Amazing Blogs

Blog - Short for Web Logs. (The Engagement Theory)

The creation of a blog was challenging and at the same time extremely rewarding. There is nothing quite like accomplishing a task which was presumed out of your reach.

For the purposes of E-Learning the blogs are used as a form of personal assessment, however I have found them an important collaborative learning space. 'Blogging' not only gives space to write the important details of my learning journey, but allows the opportunity to extend my learning by reading and commenting on other blogs. This profoundly increases the ability to retain information and my journey is engaging, interesting and rewarding.

Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999), discuss the idea that collaborative learning should be based on tasks which are meaningful and have an authentic focus. These tasks can be based on the principles of relate-create-donate. The use of Blogs as a collaborative tool within the classroom promotes the use of the engagement theory, effective collaboration, interaction between students and teacher, engagement through technology, and opportunities to reach learning outcomes with an authentic focus.

Seeing the blog in action has reinforced the prospects of using this technology in the classroom for various KLA's and strands. Blogs are an excellent tool for reflective journals, creative writing, scheduled assessment activities, extended class interactions and much more.

Kellie

Reference:
Kearsley, G., Shneiderman, B., (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm