Blogs
Blogs or Web-logs can be created by individuals as a place for online commentary or display of multimedia material. Unlike wikis, blogs are typically provided and edited by a single user, therefore the collaborative abilities are diminished. Instead, think of a blog as an online journal that anyone can view. The educational benefits can be demonstrated by both the students and the instructor.
Instructors can use a blog to communicate with students with either information they will need for upcoming classes or as a reflection of what transpired in class. Educators can also use a blog as a medium in which students can view videos of class lectures or additional resources for class.
Students can use blogs as a reflective journal for the course where they are able to “digest” the information that they have absorbed in the course proceedings. This allows the instructor to learn what the students actually understand from the course so that they can better structure the following class meeting and discussion.
There are several free and affordable blog websites that are now available for individuals to utilize. Blogger is just one of the many options that are available for free.
To begin using Blogger, click on the link and sign up for a free account. Please feel free to stop by for additional assistance.
Wikis
A wiki is a website that allows you to easily create and edit your own website. The real asset of wiki technology in education is the ability to enhance collaborative learning while the instructor is able to monitor the quantity and quality of input from each student by viewing the history of the wiki page.
There are a variety of free and affordable wiki sites that are available for use in classrooms. Wikispaces is a very commonly used wiki website that was created specifically for educational purposes. This particular website is user friendly and easy to upload documents and pictures to enhance the website.
To get started with wikispaces, click on the link: http://www.wikispaces.com/ and sign up for a free account and start building a page. Please feel free to come in for additional assistance.
