Blog

From LIS 460 Summer 2007

Contents

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Blog Defined

Blog is short for weblog. Generally, a blog is a web site consisting of a series of entries that tend to be arranged in chronological order with the latest entry appearing first. Blogs are intended to be public, or in lesser cases, intended for certain groups of people. Blogs also tend to be written by one person, although this is not always the case. The author of a blog is referred to as the “blogger”, and the collective community of bloggers is referred to as the Blogosphere. Anton Zuiker’s Blogging101’s “blogs – anatomy” page illustrates some general features of blogs.

Blogs have been written on just about anything, but tend to be reflective, personal, and conversation-like in tone. Blogs entries are usually short, frequently updated, and contain links to other Internet content such as articles, web sites, or images that along with the author’s commentary and personal thoughts are meant to engage the blog’s audience. In this sense, blogs tend to be interactive and two-way (or multiway) conversations.

One fact that has made writing blogs, or “blogging”, extremely popular is that from a technical standpoint blogs are easy to create and maintain. Easy-to-use blog interfaces allow people to publish instantly to the Internet from anywhere with an Internet connection using browser-based software.


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Blog History

Although a look at sources on the Internet seems to reveal that there is no general agreement on who created the first blog, multiple sources on the Internet attest that the term “weblog” was coined by Jorn Barger in December 1997. According to Wikipedia’s "Blog" entry, the shortened form of this, “blog”, was created when Peter Merholz jokingly altered “weblog” to “we blog” in 1999. The name “blog” and the action “to blog” were quickly adapted. Along with the arrival of blog tools such as Blogger and LiveJournal, blogging gained popularity, and a number of blogs gained fame. Blogging’s popularity continued, and in 2004, the word “blog” was chosen as the word of the year by US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster1. A survey by Pew Internet & American Life Project suggested that Internet users reading blogs increased by 58 per cent to 32 million in 2004 2.


To read more about the blog history, visit the web sites used as references for the information above:


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Blogging Tools

Today, it is generally easy to create a blog. There are now a host of blog tools and services that make creating a blog simple. In terms of using creating a blog for the school environment, ESSDACK’s (Education Services and Staff Development Association of Kansas)’s “Blogs” page on their Social Studies Central web site provides a good annotated list of blog software and search engines under their “Tools & Software” heading. Several listed are suitable for the classroom environment.


With so many blogging tools to choose from these days, the following links lead to help on choosing the right blogging tool:


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Using Blogs within the School Environment

Teaching with Blogs

Blogs have many positive uses in the school environment. Since blogging involves reading and responding to things read, writing blogs can teach students critical thinking. Blogging also often involves summarizing and connecting ideas and resources via linking. As a result, blogging can be a way to see whether students really understand classroom topics. Blogs offer students another way to write and express themselves—a change from traditional types of writing. Teachers can use blogs to teach students about different writing genres and show them how they compare in terms of form and conventions. Because blogs reside on the Internet, blogs also give students the opportunity to connect and interact with others. In this way, blogs provide the opportunity for teachers to teach students about digital etiquette, digital security, etc. Moreover, because blogs often link to other material found on the Internet, teachers can use blogging to teach students how to locate and evaluate information sources.


In his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms Wil Richardson gives the following examples as some ways blogs can be used in the school environment:

  • As class portals –to link to related sites, to archive course materials, and communicate information about the class to students and parents, e.g., to post assignments and other class-related info, provide examples of classwork, post readings, post photos, post tasks, build a newsletter
  • As online filing cabinets for student work/Archive – to ensure all the work is stored and organized in one area
  • As e-portfolios – to choose the work they like and reflect their choices
  • As collaborative space – to provide a place for others to read and comment on their work and the work of others
  • As school web sites – increase communication with staff, post pictures and student work, keep a yearly calendar, create community
  • For knowledge management and articulation – to communicate internally, share lessons, best practices, etc.

Will Richardson’s [http://weblogged.wikispaces.com/Weblogs+in+Schools “Weblogs in Schools page” provides some good information and links on using blogs in schools. In addition, the following links connect to other good online resources on blogging in the school environment.

“Weblog ‘Think-Abouts’”.


Issues to Consider

Blogging Safety and Responsibility Because blogging involves publishing to the Internet, Internet safety and responsibility are issues that arise. First, students, parents, supervisors, and administrators need to be clear on what is trying to be accomplished through blogging and how the blogging is going to proceed. Teachers will also need to make sure to teach students the skills they will need to act safely, appropriately, and responsibly on the Internet as well as safeguard students’ privacy, make decisions on who will be able to access and comment on the students blogs, and decide whether the site will remain up after the course is finished.

Below are some additional links on this topic:

  • David Warlick’s article “Blog Rules” provides advice for school administrators on creating ground rules for teachers who blog or who use blogging in their courses.


Blogging and Computer and Internet Access

Another issue that teachers need to be aware of is how much access students have to computers and the Internet. They will need to be aware of planning class blogging activities and homework.


Other Links


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Further Questions

What was the first educational blog, and when we it created? This page on the Coworking states that Stephen Downes’ OLDaily was the first educational blog. I’m not sure if this is correct. I’ll have to do more research on this. In any case, Stephen’s earliest archived page is for his May 15, 2001 entry.


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Work Cited

[1] "'Blog' Picked as Word of the Year." BBC News. 1 Dec 2004. BBC. Last accessed 30 Jul 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4059291.stm.

[2] "2004 Proved Year of the Blog." MacUser. 5 Jan 2005. Dennis Publishing Ltd. Last accessed 30 Jul 2007 http://www.macuser.co.uk/macuser/news/67642/2004-proved-year-of-the-blog.html.

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References

“Blog.” Wikipedia. 30 Jul 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Last accessed 30 Jul 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog.

Blood, Rebecca. “Weblogs: A History and Perspective.” Rebecca’s Pocket. 7 Sept 2000. Last accessed 30 Jul 2007 http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html.

Bobbie Johnson, Bobbie and Mark Oliver. “Blogs turn 10.” news blog. 2007. Guardian Unlimited. Last accessed 30 Jul 2007 http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2007/04/07/blogs_turn_10.html.

“Friday November 15, 2002 (What are blogs, and how did they become so popular?). “ Ask Yahoo. 2002. Yahoo! Inc. Last accessed 30 Jul 2007 http://ask.yahoo.com/20021115.html.

Richardson, Will. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2006.

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