Using widgets/polls/links in blogs

The theme for this week is the use of "add-ons" in the blog, and whether these can be useful in the classroom. And whether the blog, in and of itself, can be useful in the classroom.

I think, from what we've read and discussed so far, that incorporating not only use of computers but also use of the internet and internet based communication activities can be very helpful for foreign language students. Although limited by problems of access, incorporating technology into the classroom, in a hands-on, project based manner can give students the autonomy and motivation necessary to actively practice their new language skills and can provide a comfortable environment for this practice to take place.

I specifically think that blogs could be incorporated into the classroom in two ways. The first would be for the teacher to create a blog, which the students would be required to access for the instructions for specific activities, the links to specific activities, or the links to certain articles, readings, websites of interest. A "class blog" could centralize all of this information, making it easily accessible to all students who have web access. Of course, the issue of security comes into play, and as discussed in the Lafford and Lafford article, maintaining a secure environment is much easier when using programs like Blackboard, which restrict access to students. A second use for blogs in the classroom would be for the students to create and maintain their own blogs. I think this would be more useful at an intermediate level class, once the students already have a solid foundation in the target language and are able to write posts on various (perhaps assigned) topics, creating links to websites of interest in their target language and the like. Again, security issues and access issues might impede this type of technology use in the classroom, but if well incorporated into the teachers lesson plans and long-range goal oriented planning, it could be very interesting to see how it works.

Blog "add-ons", like videos and pictures, make the blog more interesting. When videos and pictures are well chosen, they can make the blog not only more interesting, but also more informative and easier to understand. Writing assignments, or oral communication assignments, could be given based on students' reactions to the videos or images posted on the blog. Other add-ons, like polls or surveys, could help determine students' interest level in certain topics or their reactions to other information posted on the blog. And link lists, of course, can provide students with many resources for the edification of their use of the target language.