Blogging

To me, blogging is an interesting activity. A blog is described by Webster's Online Dictionary as: "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also : the contents of such a site". Wikipedia has a similar definition which includes the fact that blog is a contraction of the words web and log. I find blogs and blogging interesting because the idea of something being personal and online seem to be contrary. However in a world were everything is public, and some people don't mind sharing details of their lives, then there is no contradiction. When I first heard of the term, I paid no attention to it because I just looked at it strictly from the personal journal aspect. It would never be something that I would do, therefore why concern myself with it. I did not know of the educational advantages and once I knew a little more about it, I didn't see the value in using blogging, especially for younger students. Having explored various websites and talking to different educators has given me a different perspective, even for primary grade students. One article in particular, "Panelists: Blogs are changing education " (eSchoolNews-online publication) enabled me to envision using blogging for the second grade students that I work with. My next post will discuss my visions for educational blogging.