Blogging:An Introduction 518

In the essay “Web-logs and Literary Responses,” Kathleen C. West, discusses how she used action research to study the effectiveness of using blogging as a tool to actively engage students in her literature class. She explains that the blogging technique helped her students get involved in the reading and writing process as they responded to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (1953). Blogging allowed the students to express their point of view as formally or informally as they felt comfortable to do. West feels that this method of instruction “…may change the way students engage in responding to literature.” In response to a previous blog, I happen to agree with the comments made by ndark. While this use of technology is an awesome technique to use in any curricular area, it would only work in a school that is technology-rich and/or where its students have access to the Internet at home. In fact, West even points out that her study focused on three white, middle-upper class students who are a part of a “largely upper-middle-class school district.” Otherwise, like ndark, she wouldn’t have been able to complete her study. On to the topic of Aby Clobridge’s blog “Adventures with Kyle: Blogging for Elementary Students”… I like the idea of using the blog the way her elementary school uses it. Having the children write about their school mascot, Kyle the Crocodile, who travels with a host of participants is cool! The students are engaged and can participate by commenting on and creating questions about Kyle’s adventure and the adventures that they have the opportunity to take him on. Although Clobridge pointed out some kinks in the system, the overall concept is cute and sounds like fun! I do have a question, what is Web.2.0? And what does “ ‘tracked out’” mean?