Blogging as a school subject is not, but why not integrate a blog into the classroom? On this subject, we wanted to know more and to initiate an exchange. For example, last week we invited teachers and bloggers from the very different fields of work and topics to the education salon “Blogs in Education” for the workshop of the Federal Center for Political Education.
Why do blogs in class?
Blogs are active
Blogs can be used wonderfully in project-oriented lessons. Today’s pupils are quite easy to pick up as digital natives with such a format – they are familiar with them from their everyday life outside the school. It activates them, lures them out of the reserve, makes them from learning material receivers to content producers. Anyone who not only receives and actively processes topics, deals with them more intensively and more sustainably. In the end, the learners look proudly at their collaborative work, which is also cool and easy to share online.
Media competency mediation as a welcome side effect
A blog combines various media formats from which the students can draw their own tasks – texts, links, pictures, animated gifs, videos, At the same time, a blog is very well educated about the already existing media competence and sensitizing important aspects:
The subject of copyright – how can I use the works of others; how should I characterize them? Or data protection – how do I deal with the data of third parties? Can I just put a photo of my buddy online, name his name, or do I need his permission? Also, the area of security on the net is affected – how do I set up a password protection for certain content? How is this technically and why is this necessary?
Blogs for all
To create a blog is not difficult and for laymen feasible. There are free versions, which guide the user in a step-by-step guide to the first own blog. The minimum technical requirement for teaching is an Internet workplace.
And the best thing is: such a blog is conceivable for every subject and topic. Perhaps this is the best way to use the language of German or History. But how great would be a chemistry blog on which it hisses and bangs? Or a sports blog that shows the dance chores of the last lesson or the best of the school football tournament?
How do I get my own blog?
If you have licked blood, you should be reminded of the soon appearing guest contribution of the werkstatt.bpb.de “In ten steps to the teaching-accompanying blog”. Also in the Mache is a compilation of tips from a teacher who has recently successfully completed a blog project in her lessons. Includes interviews. If you do not want to miss anything here, subscribe to the workshop newsletter or follow the workshop in the social media.
