Blog, a shortened term for “web-log”, are online personal journals or opinion articles publicly accessed on the Internet. They can also be password protected by placing the blogs on a secure server or private network. Blogs work well in small classes. However, they have been effectively used in large classes by creating group or team blogs. Generally, blogs have frequent updates (at least once a month) and post that are displayed in descending chronological order. Blog entries can include images, recorded sound files or active links to other websites or blogs. A blogger is anyone who creates or contributes to a blog usually by sharing their ideas, feelings, hobbies, or work. Several features of blog sites, including the frequency of updated which necessitates active participation, RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds and archiving capabilities have made this a helpful tool for educators.

How can I use Blogs for teaching and learning?

Instructors have found blogs to be an effective communication mechanism to assist with a variety of outcomes. The following are examples from experienced educators:

• Active Learning - Peer review and feedback provide increased interactivity among students.
• Authentic Learning – Students can be assigned to discuss authentic problems, real world applications and questions, retaining ownership of their ideas and responses and extending the discussion outside the brick and mortar classroom. If the student gives authorization, work can be published to a wider audience allowing students to receive input and feedback from around the world. The results can foster an intrinsic motivation to write and contribute.
• Constructive Learning –The use of blogs to communicate during constructivist projects or problem-based learning activities enhances student expertise as they work to find solutions.
• Cooperative Learning – Blogs for group projects help to build a community of learners where students share ideas, diverse perspectives, and new information from study and research. Blogs may also be used to facilitate collaboration between classes on multiple campuses.
• Journaling - Students can express opinions and reflections in a blog. This interactive approach to journaling allows students to communicate with experts (in an open blog) and receive immediate review. Blogs used as journals are also useful for students in writing- or research-related courses for sharing ideas and drafts for peer review.
• Portfolio - Blogs can also be used as a form of online portfolio, documenting student growth in a class or in a program. There is personal and intellectual ownership, students can revise postings, and they can receive feedback on posted work.

Since Blogs, Wikis and Discussion Boards all have some overlap, it’s useful to compare them based on their strengths in the following table: