1. By: Katie Jackson

2. • Blogging In Education Today
 Summary Continued
 Reflection
• Blogging? It's Elementary, My Dear Watson!
 Summary Continued
 Reflection
• In the Classroom, Web Logs Are the New
Bulletin Boards
 Summary Continued
 Reflection

3. • K. Walsh wrote an article about the uses of
blogging as it pertains to educational
professionals such as teachers, administrators,
and education-based technologists.
 Walsh explained that teachers use
blogs for a variety of reasons, some of
which include providing assignments to
students, communicating with other
teachers about classroom experiences, or
sharing with other educators the use of
educational technologies.
Walsh, K. (2010). Blogging in education today. Retrieved from
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2010/08/blogging-in-education-today-a-multipart-series/
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4.  “The earliest uses of blogs by teachers were like most of the blogs that
were first written in the 90’s and early 2000’s – blogging just for the sake
of sharing thoughts with others who might be interested” (Walsh).
 Walsh explained that teachers first started out using blogs simply to
communicate with other teachers. Now, teachers use blogs for anything and
everything, even if it’s just stating what happened in their class that day. She
also gives examples of what teacher’s blogs look like these days by giving
hyperlinks to actual blogs.
 Here is an example of a teacher’s blog Walsh recommended:
http://www.johntspencer.com/
The author’s name is John Spencer! 
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5. I enjoyed reading this article and learning how I, as a
teacher , can utilize blogging in the future to keep up and
share stories with my colleagues. I think it’s a great idea for
teachers to put out there what they are doing in their
classrooms. By blogging about the lessons and experiences
you have in your classroom, you open yourself up to
feedback from other teachers who might like what you are
doing or who have improvements you could make. This is
something I think can only make you a better teacher.
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6. • “At its core, blogging -- or Web logging -- is an online diary or
journal. Take a look at any blog and you'll immediately see the
connection between it and a traditional diary” (Jackson).
• In this article Lorrie Jackson talks about how blogging is so easy, an
elementary aged student could do it. Then Jackson goes on to talk
about how elementary aged students are actually using blogging in
the classroom and how it stimulates their abilities to write.
Jackson, L. (2010). Blogging? it's elementary, my dear watson!. Retrieved from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml
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7.  In this article Jackson talked about a specific website known as
Blogmeister that was developed by David Warlick, founder of the Landmark
Project. The program is completely online and requires no software to
install. Jackson talked about how all the teacher had to do was set up the
student’s accounts, and let them start typing.
 However, the student cannot just post whatever they want, the teacher has
to approve it. If it is approved, it is published, if it is not approved, it is sent
back to the student for editing.
 Giving elementary aged students the right to blog is one that they will find
exciting and enriching since their audience on the web is significantly bigger
than that of a classroom. It opens up more room for feedback and allows shy
students to flourish.
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8. I was surprised when I read this article. I had no clue
elementary aged students were capable of blogging at such
an early age. I thought it was a different but interesting idea
for getting students excited about writing. I agree that some
students might be afraid or shy when it comes to talking out
in class. However, I believe blogging is a great way for those
students to shine. Blogging is something that allows a
person to get their ideas and feeling out, so why not start
children out early? I for one would have loved to be able to
blog in elementary school because it would have taught me
not only how to use a computer, but how to type!
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9. • Jeffrey Selingo wrote an article about how Marisa L. Dudiak's second-
grade class in Frederick County, Md., did a blogging assignment after
returning from a Native American farm field trip. Selingo reported that
Dudiak thought blogging would be a better idea than having the students
write in a paper journal. Dudiak explained, ''It allowed them to interact
with their peers more quickly than a journal would” (Selingo).
• Selingo reported on how the students wrote basic sentences such as how
they learned to shoot a bow and arrow. Although the posts included many
spelling errors and mistakes, “the exercise proved more fruitful than a
group discussion” (Selingo).
Selingo, J. (2004). In the classroom, web logs are the new bulletin boards. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/technology/in-the-classroom-web-logs-are-the-new-
bulletin-boards.html
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10. • Selingo also stated that students also use
blogging to do things such as “write about how
they attacked a tough math problem, post
observations about their science experiments
or display their latest art projects” (Selingo).
This allows students to feel more
accomplished because their work is being
seen by millions on the worldwide web as
opposed to a few people in their classroom.
• Selingo explained how several people feel
that blogging is the future. It takes less
maintenance and is as easy as clicking a
button.
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11. I think it is great that teachers are getting their students
excited about technology such a blogging , at such a young
age. Technology is undoubtedly the future of our society
and students need to grow up in an environment that will
prepare them for what is to come. I think that advances in
technology are becoming more and more prevalent with
each day and students need to be brought up with the
knowledge of how to stay ahead. This responsibility of
training students lies with our teachers and it good to
know that such efforts are already underway.
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12. Web Logging, or Blogging, has come into its own over the last
couple of years. It is no longer being used as a day to day diary,
but as a means of communicating ideas to the world. Blogging
went from being a new technology to one now being used by
elementary aged students. It is the technology of the future and
will continue to become more and more advanced as it goes
along. However, as it stands in education today, it is doing
wonders for communication and student growth!
• “One of the goals of classroom blogs, advocates say, is to get
students to write more often” (Selingo).
• Let’s get our student’s excited about writing, for themselves,
and for their future!
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