Students are engaged in technology on a daily basis. Why not incorporate this within the classroom setting as well? The video depicts teachers who embrace the latest technology. Some think teachers have to be “entertainers, to cut through the media and capture their attention.” Other teachers argue that technology has transformed students who cannot focus but rather have five windows open, looking for immediate answers and responses. Rosa Porpora, an English Teacher at Chatham, recognizes the times when her students know more about the technology than she does and she allows “them to take over.” She also agrees that today’s students have lost more focus than students in the classroom thirty years ago.

Your assignment: Please write three to four paragraphs arguing your stance while addressing the following: 1. The use of Spark Notes and other shortcuts students are taking instead of completing the full assignment. 2. Though they state the procedures, some teachers have accepted that students will “cheat” and want immediate answers because “that’s how the outside world works.” 3. What do you think of the effects of social networks in the school environment?

In “The Prose of Blogging (and a Few Cons, Too),” Rama Ramaswami discusses the added value of educational blogging. Prior to reading the article and learning the various types of blogs instructors create for their students I would have listed more cons. Agreeing with Ramaswami’s thinking, “Can this often belligerent wasteland of poor punctuation and indiscernible structure actually help develop better student writers?” recalling papers I’ve read with the usage of “r” for “are” and “2” for “to” etc (p. 21). Once I became more familiar with blogging and listened to examples of blogs my professors have established with their students and other examples on the World Wide Web, my view has changed. I see the benefit of blogging and will definitely be implementing it in my classroom.

In the article, Ramaswami introduces Barry Bachenheimer, a director of instructional services for public schools. He created a blog “A Plethora of Technology,” which illustrates how blogging can improve students’ “writing skills by making them write more frequently and comment on one another’s work.” The blogs were utilized as a journal for students to type out ideas and arguments. While reading the article I found myself agreeing with Bachenheimer. As long as the writing stipulations and instructions are clear and concise (proper vocabulary and spelling), students will benefit from this practice. Bachenhimer states, “There was interaction among the students and there was writing all day long, before school, during school, and after school. That was a bonus.” (p. 21)

This study has introduced and depicted that students who take the time and blog, typing out their ideas, feel more content with writing in general. From the twenty-five students in the English class, the article states, “seventy-four percent believed that blog posts helped them articulate their ideas better, and sixty-eight percent said blogs helped them determine what to say” (p. 22). I see the implementation of technology in this blogging form assist students in their learning. The teachers are simply introducing another scaffold to learning while incorporating technology. This should in fact help those digital natives. Now, we need to inform other educators of the benefits. With this particular case, blogging seems as simple as typing our mind maps, outlines, rough drafts etc. All of these pre-writing stages work with pencil and paper, why not incorporate technology and post for others to read and give feedback?

Students tend to take pride in their work if it is posted, for others to view and read. In the Florida example, eighteen students wrote a five-paragraph essay while maintaining a blog. A number of positive responses came from this project. Prior to blogging, “thirty-nine percent of the third-graders said they liked writing at school; after the project, that number rose to sixty-seven percent.” Researchers also found that “general attitudes toward writing improved, the quality of writing samples increased” and “students remained motivated throughout the nine-week blogging project, primarily due to the excitement generated by each new comment from a college partner” (p. 24).

The more practice and time I spend blogging and creating posts the easier it gets. I’m sure the same will be true for my students. I will definitely incorporate blogs in my lessons. Hopefully it will have the same affects and motivate my students as it did in Florida. After all, motivation is the key to success. Now I just have to reassure parents their children will be safe.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE traveling. Next on the list is Rome, first I have to find time to plan the trip! I enjoy reading on my couch with a blanket, sitting in front of the fireplace works too. I’ve been coaching competitive cheerleading for nine years. I’ve coached all ages, from Mommy & Me classes with toddlers to college students at Ventura College and UCLA. I also work for a Cheer company: United Spirit Association (USA) which hosts summer camps, competitions and tours (I recently went to Pro Bowl in February). That was my first job, nine years later I’m still hooked. I enjoy dancing, but don’t attend classes as often as I’d like. I used to be a fitness nut. I’m just finding time, in my so-called “free time,” to make frequent visits to the gym.