I am currently a fifth grade math teacher and I have personally never considered blogging in the classroom. I always felt that blogging about math would not be easier. However, after brainstorming ideas about how I could use blogging to enhance learning, I realized that it would be easier than I thought. I thought about things that I do in the classroom right now that I could do with blogging as well. One thing that I came up with that I feel would work the best for math is using blogging as a type of think tank. Think tanks are when the teacher poses a topic and the student are to write about everything they know about the topic and what they would like to learn. I would use blogs to introduce the topic and have the students use it as their think tank. Students could pose questions about the topic and other student could answer their questions. It is a great way for students to learn from each other and it also gives students the opportunity to use technology in the classroom. I also feel that blogs would allow the students that are afraid of sharing their knowledge in class to share without feeling self-conscious about speaking in front of their peers. I would use the blog as a way to boost students' confidence in themselves as well as enhance learning.
Not only are blogs a good way for students to discuss topics and teach each other, but it also serves as a great pre-assessment and post assessment for the teacher. When the topic is introduced and students are to write what they know about the topic, the teacher will be able to see what concepts about the topic need to be taught and what concepts about the topic students already understand.
Blogging is a great way to incorporate technology into the classroom, communicate with others about certain topics, and for students to learn from each other. I have never used blogging in the classroom, but I hope that I can sometime soon.
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Your idea is great, especially the part about using it as a pre assessment and post assessment. I think kids are being way over tested these days and to do something like creating blogs will help spark a wider interest in what they are doing. Does your school have enough computers for each of your students to do this? The think tanks are new to me as I don’t know much about it, but it sounds like the kids need to come up with their own ideas first before sharing with others. If this is the case one suggestion I might have is make the kids type their response and save it in draft form then have them publish it live all at the same time so they can not just copy and paste others ideas. Hope this might help, the students are going to love it. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI like your ideas for using blogs. I think pre assessing with blogging could be effective. Could you just post a couple of problems of the new material to see who has the skills to complete them? Could you use actual problems as the preassess instead of just having them list knowledge?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the previous post that suggested having them all post at one time to prevent the copy and paste problem. I also suggest letting them have a log-on or user name that is known only to you and each student. I think that would also encourage your students (who do not show as much self esteem) to be confident with their knowledge.
Good ideas. Good luck.