K12 learning 2.0:  Tools for 21st Century Teaching & Learning

THING “Four” (Session Two)

Discovery Exercise . . . Some thoughts about the nature and aspects of blogging.

1.  What do you notice about the genre of blog writing in general?

I think it is important to think about the way in which a blog is constructed and posted.  Anyone that posts a blog can type a bunch of text and click the save button.  Now, that there are literally millions of blog pages, something must be done to cause yours to stand out or be appealing enough for readers to visit and read it.  Many people are beginning to enhance their posts with pictures or clip art and utilizing font and color changes to emphasize their points.  The form in which the post is made is becoming more important to the reader as more and more blog pages are created.  Adding more elements such as video will definitely give posts a better appeal.  Knowing your audience and writing to them will help make the blog more purposeful.  Don’t forget to tag your blog.  This will make it easier for people to find it when they search using keywords.  There are several things to consider when creating an enticing blog.

2.  How is blog reading different from other types of reading?  How is it similar?

Well, for me, not much different in actual reading.  But, there are differences.  I can go to MSN, for instance, and find several articles etc. but I find this very disjointing.  If I were to return there in a few days, it may be rearranged quite a bit and I may have a very difficult time locating the article I was reading.  On blog sites, things seem to be more organized and not cluttered up with lots of other types of things.  I find locating ideas on blog sites much easier.  Blog sites are simple web pages.  They are similar in design and the length of blogs are often similar to the articles written on other sites.

3. How is blog writing different from other types of writing?  How is it similar?

Well, I would ask about your writing style?  If your writing style works and people visit your blog, then that is working for you and you should continue to use it.  If it doesn’t, then stop and try something different.  I think it is a matter of personal style and everyone has their own unique way of expressing themselves.  Experiment and try different ways of writing until you find one that works for you.  This applies to any writing medium.

4.  How does commenting contribute to the writing and meaning-making?

This is what sets blogs apart for me.  I think people that write blogs are not just wanting to put content up alone for the reader but welcomes feedback as well.  Commenting is what ties them together into a relationship.  Because of the way blog sites are generally setup, readers can easily post comments to blogs.  Comments and any discussions connected to any given blog give it a life and brings more meaning to the ideas presented.

5.  Is there a “blogging literacy?”  How does blogging affect the way we read and write?

OK, there are literally millions of blog posts being done daily.  Obviously, there are many people out there in the world that know how to blog.  Some doing it simply while others incorporated more elements to enhance their blog pages.  This comes through practice.  So, it is important to understand that blogging is a new form of communication and conversation.  Yes, there is blogging literacy and we must not only learn but teach others how to read, write and understand this new form of 21st century literacy.  I think this will impact the way we think and express our thoughts in print.  We should strive to express ourselves more clearly because of the audience that will be reading our writings.

6.  How can blogging facilitate learning?

Blogs are about reading and writing.  Any participation in blogging will not only enhance reading skills but writing skills as well with the added bonus of using technology at the same time.  Students and teachers can utilize this tool to accomplish many academic goals and achievements.  The “a day in the life of the web 2.0″ article is an example of how blogging can make a tremendous difference in an educational setting.

Let’s go blogging!!