered carefully - just first names or family names as well, photos of individuals or just groups, photos labelled with names or not. These issues have to be carefully thought through and be in line with the school’s internet safety policy. It’s also a good idea to include a description of the technology - what is a blog and how does it work? What are your expectations of your students when they use the blog - an extension of the classroom so therefore the same rules apply? There is a good sample letter worth looking at on page 13.
I am working on the introduction for my research proposal today. As I thought about why I had chosen this topic of using blogs, I am reminded of the huge potential out there for using Web 2.0 tools in education. At last year’s ICT conference in Rotorua I listened to David Warlick talking about preparing our children for an unknown future. I think we also need to be giving them what they need now - which is connectivity and curiosity. David talked about “Flat Classrooms” and how our students adapt to an increasingly connected planet. In many classrooms they are not given the opportunity to adapt as they are not exposed to any outside connections. Using a classroom blog is one very easy way of establishing outside connections with children. Initially it might just be with their immediate or extended family, but it doesn’t take much for it to grow from there. I think it would be one way of becoming more responsive to the needs of the 21st century learner, and very motivating for students.
