Blogging has revolutionized every aspect of technology. It is entering various fields and gaining importance.
For example, blogging is being used by corporations to promote their businesses, social forums to create awareness, and schools and colleges are using blogging as a medium of education.
When blogging is used as a medium of k-12 education there are some very good and positive aspects added to it. Let’s see what are the positive aspects included in blogs used for k- 12 education:
- It has a capacity to create a healthy competitive environment. When a student knows that his/her work might be read by other students, they are likely to work harder as every student wants to be at the top. With the help of blogs it is easy to set up a system where students can regularly read other students’ blogs and comment on them. The students can go through drafts by other students that gives them a chance to edit, which would not be possible otherwise. This gives them a unique skill to improve their working style. It is even good for teachers as the entire process can be recorded in an easy to read format. The teacher can quickly find out about students who are reading the blogs and what are they commenting about. They also get to know how comments are received by the blog’s original writer.
- Students get the freedom to express themselves. In a blog, a student can use it as a place for their writing or whatever they desire. They have an option to expand their blog and make it great. Students can visit each other’s blogs to discuss issues that come up in classes. A blog would give them a format to continue discussions about their subjects, while they also sharpen their writing skills.
- Students can observe the writing process. Blogs are a great opportunity for a student to observe writing styles and get some rough ideas and brainstorming. They can form an outline and make multiple drafts. They can use the blog format to discuss their choices during the writing process.
- Editing experience. Students can learn the finer aspects of writing by editing other students work and self-editing as well. Most students have the opportunity to review each other’s work and discuss how to punctuate, format, and explain things in a clear and brief manner.
- Blogging gives students a chance to share ideas. There some students that are not very eager to express themselves or ask questions in class like other students. However, a blog gives these students a chance to enhance their writing, express their thoughts, and then share it with other students and teachers.
