BLOGS

Within the past several years, educators have begun to recognize the potential of web-logs ("blogs") as a valuable tool for creating and sustaining an online learning community. Most notably, a qualitative study conducted by Dickey (2004) found that "the use of blogs helped prevent feelings of isolation and alienation for distance learners" (p. 279). Moreover, blogs can be a means for students and teachers to engage in a "social conversation," thereby "accentuat[ing] constructivist teaching" (Halavais & Hernandez, 2004).

The February 2005 issue of the Distance Education Report provides some suggestions on how to use blogs in education:
(HINT: Move your mouse over each idea to view the suggestions)

You can start a class blog to...

You can encourage your students to blog...

You can have your students create their own weblogs to...

You can also ask your class to create a shared weblog to...

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Here are some examples of blogging tools and services:
Fee-based blogging tools/services:		Free blogging tools/services:
	Manila: http://manila.userland.com		Blogger: http://www.blogger.com
	Moveable Type: http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/		LiveJournal.com: http://www.livejournal.com/
	TypePad: http://www.typepad.com/