Blogging

The article by Stephen Downes on Blogging was interesting. There were some serious doubts on the use and misuse of blogging, the effectiveness of learning from blogging and the use of blogs by students after they leave school.
A blog is a powerful tool of communication. It’s use is
-to ‘support’ learning in students
-as an archive to publish student’s works
-students learn from far-flung collaborators as well as peer
-it manages data created by members of a school.
Ofcourse one can’t doubt it’s ease in use and creation.
A Blog is different from a website or even a personal journal.
A website is not as dynamic and ‘trendy’ as a blog is. While a website gives information, a blog is a platform of discussion where anyone can post a comment. It is more personal and informative too. Links can be attached to give more creditability to the blog if necessary. In this way it is different from a personal journal too because though it is about your expression, it is much more than that. You can get feedback and also attach links to your journal.
A blogger is not necessarily a writer, infact even a ‘non-writer’ can express herself as comfortably as a writer would. Moreover, she may never write articles for a newspaper or even think of writing a book, but a weblog gives her that space to express herself without the fear of being judged. An article on a Blog has wider coverage and filters almost immediately in the ‘Blogosphere’.
For a teacher a blog is very helpful to
· Create a community of learners
· As a bookmarking tool to model her approach
· As a platform to give assignments and get feedback
For a student a blog is helpful to
· Promote reading, reflective and writing skills
· Helps in critical thinking
· Spread of informational literacy
· Group management and sharing skills
For the community it is helpful-
· To share news, views and opinions of each other
· Create a network of individuals who feel responsible for community development
· Make a database for their community as well as to share and learn from communities from around the world
As a criticism for blogging used as a medium of communication between students and teachers
· If blogging is done for grades, feedback from teachers, it is not blogging-only use of blogging software
· Students stop blogging as soon as they leave school
· When rules for blogging are imposed, posts are monitored, the benefits from blogging are limited.
· Assigned blogging is not blogging it is contrived

I’d like to sum up with that the advantages outnumber the disadvantages and Blogging can become the most powerful tool of learning and the platform for sharing of thoughts.