Initially, I thought I had a solid idea of what I pictured a future classroom blog looking like. My vision included students responding to questions about books that they are reading. When poking around the UMUC databases, I found an article from The Reading Teacher that widened my options for me. Lisa Zawilinski (2009) discusses several key aspects of blogging in the classroom that must be considered before implementation. She comments on the “authentic audience” that is available to read the students’ work, in the form of fellow students, teachers, parents, grandparents, and so on (Zawilinski, 2009, p. 652).
While I had not previously considered it, Zawilinski (2009) classifies four types of blogs: Classroom News (posting information about the classroom), Mirror Blogs (students reflecting on their thinking), Showcases (posting examples of student work), and Literature Response (students posting responses to books). As I mentioned earlier, I was ready to unintentionally limit my students by requiring them to follow the framework of a Literature Response blog. Now, I will be sure to allow my students to stretch their wings in the form of the other types of blogs, which will keep their motivation and personal pride at a high level, where it belongs!
Zawilinski, L. (2009). HOT blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher order thinking. The Reading Teacher(62)8, 650-661. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete. DOI:10.1598/RT.62.8.3
Although I teach at an elementary level, the Showcase blog has great implications for the art room. It would be terrific to have a visual gallery online and allow students to comment, or critique the art via the use of a blog. Technology opens so many doors!
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