Why could blogging change, or not change, the traditional classroom?

I think blogging can dramatically change the traditional classroom. It has already begun changing the traditional classroom in certain schools and classes. As teachers are struggling to find the right technology to use with their instruction, they can turn to blogging. Blogging is one of the easiest ways to implement technology and one of the more powerful ways as well. Especially during the digital age, where the State is looking to implement online testing, blogging is one way for the teachers and students to get used to technology on a daily basis.

Possibly most important way that blogging can change the traditional classroom is the communication that takes place. Before teachers started using blogs, students would usually hand write assignments and submit them to the teacher. On a rare occasion, they would swap papers with a partner and critique each other. What does this do for the student? Not much. The student is writing for an audience of one person, the teacher. The student is only going to write what the teacher wants to hear. How does this help the student? It doesn't. The student is only getting feedback from one person, the teacher. Wouldn't it be beneficial to students when they get the perspective of a larger crowd? Well, blogging will do just that. Students will get feedback from all of their classmates, including the teacher. It also opens up conversation for students. Quite often, a lot of students don't get the chance to say what they want in class. Whether it be because they are shy or they needed time to think about the question, it gives them a chance to reflect on it. Also, depending on the privacy settings, outsiders, such as authors, can also communicate with the students on their blogs. Blogging can open up a whole new world for communication "in the classroom".

Blogging has numerous benefits to it and can get teachers away from traditional views. The first of those benefits is a high increase in the communication between your students. It also cuts down on the materials needed to complete writing assignments and collect them. Instead of students submitting a written or typed response, they just post it on their blog. It is also less of a headache for the teacher to collect materials and risk losing them. All the student needs is a computer. If it is not available at home, it can be done while at school. Lastly, they are very easy to setup and maintain. For example, we probably all setup blogs for this class in a matter of minutes. It is very simple. Find a website and create an account. Creating accounts for the class will take a bit longer but very simple to do. The teacher can configure any privacy settings and so forth. Blogging is an excellent first step for teachers to make in the digital age.