Use of blogs in classes

I have never before used a blog with my students. I have been held back by fear regarding students making inappropriate posts (which I have learned I can prevent by requiring my approval for posts to appear), safety from internet predatory nonstudents (Am I being paranoid?), and negative experiences overtaking the discussion. I see the potential for classroom dialogue on assigned topics such as the Spanish customs of Semana Santa processions or on open topics such as examples of cognates and language connections between English and Spanish. I think I will alleviate many of my fears by explaining explicitly my expectations and enacting necessary security pieces such as a private blog. I think the last hurdle will be the hardest for me and that is access. Our school has COWS but they are fenced in by the core teachers who don't support free-range COWS available to Related Arts teachers so it is very hard to get computers for a class to use much less to have this access on a regular basis even if I actually had my own classroom to bring them to. Add in my dilemma of "borrowing" core teacher classrooms when they are prepping and I fear my access is cut to nil. I know the current Spanish a la cart situation is temporary and the administration is working to get freer access for RA staff so I will hone my technology integration skills to the point that I am ready for the day when I can intriduce a safe and appropriate educational blog in my classroom which will engage and enlighten my students in their learning of Spanish as a key 21st Century skill/theme/content area. The classroom blog could be a powerful collaborative and critical thinking tool if properly set up and managed - and that is my job, a job I feel better prepared to do having experienced blogs in this classroom.

Web 2.0 in the classroom

As a language teacher, my students are working on language acquisition with basic vocabulary and sentence structure in SPanish. I have to remind myself that they can use higher level thinking skilss to analyze their language learning. Blogging is new to me and my use in the classroom of blogs is non-existent so far. Since beginning this course I am becoming aware of uses of a blog in the classroom environment. I have fears related to student behavior and safety but do see the potential for classroom use once grounwork and rules are established. I think blogs would be helpful in encouraging students to analyze cognates and other parallels/connections between English and Spanish that they encounter on their own. I think a wiki would be a great place to discuss the culture reading s in our text or those I provide my students related to special occasions and celebrations.
The collaborative element and analysis needed to accomplish these tasks would be of great benefit to the class and the students. One of my concerns with the use of this technology is the one addressed by the ACOT2 design principle - 24-7 Access to tools and resources. I worry how I can incorporate access to these tools for my students with no computer at home given the limited computer access currently prohibiting me from using more technology in the classroom.

Teacher & teacher/student blogs

I think a blog could be a great discussion tool for a mature learner. I am concerned for safety reasons with students using blogs in a public mode so I would restrict access to only the students if I used a blog as a teacher and with my students. I can see a blog helpful for communication with colleagues and parents based on the parameters of the discussion topics. I do worry about things being misunderstood when they can be communicated face to face better but that is where I need to adapt to the technology of the 21st Century, I guess.

Blogs I would use

As a techno-idiot I have little experience with blogs as a professional development tool. I do not have any specific blogs but I can imagine the types of blogs I would use if they exist and I can find them (I welcome suggestions or links if you feel charitable for the uneducated). A good professional development blog has post by experts in various fields of education including technology integration, differentiation, world language instruction and many links or suggestions from teachers actually doing what the experts suggest. It should be easy to navigate and understand but interesting and helpful. Teachers have little free time during the school day and the same busy lives outside of school as anyone else so blogs used for professional development should not be complicated or time consuming but user friendly and helpful.

Course expectations

As much as I fear the technology I am terribly slow at learning, I look forward to the push offered by this course to learn the technology and how it can be used in my classroom. I know I am stretching well beyond my comfort zone with this course but it is good because I need to connect with my students since this technology is a way of life for them and will be part of all of our futures.