learning through blogging

7/30/2019 Learning through Blogging

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Chapter 7


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What is a Blog?

What is Blogging?

Different types of blog website

Exposure to educational blogs

How blogs help in learning?


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There are many different types of blogs, differing notonly in the type of content, but also in the way thatcontent is delivered or written.

1) Personal Blogs

An ongoing diary or commentary by an individual.

Some sites, such as Twitter, allow bloggers to sharethoughts and feelings instantaneously with friendsand family.


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A personal journal published on the World Wide Webconsisting of discrete entries (post).

Typically displayed in reverse chronological order so

the most recent post appears first. A combination of 2 words,web log.

Usually the work of a single individual, occasionally ofa small group.

Often are themed on a single subject.


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3) By Genre

Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such aspolitical blogs, health blogs, travel blogs (alsoknown as travelogs).

Two common types of genre blogs are art blogsand music blogs.

Not a legitimate type of blog, one used for thesole purpose of spamming is known as a Splog.


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2) Corporate and Organizational Blogs

Used internally to enhance the communicationand culture in a corporation.

Used externally for marketing, branding orpublic relations purposes.

Similar blogs for clubs and societies are calledclub blogs, group blogs, or by similar names;typical use is to inform members and otherinterested parties of club and member activities.


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5) By Device

Defined by which type of device is used tocompose it.

A blog written by a mobile device like a mobilephone or PDA could be called a moblog.


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4) By Media Type

A blog comprising videos is called a vlog.

One comprising links is called a linklog.

A site containing a portfolio of sketches is called

a sketchblog. One comprising photos is called a photoblog.

Tumbleblogs, typecast or typecast blogs.


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6) Reverse Blog

Is composed by its users rather than a singleblogger.

Has the characteristics of a blog, and the writing

of several authors. Can be written by several contributing authors

on a topic, or opened up for anyone to write.

There is typically some limit to the number ofentries to keep it from operating like a WebForum.


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1) Its Writing on a Blog.

Blogging must be done on a blog.

How do you know its a blog? Articles, calledposts, are listed in reverse chronological order.

Each post has its own unique web pageaddress called a Permalink.

Posts usually (but not always) allow readers toleave comments.


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2) Its Writing Authentically.

We can also define blogging by trying toidentify its spirit.

Authentic writing is held by many as an ideal

associated with blogging.

Authentic writing - The quality of being

genuine or not corrupted from the original;Truthfulness of origins, attributions,commitments, sincerity, and intentions; Thequality of being authentic (of established

authority).


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3) Its a Dialogue.

People can leave comments and even reply toeach other in the comments.

They can have conversations about it in othersocial sites.

They can write their own blog posts inresponse to your blog post.

In other words, they can talk back to you and

they can talk to each other.


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4) Its Beyond Writing.

can include images, audio, video, slideshows,ebooks, and all other manner of what we callembedded media.

Blogging does not even have to include words:a blog post can have only pictures, forexample.


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6) Its Nothing.

Blogging is still just a tool, a method, a means. Without people, its nothing and people will

still be here and still have that primal need forcontact even if blogging didnt exist.

Blogging is not a replacement for humanrelationships.

It does not automatically confer a winningmindset or happiness to its practitioners.

Its existence means nothing, does nothing.

What we do with it? Thats what matters.


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5) Its Everything.

Almost any form of traditional media has beentransmogrified somewhere by someone intothe new thing. (blogs)

Its like the entire world is being slowlyconverted to digital.


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Called edublog - a blog written by someone ineducation.

Examples:

blogs written by or for teachers.

blogs maintained for the purpose of classroominstruction.

blogs written about educational policy.


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Stephen Downes Downes was the winner of the Edublog Award

for Best Individual Blog in 2005 for his blogOLDaily.

Downes is Editor at Large of the InternationalJournal of Instructional Technology andDistance Learning.

Downes was a presenter at the February 2007Online Connectivism Conference.

He was an instructor for the first ConnectivismMassive open online course (MOOC) in 2008.


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Will Richardson

author of the highly ranked and read edublogWeblogg-ed.

author of the book, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, andother Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.

now an independent presenter and owner of

Connective Learning, LLC. recently named to the National Advisory Board

for the George Lucas Education Foundation.

Along with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, he is co-

owner of Powerful Learning Practice, a companythat delivers job-embedded, year-longprofessional development to schools worldwidearound the pedagogies of Web 2.0 tools.


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James N. Farmer

founder and CEO of Edublogs.org, the largestglobal weblog community for educators.

currently based in Australia, where he has beenthe Online Community Editor ofThe Age.

Lecturer in Education Design at DeakinUniversity.

James' blog, "Incorporated Subversion, has beena resource for educators involved with social

media and online publishing since 2003.


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George Siemens

theorist on learning in a digitally based society. author of the article Connectivism: A Learning

Theory for the Digital Age.

author of the book Knowing Knowledge.

He was the Associate Director in the LearningTechnologies Centre at the University ofManitoba.

accepted a position with Athabasca University.

In 2008, Siemens and Stephen Downes designedand taught an online, open course (also knownas a Massive open online course, or MOOC).


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1) Blogs can be important tools for sharing usefulinformation and tips among co-workers.

2) Dispersing information to students.

a way to post important information such ashomework, important dates, missed lessons,projects, discussion boards, and other useful

classroom information that is accessible by all.


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3) Students can use blogs to communicate withother students for group projects as well.

Access the blog to ask each other questionsregarding a missed assignment or lesson.

This would generate conversation amongst thestudents and develop their critical andanalytical thinking skills.

It also allows students who are shy andreserved in class to voice their opinions andinsight using a different approach.


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4) Keeping in contact with parents.

Information can be posted for parents onspecial events occurring in the classroom suchas field trips, celebrations, and presentations.

Central tool for parents to find out dailyassignments so that they can check up on theirchildren and classroom expectations.

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