This blog was created for the Seniors in my Advanced Computer Applications class. Here are just some of the reasons why we are blogging:
- Writing is the most important communication skill you can master. There is more writing going on in the 21st century than ever before, and you will need it no matter what you choose as a career and in your personal life.
- You’ll become more aware of yourself as a writer. You will create your own voice as a writer, and you’ll find your creative style by setting up your posts – both in the text, and visually.
- You’ll have an authentic voice. You need a way to express yourself and take ownership of your learning in your own words. Our blog will be a place you can tell the world your thoughts.
- You have a real audience. Your writing is no longer just for me but for the whole world. When we write about history, we’ll find other history teachers and historians to comment on our posts – to critique, to comment, and to suggest other ideas/strategies. When you write about your research, you’ll get comments from classmates about their research that could be helpful, and from other researchers/teachers around the web.
- Writing for a real audience opens a dialogue (starts a conversation). Through your posts, you have direct communication with many readers, and opportunities to engage them in conversation. Blogging helps us write to each other, yes, but great blogging is like a conversation with questions and responses. You will engage in written dialogue on topics you care about.
- You teach each other. There will be many times you will demonstrate research strategies or ideas that your classmates haven’t considered, or you will correct misconceptions your classmates have about research or the course material. You’ll be teachers rather than just students in our classroom. Blogging allows you to continue the conversations outside our classroom walls.
- You are a global citizen, and you become a global contributor/collaborator. Hopefully, your posts will be read by other students/teachers/scholars around the world, and you’ll come to know about these places by comments from readers. As we network with others around the world, we’ll make contributions to global knowledge, and collaborate with others in their own learning.
- Sharing is a 21st century imperative. In a world where information is ubiquitous and knowledge is becoming more and more democratic, we have a responsibility to share what we know. We’re privileged at WLHS, and if we hide our learning behind walls, we’re being selfish. By ‘letting go’ of what you know and giving it away on the web, you’re adding to the collective knowledge of humankind.
- Our class will be more transparent. Too often teachers shut their doors to the world rather than sharing what students are learning. Our blog allows people to see inside our class.
