Student Blog

Hi all,
Due to factors out of my hand (timetable restraints) I was unable to arrange for my students to establish their own blogs in the time available. However, to overcome this problem I have established a blog (on behalf of my students). Even though I posted this blog, it was the students who were ultimately responsible for working together to create it.

This was achieved by the whole class contributing to:
· The design and layout
· The contents of the blog (images and recipes)
· Establishing appropriate self-netiquette guidelines/rules and allocating responsibility evenly

 

The blog site I have chosen to use is called Edublogs. This is a safe blog posting site which was created for educational purposes. In establishing a blog on behalf of my students I believe that I have not only met the requirements of this task, but I have achieved other valuable learning outcomes such as:
· Students learning to take responsibility for their own learning
· Students collaborating as a group
· Creating a sense of belonging
· Giving students the ability to share their own learning journey with friends & family

(community)

 

Enabling important group skills to be acquired (e.g., Listening, cooperation, accepting responsibility, constructive peer feedback and the gaining of diverse knowledge) (Ashman & Elkins, 2008).

The importance of feeling a sense of belonging is also consistent with Maslow's hierarchy of needs (1968, 1970, 1976, as cited in McInerney & McInerney, 2006); students need to feel they belong for learning to continue.

I am currently posting feedback, student recipes, relevant links and images taken by students to their class blog page. In turn, students can leave comments, add relevant information or share their experiences with friends and family.

I believe posting blogs and interacting as a group will engage and motivate the students to learn. When students collaborate they become engaged and motivated to learn (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999).
The class blog page is : http://jdpricey.edublogs.org/

Thanks for listening
Jim Price

 

 

Ashman, A., & Elkins, J. (2008). Education for Inclusion and Diversity. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia.

 

Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

 

Mclnerney, D. M, & Mclnerney, V. (2006). Educational psychology constructing learning. Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia: Pearsons Education Australia.