When infusing technology into your classroom you have to think of it's affordance. What is an affordance you ask? Well it is how can the use of a specific tool help of better achieve our end goal.
A blog. When incorporating the use of blogs into your classroom think about how it can best meet your goals. For example, if your students are reading the book "The Crucible" have them take on a character that they can relate to and then have them to blog about the events in the book from that characters perspective. Next, if you were studying Revolutions you could have your students to blog their character analysis and then require them to respond to other students analysis to check and see if they are on the right path.
When using a blog in your classroom remember that it afford student to read, analyze, synthesize meaning, and evaluate the integrity of what is being stated. They also can communicate with writer which helps them to formulate opinions.
Blogs are also useful in a classroom/ school district that does not have Blackboard because you can post assignments, due dates, and videos. So if your school district does not have a big budget you can use this FREE resource to help in alleviating some of the issues.
Digging your verb, "infusing technology!" I love the idea of kids blogging about revolutions. Blogs could serve as some what of a journal too...they could all be the same character putting different entries in on the dates you assigned to them! What a great way to learn about someone's life!
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