My First Edublog

I recently completed my first Edublog: Miss. Howes' Classroom Blog

Although it wasn't for a real grade 8 class, the process of creating this blog was quite educational. As with SlideRocket, I gained further experience using this digital tool and was able to experiment with different settings and features.

The value of a classroom blog is obvious to me. It is a fantastic way to communicate with parents, whether it be to update them or to garner feedback or involvement. A class blog can also be a learning tool. Students can post assignments or questions, can be reminded of homework or other 'to-dos', and teachers, parents, and students can collaborate their efforts on a number of activities.

Like SlideRocket, given the multimedia nature of blogs, they can be used to fulfill so many curriculum expectations. For example, in the case of my imaginary grade 8 class, students could create and post a commercial for the Hudson's Bay Company, complete with a written component. Language, Social Studies, and the Arts would all be addressed in this assignment.

Overall, I view blogs as a great way to encourage parental involvement and a wonderful platform for students to share their work. I most definitely plan to maintain a classroom blog in my future teaching endeavors.