The Basics: What is a Blog?

Blogging (or web-logging) is a relatively new technology “consisting of web-based journals facilitated by software that generates chronological entries” (Kajder, Bull, & Van Noy, 2004, p. 32). Blogging is connected to learning in any content area (Science, English, Math) because it is about information sharing and versatility. Blogs employ the use of several types of media; videos, pictures, and text can all be used in blogs to create new and different types of understanding through many mediums. People often use blogs as personal journals as well as “reports” on different topics. Blogs are available to anyone with a computer, and there are several free websites available online for people to post their own blogs. What’s more, blogs allow feedback from readers; there are “comment” sections under entry posts where readers may respond and post public feedback. In their article A space for "writing without writing" blogs in the language arts classroom authors Kajder, Bull and Van Noy and many other education researchers argue that more and more teachers are using blogging as a means to communicate with students via internet because of the accessibility, breadth of possibility and cooperative learning opportunities made available by weblogs. Blogs can and should be used in every classroom to promote learning.

Video Citation: Lee (Producer). (2007, November 29) Blogs in Plain English [video]. Retrieved June 1, 2008 from http://youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI