Blogging in the Classroom

Blogging can be used in the classroom in a number of ways (this post will overlap information with the previous post). A blog post could be used to set up a discussion: the topic or question is posed by the teacher, then the students in that class would discuss or answer in the comments section. The next time the class meets, the teacher can pull up the blog post and bring up some key points or issues addressed by the students. It could also be used to post homework assignments and project them on the Smart board during class, and they could go back to the blog after class if needed. A music teacher could also have all of the students create a blog in which they journal their practice experiences, and have a requirement for a certain amount of entries a week. The goal would be to prompt students to practice, but it would also help them organize what they are practicing and learning in the process, and help them see the progress they've made over the course of the semester or year. The students could also use it to post homework assignments, such as research on a composer, instrument or musical piece. They could also use it to post new or interesting music that they have discovered, and share it with the class.

To be honest, the fact that this would be used in a music class is limiting to the possibilities of using a blog. Music is a hands-on endeavor, unless you are researching information, and I don't know how else to use a blog in the classroom itself. I really like the idea of using it as a journal, but even then I would probably have them type them up and email them, or use d2l. Plus, some students may not be comfortable blogging, or may want to use a different social network, and it could get tricky. I would keep an open mind to using a blog in the classroom, or having the students use one, but I don't think that would be my first choice at this point in time.