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Module 2: Blogs and Personal Learning Environments

 

Introduction

When I first began thinking about blogging in the classroom, I will admit, that I had a very skeptical outlook. I had a hard time seeing how blogging could be beneficial for my role as an elementary school teacher. It really sounds like just one more thing to manage on top of an already overflowing plate of lesson planning, grading, supervising, behavior management, communication, differentiating, data tracking, paperwork, recess duties, faculty meetings… the list goes on. I could see blogging being extremely beneficial in a high school setting where students already have a significant level of technology experience and are more apt at navigating the Internet while staying safe online. However, in an elementary classroom, I wonder if it would truly be an effective tool, or if it would be challenging to make blogging relevant to the curriculum, find time to teach the skills of how to blog, and also find time for students to actually work on their blogs.

Link to the Resource

https://www.tesol.org/blog/posts/revisiting-blogging-for-english-learners-in-2023/

I tried to keep an open mind about blogging and did some exploring. I found the website linked above and considered how an important benefit of blogging is the opportunity to give students an authentic audience. Instead of simply writing a story, turning it in to the teacher, and receiving it back with a grade to show to their parents, students can share the link to their blog with friends and family members. This can allow for authentic writing opportunities and interactions where the audience can share encouragement. Warner brings up a great point that encouragement from others increases motivation- specifically for language learners. He states, “Receiving praise or constructive feedback can bolster a learner's confidence and drive them to continue honing their language abilities (2023).” I think it is extremely important for young learners to hear positive feedback and praise from many sources instead of just from their teachers. By having classmates and family members comment on blog posts, students will feel proud of their work and motivated to continue creating and exploring.

 

Benefits and Roadblocks

One major benefit that I see with blogging is the appeal it could have to students. As teachers, our goal is always to get our students excited about learning. Most kids are extremely motivated by technology and enjoy things like social media and YouTube in their free time outside of school. Although, it still shocks me sometimes when I hear my elementary aged students singing a song from TikTok or referencing a pop culture moment that is circulating the Internet as a meme, I remind myself that this is the new normal. Kids have access to so much more technology now than ever before and are heavily influenced by social media. In a sense, blogging is like social media, which could be a great way to get students to buy in.

A roadblock that is on my mind is keeping students safe, managing the content that students post online, and protecting who can see the content that is shared. Reading this article eased my mind a bit. Originally, I was envisioning a blog activity where all students had their own public profile that could be accessed by anyone, however, for young elementary students, that may not be the most logical first step. Spaulding, Leith, and Crabill share the practice of teachers having a password-protected blog that students can access. Young elementary students comment and interact with posts on the teacher’s blog, and only those with the password are able to see. This seems like a great way to ease into blogging while managing student use.

Adaptation

Before jumping right in and giving my students the freedom to create their own personal blogs, I would want to try having a teacher-created blog that students can access and interact with. I imagine it as a great place for students to share their writing in place of a formal essay. My students will be doing a research writing project later on this year. Sharing their research on a blog could be a great way to compile their findings, celebrate their writing, and share with classmates and family members in a unique and motivating way.

References:

Crabill, Leith, and Spaulding. (2009). It’s Elementary! Blogging with Young Learners. The Ohio State University. https://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/keeping-warm/its-elementary-blogging-with-young-learners

 

Warner, B. (2023, April 17). Revisiting Blogging for English Learners in 2023.

TESOL International Association. https://www.tesol.org/blog/posts/revisiting-blogging-for-english-learners-in-2023/

 

 

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