I have never written a blog before. However, I have read some, from colleagues who are regular bloggers.
It might come as a surprise since I prepare and deliver blended and distance courses that I am not a very confident user of technology. I believe that I am a user, not an expert. That is why each new tool is a bit daunting for me at the beginning and I do my best to master their use. I have had many challenges to that respect, using different tools and platforms for elearning. Maybe that is the reason why I was a bit anxious about the new adventure - blogging.
The instructions about starting a blog were excellent. I followed them step by step - and here I am. It made me confirm my belief that clear instructions are key to successful fulfillment of a task. Confusion and ambiguity must be avoided and it is our role as in-class and online teachers to give clear instructions and expected outcomes from the very beginning.
I do believe that blogs are more than useful when learning, especially when learning a foreign language. Language learners often find themselves in a situation when they use language to perform a communicative task, without having actual audience. That is why I find it to be one of the strongest arguments in favour of blogging.
The article "Blogging for ELT" presents numerous valid reasons for using blogs that are valid for my teaching context. I have been preparing and delivering distance courses for the past six years. One of the biggest challenges that are faced is motivating distance learners to participate in class work regularly. Blogs can be prepared in any time students find suitable, according to their learning pace and learning style. Some of them are morning persons, some of them burn the midnight oil. Blogs provide students with the opportunity to develop both their reading and writing skills. Distance learners at times find themselves feeling lonely in the learning process, it is often next to impossible to make them do pair-work or group work activities. Blogging indeed provides them with a realistic sense that they do belong to a wider learning community. Both blended and distance learners are often shy or intimidated to share their view in class by speaking. Blogs are well-prepared in advance and do serve as tools for overcoming these obstacles. Blogs can be easily included in portfolio assessment, which is already part of the assessment procedure that we are required to use.
All these reasons, along with the fact which I realised upon my reflection of my own experience in creating this blog which is that with clear instructions and step-by-step guidance it is rather easy to create one, make me believe that I should include blogs in the following semester with my students.
It might come as a surprise since I prepare and deliver blended and distance courses that I am not a very confident user of technology. I believe that I am a user, not an expert. That is why each new tool is a bit daunting for me at the beginning and I do my best to master their use. I have had many challenges to that respect, using different tools and platforms for elearning. Maybe that is the reason why I was a bit anxious about the new adventure - blogging.
The instructions about starting a blog were excellent. I followed them step by step - and here I am. It made me confirm my belief that clear instructions are key to successful fulfillment of a task. Confusion and ambiguity must be avoided and it is our role as in-class and online teachers to give clear instructions and expected outcomes from the very beginning.
I do believe that blogs are more than useful when learning, especially when learning a foreign language. Language learners often find themselves in a situation when they use language to perform a communicative task, without having actual audience. That is why I find it to be one of the strongest arguments in favour of blogging.
The article "Blogging for ELT" presents numerous valid reasons for using blogs that are valid for my teaching context. I have been preparing and delivering distance courses for the past six years. One of the biggest challenges that are faced is motivating distance learners to participate in class work regularly. Blogs can be prepared in any time students find suitable, according to their learning pace and learning style. Some of them are morning persons, some of them burn the midnight oil. Blogs provide students with the opportunity to develop both their reading and writing skills. Distance learners at times find themselves feeling lonely in the learning process, it is often next to impossible to make them do pair-work or group work activities. Blogging indeed provides them with a realistic sense that they do belong to a wider learning community. Both blended and distance learners are often shy or intimidated to share their view in class by speaking. Blogs are well-prepared in advance and do serve as tools for overcoming these obstacles. Blogs can be easily included in portfolio assessment, which is already part of the assessment procedure that we are required to use.
All these reasons, along with the fact which I realised upon my reflection of my own experience in creating this blog which is that with clear instructions and step-by-step guidance it is rather easy to create one, make me believe that I should include blogs in the following semester with my students.
I am a super blogger, in fact I have two other blogs. To me blogging was like going to a spa, relaxing and letting everything go and just think on my writing.
ReplyDeleteTo me the new experience was: to blog as class work and signing in with my real name.
The class I teach offers forums instead of blogs, it allows students to interact as a group and each opinion makes a rope to effective learning, specially in Writing. It is almost what we do on Nicenet.
I am not sure if I ever going to have the chance to teach English outside of the on line platform we use, but I will surely would implement blogs as part of my teaching tools.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I start to share your view on blogging - it is relaxing and I find it useful since it helps me summarize what I have done and learnt... it is like a memorizing tool in the learning process for me.
I also teach a class with forum, students do like to participate, but not always... I have to choose topics which are closely related to the course content and I do gain insight into their language use which is more open and free...