Module 2 (Web 2.0) - Blogging

Blogging is one web 2.0 tool that I am highly familiar with.

Currently I main two blogs

1. The blog you are reading (The Fab world of learning) which I have created as part of Master of Education studies
2. Fabian's Corner (http://fabianamuso.wordpress.com/) - An online newsletter about recent happenings in my world.

 I blog for two reasons.

1. To keep a professional record of my teaching and learning (this blog).
2. To share news with family, friends and colleagues. I have family and friends that live either interstate and overseas and it is hard to get in touch with them. 

Viewing the videos have helped me to reinforce my understanding of blogs. When I look at my blogging habits, it reinforces what blogs are for. Blogs are used to share news. Thats why Fabian's Corner was created - to share news relating to me. Blogs can be used to document information (like this blog) or even share our interests.

My audience is potentially the whole world, but at the end of the day there are specific audiences. I've identified that with Fabian's Corner. With this blog, its more about sharing my teaching and learning experiences with colleagues and peers and hopefully foster discussion on issues relating to the teaching profession.

In the classroom there is alot of scope to include blogs as part of learning. I find it would be of most use in assessment tasks particularly one that is undertaken over a long period of time such as a major work or portfolio. The student can keep a record of their progress during that time. They could be asked to list activities or work completed during that week, reflect on sources used and identify strengths and weaknesses. It is akin to maintaining a learning diary, except that this is done online. As a teacher, I can monitor their progress and provide the necessary feedback