Behold Charles Dickens' door

Picture from File

The sun beating on these tiger lilies

Homework Assignments

At most colleges, I believe, there is something like Blackboard set up for students and faculty to utilize to not only communicate but to share resources. Blogs can certainly be used in the classroom to post assignments or resources that may be valuable to the students' education. For instance, if students have a field trip and would like to know what they missed in class, they could check the blog and try to gather from there what the homework assignment is or what they need to catch up on.

Prevalence of Blogs in the Teaching Community

I never thought I would implement tools like a blog in my classroom, yet it does have some promise of being effective, if implemented correctly. I have a friend student teaching in high school English classes and expects his students to participate in a blog he set up. This seems to be a great way of developing writing skills and, at the same time, encouraging participation and completing assignments. This can be an effective way of enforcing homework assignments in English classes, which so often consist of reading. So much is based on the honor system, yet all teachers and future educators are aware of students' tendencies, and often the material goes unread or not read deeply enough.

Enhance the Reading Experience

Frankly, students in this day and age can be more engaged with what they are learning if technology is incorporated into the lesson. There are strategies that should be implemented to orient students to the various literature they are actively reading. Using technology as a means for creating activities for students will allow them to be more actively involved with the text.

Image Chef: Images for Blogs

Educational Blogs

Blogs can enhance communication and facilitate discussion on literature. Students can have experience formulating their thoughts, articulating their opinions, and offering responses to fellow classmates. This can encourage students who may be reluctant to participate in a discussion in class.