Thing #4: Blah, blah, blogging

As I see more and more blogging being used in various classrooms across the country, I can't help but to think about going back to school to become a ophthalmologist. Kidding, however, having the opportunity to freely express themselves in manners that kick down the stifling walls of formatted writing definitely encourages students to boldly convey their own messages. As I read through some of the post laid out for us in this assignment, I couldn't help but to chuckle when Mark Ahlness said, "The classroom was the quietest and most focused I have seen in a long time during silent reading." He had exposed them to reading blogs instead of a regular book and he was amazed at how well the students adjusted. Now, it's all reading, but this time students were deeply engaged. Adding the technology piece pulled the students in. This is the connected generation, and they would rather hold a laptop than a book even if the web site was the digital version of the very same piece of literature. "Why use an encyclopedia when you have the internet?" my seven-year old daughter asked me one day. All I could do was laugh and agree with her. Blogging however, gives someone or a group the opportunity to expound on their thoughts about any topic. The reader can comment, adding to the ideology of the piece, or express praise or dislike for what the author is saying. However the commenter sways, the blog made them think... a lost art among our learners today. My student's have a difficult time with blogging because they have never had to the opportunity to freely speak through writing. As they continue to blog, many are becoming comfortable with the the concept of writing and have a greater tendency to go and find information on certain topics, just so they can blog about it later on. Wow, taking responsibility for their own learning... through blogging... go figure!