Word+Press+-+Lynne


 * Blogging as an Educational Technology **
 * Overview **

A blog is a type of personal website, in which the author can easily create entries, similar to an online diary. Although a blog is typically text based, it is possible to upload links or images to the website. Word press is a website that offers free software for simple blogs, and includes various templates so that the site can be easily personalized. For more elaborate sites that offer more features, Word press offers links to paid web hosting services that allow for upgrades. For this example, the basic blog is featured and explored.

The term blog came from the term “web log” that describes the early use of these personal websites as reflective diaries. They have been used by celebrities, public officials, business leaders and others to try to influence public opinion, but are now also being used in educational settings.

The blog author is able to describe and reflect on experiences, share their ideas, and post information that they want to make public. It can provide a creative outlet to vent or to boast, or to associate different ideas. It can create a discussion if others are allowed to comment and contribute. A blog can be a public site that allows comments from anyone, or the author can make it private and allow access only to people that he or she chooses.

I developed this blog to describe my entry into my doctoral education, and where I hope to be going! You can access this blog (so it is easier to read) if you [|click here].



By downloading the software from word press and creating the account, the user has access to this dashboard that allows him or her to control the appearance, content and settings of the blog. It is a fairly simple system to use; by simply typing in the post and publishing it, the world can read one’s thoughts!




 * Educational Use **

I have used blogging in one class, in which each student created their blog and it was shared via a group word press site. We were able to express our progress in conducting literature searches and in working on a written project. We were able to view each other’s blogs and leave comments, often support or suggestions for solving problems.

There are other uses, as well. For students in higher education, a blog is a great tool for personal reflection that can be shared with specific individuals (peers and/or instructors). I think it would be a great tool for our students on fieldwork assignments, who are off campus for an entire semester, each interning in unique clinical settings. Students could share their experiences, relate current situations to classroom learning and prerequisite knowledge, and most importantly reflect on their current learning and personal growth. It is an effective way to link students who are geographically far from each other, allowing them to provide support and suggestions to their peers.

A blog can be used in a similar way that we use our discussion board feature in Blackboard, if a shared educational platform is not available. Group members could create and share a blog that allows them to discuss ideas or topics from remote locations.

For students in middle and high school, a blog may be a creative outlet for personal expression. Teachers can specify topics that students can discuss, or it can be used as a reflection of what is occurring in the classroom. It may be especially useful for the quiet student who rarely speaks up in class; assigned posts may give the teacher insights into that student’s thoughts or comprehension of the material covered in class.