Question 7

What is the educational value of blogs and blogging to the 21st century learner?
I think the educational value of blogging is more than I probably comprehend, to be honest. I do think that there are possible ways for teachers to communicate to students via blogs about assignements and class projects, so that they are more apt to check out the teacher’s web page than they may currently be. And, it could possibly be a way in which teachers can update parents about what is going on in their classrooms daily. For me, at the Elementary school level, this would be the best way to utilize blogs for teachers. If during the day a teacher updates his or her blog to let parents know, in real time, what is going on in their classroom, then parents feel more connected to their child’s classroom. This would be one way a parent could feel as though he or she is with their child daily. I know that my own students found my blog page as a way to stay connected with me when I was in Japan. I updated my blog page at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time. My students and their parents all benefitted from it. We kept in touch, e-mailed, and they were a part of my visit to Japan in a way. This is how I think teachers can keep parents involved in their class, even when they are on business trips or out of town. For me, this is where blogging and education need to come together more.