Cesar trab

100 reasons why educators should use blogs

For students:
1. Blogs are fun! Many of your students likely already keep a personal blog. Using a blog in the classroom will help students relate to the lesson.
2. They help students develop and hone their writing skills.
3. They model forms and standards of writing for students. Show them what good writing looks like vs. bad writing. Talk aboutstyle, tone, and usage. Blogs are an oasis of free writing samples.
4. Blogs can stand in as online student journals for a variety of classroom modules.
5. Blogs can increase the sense of community and camaraderie amongst classmates.
6. They can be used to help students understand appropriate online sources. Show students how to evaluate blogs for their authority, credibility and usefulness.
7.When used for group work, they can foster collaboration and team-building skills.
8. They can help promote and develop reading skills.
9. They provide another outlet for different styles of learning. Blogs help students who learn through hands-on work and are more verbally oriented.
10. Blogs can be used to encourage discussion anytime — whether in or outside of class.
11. Students can useblogs to develop online portfolios of their work.
12. In large classes, blogs can be used to create smaller groups and to form more cohesive units even while in class.
13. Most students now are digital natives. Blogs engage them by presenting material in a way that is familiar and comfortable.
14. Students have a larger audience when they blog. If the blog is public, they are potentially writingfor a global audience. This knowledge may empower them and their work.
15. Blogs allow for self-directed learning. If they are assigned as independent or homework projects, students can work on them when they feel inspired to do so.
16. They allow for multimedia interaction. Students can post pictures, videos, links, and more.
17. Students can hone their editing skills by critiquing the work ofothers.
18. Parents can view their child’s work and progress as shown on a blog.
19. Blogs can model rules of behavior for online interaction, teaching students online etiquette.
20. Students can take pride in their work since blog creation reflects their independent efforts.
21. Working online fosters a sense of global interaction. Students can be taught to understand the dangers and thebenefits of interacting online and producing work online.
22. As an independent project, blogs allow students to showcase their independence and sense of responsibility.
23. Blogs save paper.
24. Blogs provide a virtual announcement board for important messages about homework, assignments, deadlines, and more.
25. Students can communicate with their teachers and other students through a blog.This is especially helpful for shy students who might not otherwise reach out.
26. Teachers can communicate with parents directly and as a group through blogs.
27. They provide an outlet for students who are shy.
28. Blogs give students the chance to express their creativity in academic ways.
29. Students can work on collaborative writing projects through blogs.
30. They prepare students foronline social networking.
31. Blogs help students understand how to build an online presence.
32. They help increase student confidence levels by giving them self-directed projects.
33. Work is permanently stored on a blog. Students can review their work — theoretically — for years to come. Blog space can be obtained for free, and so long as the teacher doesn’t remove the content, it will remainthere.
34. Students can determine the topic of posts on blogs, making them more inspired and excited to participate.
35. If blogs are used as reading material, students can choose the type and style of blog that appeals to them, making them more excited about reading.
36. Blogs can teach students the proper use of citation — especially of hyperlinks.
37. Blogs can be used to teach students...