There are many ways in which blogging can be utilized as a teaching tool in the classroom. First, educators can use the blogs to post student work and comment on their progress throughout an assignment. For example, a project or homework assignment can be given to students and then the students could be asked to publish their work on a blog. This would allow students to showcase the work that they have completed as well as comment on the work of their fellow classmates. In addition, the teacher can also comment on student work and write suggestions for students to follow up and edit their submissions.
Another way in which blogging can be utilized as a teaching tool is for teachers to share with other educational professionals the lessons and assignments that they are giving to students in their classrooms. For example, a new teacher could post assignments and student work on a blog and have other teachers comment on suggestions and opinions of the work. This would allow the new teacher to receive feedback on the pros and cons of the lesson plan. The teacher can then take the thoughts and ideas of the comments and incorporate these to make his or her lesson plan better.
A third way in which blogging can be useful as a teaching tool is to teach students different forms of technology and have them learn the different ways in which they can access forms of technology to improve their education learning. For example, students can learn how to blog, set up their own blog, learn to make a wiki page, set up a classroom NING or learn to e-mail one another as a means of educational communication. See http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=117417 and http://mrsperrysblogarchive1.blogspot.com/
Blogging connect students to people from different cities, states, and even countries. For example, a student studying French language might post comments on other blogs from French bloggers. This would immediately connect the American student with a blogger from another country. If the French bloggers writes back, then the American student has made a connection from someone that he or she does not know, nor had any connection to before. Together the students can help each other and improve their language skills via blogging on the internet. See http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/
Blogging does not only help students connect and improve their education, but it also helps teachers with professional development. Teachers can use blogging to connect with other professionals’ nation and worldwide such that their ideas and techniques can be improved and perfected. Teachers can then go back to their classrooms with more information on a topic, improved skills in instruction, and access to others professionals should other obstacles or challenges come while teaching. For some tips from other teachers, check out http://www.21stcenturyschoolteacher.com/