Blogs, Wikis and all that Jazz

Blogging about Blogs. Kind of a weird notion, but inevitable. Becoming a Webhead is introducing us to new and wonderful uses for technology in the classroom, and blogs fit into that category. Apparently there are many different types of blogs that can be used in the classroom - the tutor blog, class blogs and the learner blog. Of the three, I think the most interesting blog type to integrate into the classroom setting would be the learner blog. I think it would be interesting to have a place where students could practice writing and have it viewed by many people. Although I think that might be intimidating for some in their L2 - I know it would be for me - I think the potential benefits could be great. The students would have the opportunity to voice their opinions, interact with one another and create a greater sense of community. The can also be an outlet for creativity. Students could write movie reviews or tell short stories and share them with everyone. However, I think this should be reserved for a group that is technologically aware and comfortable using the internet. Otherwise, it might be difficult to generate a sense of purpose among the students for the purpose of the project.

What about wikis? They could be used to generate discussion and collaborate on projects. I think this has the potential to positively impact the learning environment. However, I don't think they should be overused. Sometimes I think greater communication can occur in the classroom than on the wiki. Personally, I know that when I use wikis, I typically read a couple of other responses, but not all of them...unless I find it really interesting :)

Other types of technology, such as ways of recording audio using Audacity, or incorporating podcasts into the classroom were also discussed. I think that Audacity is a great tool for both teachers and students. I recently used it to record audio samples for a project, and it worked effectively and efficiently.

I think that all of the tools mentioned could have the potential to make learning very exciting. However, I have this nagging question in my mind. How much student-training is required prior to integrating these tools into the classroom?