Educational Blogging

The phenomenon known as blogging, or web-logging, is sweeping the Internet especially in the field of education and the number of educational bloggers is growing daily. The article Educational blogging by Stephen Downes portrays the emergence of blogging and the use of weblogs to support learning. It also provides some good examples of how educational institutions are using blogs in order to help improve their learning process. The author believes that blogging is a way, an opportunity of expressing thoughts and exchanging different ideas with the rest of the world. Henry Farrell who is another contributor to this article identifies five major ways how blogs are used in education is also very informative.

Stephen Downes is a Senior Researcher with the E-Learning Research Group, National Research Council Canada, Moncton, New Brunswick. His research appears well thought out and well organized as he used many sources for the information provided in this article. Although he points out concerns and weakness regarding blogs in education, he feels that blogs not only encourage students to read and write but also bring life into learning.

Downes, S. 2004. Educational Blogging. EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 39, no. 5 (September/October 2004): 14–26. Retrieved November 30, 2010 from

http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume39/EducationalBlogging/157920