Journal 4

Moderating and Ethics for the Classroom Instructional Blog.
By Patricia Deubel.

This article examines the implementation of blogs into the classroom. Patricia Deubel presents valid arguments on both the benefits and dangers of having blogs in the classroom. Using a blog in the class she argues, is beneficial to students that are less likely to participate in classroom discussion. Often, more times than not, these students would like to participate but are either too shy or have a learning disability that prevents them from doing so. Deubel goes on to point out that if these students try to participate, many times they withdraw out of embarrassment or find themselves drowned out by more confident/vocal students. Conversely, Deubel says the dangers of having a blog in the class affects both teachers and students; blogs require a lot of work to maintain and if not done correctly will die off. Deubel gives a list of things to consider while maintaining a blog. This list includes the ethical behavior that students should adhere to while using the blog. She makes it a point by noting that, “educators are charged with keeping students safe and instilling ethical considerations in them.” In her conclusion, she highlights what to monitor in the world of the blogosphere, such as “misrepresenting opinion from fact, plagiarism, conflicts of interest, and newer trends, such as word of mouth marketing.” Overall, Deubel sees blogs as a positive educational tool, if operated and maintained properly and I agree with her.

1. My first question is, by using discussion Blogs, do you diminish student participation in class? I believe there is a definite danger here, students may feel justified in participating less in class because of the work they’ve done in their weekly Bloging. However, this issue can be addressed by the teacher. He or she can open up class discussion about the Blog; giving all students a chance to participate in class. The likelihood that class participation will increase is much greater because of the interest in the class Blog.

2. My second question is, will I use a Blog in my classroom? The answer is yes, I will implement a Blog into my class because I think the benefits out weigh the dangers and if done right, can be a positive experience for both teachers and students. One of the great things about a Blog is that it constantly introduces technology into the learning environment of the student and prepares them for life after school. If there is any chance of helping my students to better succeed in life, I’m all for it.