Educational Uses of Blogs and Wikis

By Steven Caringella

How are blogs being used?

Stephen Downes identified five main ways.

Downes, S. (2004). Educational Blogging. Educause Review, Available at http://www.downes.ca/

Classroom web pages

Teachers posting rules and policies, schedules, assignments, and activities.

Entries are automatically archived chronologically, saving both teacher and students time.

Links to content area websites

In this case, the blog becomes a resource list of links to course subject matter.

Blogs can be easily edited as resources change.

Class discussions

Commenting field allows students to post text in response to the teacher’s prompts, and students are able to read and respond to each other’s posts as well.

Teacher can respond to students’ posts.

Group collaboration

Some university students are studying for final exams with the use of a wiki.

Blog used as a classroom enewsletter or ezine.

Group research and group projects.

Individual student blogs

Teacher can post comments on each student’s blog.

Teacher reads students’ blogs and comments, rather than hauling home thirty journals and spending all weekend reading and commenting.

Benefits of using blogs and wikis

Motivation

Reflective thinking and learning

Communication

Collaboration

Motivation to read and write

Real world audience

Easy to use

Students quickly publish text

Give and receive immediate feedback

Reflective learning

Students reflect on class discussions

Students reflect on own thinking processes and learning done

Ongoing reflective dialogue between teacher and student

Communication

Between students and teachers

Between students and their peers

Between students and those outside the classroom, such as content area experts

Students learn from one another, not just from teacher

Collaboration

Students can work together in class and outside of class

Feedback feature

Students have an equal voice, those who speak up in class and those reluctant to do so

Benefits for the teacher

Easy to use

Saves time!

Can give students immediate and timely feedback

Ongoing dialogue

Guide students’ thinking processes

Reference List

Bull, G., and Kaider, S. (2004). Blogs in the Language Arts Classroom. Learning and Leading with Technology, 31 (6), 32-35.Downes, S. (2004). Educational Blogging. Educause Review, Available at http://www.downes.ca/Fang, Y, and Wang, J. (2004). Benefits of Cooperative Learning in Weblog Networks. Available from the National Formosa University, http://www.nfu.edu.tw/eng/index.htmPoling, C. (2005). Blog On: Building Communication and Collaboration Among Staff and Students. Learning and Leading with Technology, 32 (6), 12-15.