Blogging in the classroom

I teach 7th grade science in Harrisburg PA. I have incorporated several Web 2.0 applications into my science curriculum in the past but I have not used blogs or wikis with my students. Which format is better to use with middle school students on a daily or weekly basis?

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Comment by Dr. Mah Boon Yih on August 14, 2011 at 7:19am: I would suggest to visit "Ubiquitous Academic" at http://ubiquitousacademic.blogspot.com and you may find and compare the real application of weblog and wiki in the classroom. You are also welcome to submit your URL if you have developed any Web 2.0 applications for teaching and learning.

Comment by Katherine M. McKeon on August 14, 2011 at 8:59am: Take a look at the book "Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts" by Will Richardson, this was my textbook from a class I took over the summer on technology in the classroom, it should give you a lot of insight on which format will work better based on your curriculum and classroom goals.

Comment by Tracy Watanabe on August 24, 2011 at 12:27pm: Hi Ken,

This is kind of how I think of it: a wiki is a drawing board for the rough draft or a work in progress, while a blog publishes a final draft with ongoing reflection and discussion on that topic.

So, I think it depends on how you'll be using them. If it's for collaboration on an ongoing project, then a wiki might be the best fit. If it's for a continued discussion for reflective thinking, then maybe a blog is the best fit.

If you choose the blog route, I highly recommend the help of Edublogs for getting it set up and as a guide for how to introduce it to your class.

I hope this helps!

Kind regards,

Tracy Watanabe

Comment by Ken Edwards on August 24, 2011 at 6:14pm: Tracy,

Thank you for the advice. I will be sure to check out Edublogs. Have a great year.

Ken