Thing 4: Blogging Begins with Reading
One of the first things I note about blog writing is that virtually (no pun intended) anyone, with access to the Internet, can write or respond to a blog. The first Blog that I chose to read was Anne Davis’ Rationale for Educational Blogging. This was fortunate since she is obviously a thoughtful and long-time blogger. Due to the colossal number of bloggers out there, I feel that the most important aspect of blog writing is that you select your subjects and placement carefully and that you know your subject thoroughly. This would seem to be the method that would ensure a thoughtful dialog, which is a major facet of blogs. Anne Davis certainly meets the criteria I mentioned.
As an elementary school librarian, one of my greatest concerns with blogging is how adept students will be at using this form of communication. Ms. Edmison’s Class Blog, in which third grade students ask questions of Grace Lin, the author of The Year of the Dog, allays that concern. Through their thoughtful questions, the students learn about Ms. Lin’s methods and gain a greater understanding for her work. And since it is a blog post, it is available to anyone with Internet access. Also, I’ll also have to give plaudits for the simple and uncluttered design of the this blog.
The Ripe Environment post certainly gives us a reason to respond. In it, the author of the blog raises questions about the validity of using technology for the sake of technology. The comments generated by this post reflect the many different ways in which other educational professionals have arrived at the same conclusion: that the focused implementation of any technological tool, especially interactive tools, must be paramount in making the use of such a tool an effective learning experience.
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