Blogs allow a student to be creative but within the confines of realizing instructors, peers, and strangers will be reading the posts. Jo Ann Oravec (2002) mentions that blogs can empower students to become more analytical and better critical thinkers. They will open up with their perspectives on the topics presented knowing others will be reading it. Blogging can assist English as a Second Language (ESL) students to practice their skills with an audience outside of the school environment. Vance Stevens in coordination with some teachers from Venezuela, Argentina, and Slovenia conducted an education study using blogs for ESL students called Writingmatrix. Students from these countries at the directions of their teachers blogged and responded to blogs in English using the tag writingmatrix to track each others' blogs. Although it started slow, the blogging picked up and was considered a success. Students were not only able to practice their English, but they also practiced learning about other cultures and learned more technology skills in the process. I have found a few of the blogs still are online today.
There are a few problems that must be overcome with using blogs as an educational tool. Oravec (2002) references that fact that weblinks become "dead" over time. This is one of the reasons I have her referenced here and not linked. I could not find a public link to the below-referenced article. Another drawback of using blogs for educational purposes is privacy. Blogs are public. They are public because that is their use, to be a searchable information log. Shelbie Witte (2007) and her school's administrators found a way around this by using the school's network. Orevac (2002) also warns that instructors must address concerns of the appropriateness of posts with their student before starting a project. Sharing information in a digital age will always garner supporters and detractors.
Using blogs for information sharing is the essence of continuing the learning experience. With the ability of back and forth communication and the knowledge that the information is public, students should want to post quality, insightful writings. This increases the knowledge for everyone.
King, K. & Cox T. D. (2011). The professor's guide to taming technology: Leveraging digital media, web 2.0, and more for learning. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc.
Oravec, J.A. (2002). Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(7), 616-621
