Blogging

What is your experience and impressions of blogging? Why do you think people blog? How does it feel to be the person behind the blog? Based on your blogging experience so far, what do you think of using blogs with your own students or for your classroom?

As mentioned in my previous post, About Me, I have zero experience with blogging. However, I think that blogging is pretty cool, especially if you are informed about a topic and would like to share that knowledge with others. Or, even if a person is not familiar with a topic and is using blogging to document their research and share it with others who may also be interested in the same topic. I think that people blog in order to communicate and put their mark on the world in a different way. In my opinion, blogging is a way to get your thoughts and ideas out into the world. It makes communicating easier especially if the blogger is an introvert or doesn't feel comfortable telling others their ideas in person. I am more of an introvert, I have no problem sharing my thoughts in a classroom setting, but it is hard for me to share my thoughts with people that I do not know. It is especially hard for me to communicate my thoughts in the way that I would like to. Therefore, to be the person behind the blog makes me feel kind of empowered. I can say what I feel and how I feel without being nervous and without wondering whether or not it will come out right. Moreover, blogging gives me the opportunity to think about my message before I type it. Whereas, in person you have to reply on the spot. I am also the type of person that has to think about things before I respond. Based on my blogging experience so far, I would like to use blogs with my Math students. I could use it as a semester long project where students respond to prompts asking them to discuss their comfort levels with a particular topic. Moreover, what they struggled with and what did they understand. Or, asking them to reiterate what was discussed in class. Therefore, using it as a study tool. I view blogs on a regular basis regarding many different topics and I can see how blogging will be a great method for students to convey the information that they know.