Three Weeks of Blogging (Week 4 of Class)

So far, I have focused on students using blogs in their educational setting and the benefits of doing so. I would now like to focus on educators using blogs. There are many options for instructors in terms of implementing the use of blogs and using them to further their own understanding of various topics. First, educators can network and share personal knowledge and experiences. Educators have the option of sharing classroom management tips, bulletin board ideas, lesson plan and activity ideas, along with seeking out suggestions on various topics. Secondly, teachers can share instructional tips with students using blogs while posting course announcements and readings. In addition, blogging is a great way to communicate with parents and professionals throughout the educational field.

Educators do have to be careful when using blogs. When making pictures and personal information readily available to students over the internet, we subject ourselves to possible misuse of the photos on personal web spaces. Furthermore, students may sabotage the personal information that is shared so we must make it a point to be careful when posting such material.

In my opinion, the main purpose of educators using blogs is to put ideas out there, explore other's ideas, share experiences, and learn from other professionals. Blogs also allow for great professional development opportunities.

Blogging in Week 2

Now that I have created my very first blog, I have had the opportunity to post new entries on my blog site and comments on other's blog sites as well. Now, I want to focus on how blogging can be tied into the student's educational setting.

After viewing the blogs of other classmates and viewing some of the many blogs online, I have come to the conclusion that blogging does not need to focus strictly on how they can be beneficial in a teacher-student environment but also in how blogs can be used to help students and educators learn and grow individually. Today, I will focus on the benefits of using blogs in the classroom for students. Blogs seem to be a great place for students to share their opinions in order to learn from one another (various view points on one topic). Students can then focus on additional ways to arrive at the same answer (rather than just the teacher's viewpoint or method). Using blogs, students have the ability to get their voice heard when they otherwise may feel uncomfortable sharing their valuable opinions. Since blogs are archived, the learning process is ongoing and creates an environment that facilitates reflection. Students can use blogs to connect with experts on various topics while the use of blogs allows the educator to incorporate writing and communication into all content areas.

I am looking forward to learning how others are using blogs in their classrooms as well as opinions on additional strengths and weaknesses of using blogs.

Welcome - Math Blog!

Welcome to my Mathematics Educational Blog. This professional blog is dedicated to the use of blogging in the Mathematics classroom. This is my first professional blog so please feel free to share any tips that you may have acquired while creating your blog. I would love to hear about how you integrated blogging into your curriculum and the advantages/disadvantages that accompany doing so.

As a first time blogger, I am trying to identify how to incorporate blogging into my mathematics class and the benefits and drawbacks of doing so. I have had the opportunity to view several blogs online and have found it to be a useful source for educators to share comments, reflections, and ideas with other professionals. I did have a hard time finding information in regards to using blogs within a classroom setting. Please share your experiences!