Blogging as a School Pedagogy

In South Belmore school, blogging is seen as an effective idea to enhance student learning and to create a quality teaching and learning environment (Pericles 2008). Connectivity is the key reason of why blogging is relevant to be implemented in schools.

In terms of quality teaching, each students will have the same opportunity to share and asked their ideas through their personal blog to the teachers, fellow classmates, and even other students and people from all over the world (Pericles 2008 p. 5). Blog is seen as an effective way to provide authentic purposes and authentic audiences for classroom activities (Pericles 2008, p.5). The students are therefore integrating to construct new and relevant way of learning and share it with their friends and possible new audiences (Pericles 2008 p.5).

What is more, blogging is not limited and related to only certain school subjects such as computer technology, but also related and used for most key learning areas at school (Pericles 2008 p.6).

Lastly, for a bigger purpose, blog can be used to connect, construct and share ideas, experience, and investigations as well as other information between schools in a country and even all over the world, and learn from each other (Pericles 2008 p.6).

As the new literacies and digital media evolved, providing students to adjust and understand the literacy demands is crucial (International Reading Association 2001; Leu, Mallette, Karchmer & Kara-Soteriou 2005, in Barone & Wright 2008).

The biggest challenge when considering new technologies and student learning is because most assessment evaluate traditional literacy and content knowledge (Barome and Wright 2008).

Many teachers are also reluctant in order to use and integrate new teachnology in their lesson plans (Barome and Wright 2008)

Because of this, preparation and professional support, such as the one given by Apple distinguised educator (ADE), is very important. (Barome and Wright 2008)

Warschauer (2006 in Barone and Wright 2008) documented that when laptops are used in classroom, there are increase and gains in motivation, writing competency, and critical thinking.

References:

Pericles, K. (2008). Happily blogging@ Belmore South. SCAN, 27(2). 4-6 http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/.

Barone, D., &Wright, T.E. (2008). Literacy instruction with digital and media technologies. the Reading Teacher, 62 (4), 292-302.