Blogging can be an invaluable tool for learning. I agree with the statement made by fifth grader Dominic that blogging gives students a chance to communicate their ideas and thoughts and get the feedback of the entire world. He said that it encourages students to write more. The article went on to discuss the educational possibilities of blogging like archiving and publishing student work and connecting teachers, students, and parents. The article also states that blogging is an useful tool because it gives equity to all students because all students would be given the same space and opportunity to share their thoughts.
The article also goes on to share reasons why blogging is not being as effective as it could be in the educational realm. Will Richardson states: "By its very nature, assigned blogging in schools cannot be blogging. It’s contrived. No matter how much we want to spout off about the wonders of audience and readership, students who are asked to blog are blogging for an audience of one, the teacher." When the semester ends, "students drop blogging like wet cement." Richardson wants to teach students to write with passion, but he notes: "I can’t let them do it passionately due to the inherent censorship that a high school served Weblog carries with it."34 This quote alone states why blogging can not reach its full potential. In order for any new implementation to be successful, there has to be buy-in by all stakeholders. Students will not buy-in to this forum because of the fact that in the end, they are writing in a restrictive environment and the writing itself is simply to satisfy the requirements of the teacher. They can not express themselves freely because of the censors placed on them by the school and teacher. The writer states that blogging ends up resembling a conversation and what kind of conversation can a student have with other students if it has many restrictions?
34. Will Richardson, "The Blogging in Schools Question," Weblogg-Ed, April 13, 2004, http://www.weblogg-ed.com/2004/04/13#a1699.
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