I will use blogs in my classroom. I will use 21 publish because I was very impressed with the community blog concept. I think technology is highly motivating for students. I polled my own two teenagers to ask them whether or not they would visit a blog for the classroom if it contained interactive projects, extra credit, assignment detail and feedback and the ability to create their own blog within the classroom structure. Both said yes. Maintaining a blog for a classroom would certainly require extra time...however, I suspect that once you had done it for a few classes, then it would be like the material you were teaching, it would be become more familiar and routine and if you kept good records you could simply repeat for consecutive classes. There is so much "fun" stuff available in the form of interactive activities that I think students would find it engaging. It would also give you a chance to receive and give feedback to every student that participated from your classroom, which I think can be difficult given the time and material that needs to be covered, in the course of a one period class.
Rules need to be established for students on proper etiquette...it isn't another facebook, it is an educational tool...an extension of the classroom. I also really like the idea that parents can access and get a feel for what their children are doing and discussing on the topic of your classroom.
I have much more to learn regarding the features on how best to present an interesting and engaging blog page, but I look forward to trying that and I will start with my first student teaching class next fall.
I am happy that I took this course and learned about something I knew relatively nothing about!
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