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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Instructor uses blog to enhance learning

Frank Sennett Correspondent

It’s a common assumption that students use blogs only to waste time and get into trouble, but the sites can be powerful learning tools as well.

For Bradley Bleck’s literature and composition students at Spokane Falls Community College, class blogs are the place to read announcements, grab assignments, discuss courses and share their writing with the world.

“Blogs help develop a sense of community,” said Bleck, 48, who has incorporated them into classes for three years. “Now, students aren’t just writing for the teacher. Our blog is open to the world, so anyone can come along and read it. And it allows other students to read the feedback their classmates are getting.”

Some teachers direct students to set up individual pages on Blogger or MSN Spaces that link back to a classroom blog, but Bleck brings everyone directly to his site. He reserves the main page for class business, but links prominently to student essays and comments posted within.

“They’re all working in a single space together, but they have their own blogs within my blog,” he said. “Having students do public journals is a good way to know where they are at” in terms of mastering the coursework. “It’s 21st-century writing they’re learning in support of their traditional essay writing.”

In addition to providing students an online showcase (they sometimes invite parents and even favorite high school teachers to surf by), the blog helps Bleck foster lively classroom exchanges.

“I pore through student blog entries assigned as journals before class, and I use those to drive discussions,” he said. “They’ll come up with great ideas for conversations online, but they won’t always bring those to class voluntarily.”

The tactic of mentioning specific student posts to start discussions also serves as a confidence-builder. Bleck calls it the “Wow, he remembered who I am” effect. Those moments can encourage a normally shy person to speak up in class.

And educational blogs can be adapted to subjects across the curriculum. “Any class that wants to enhance communication can use a blog,” Bleck said. “There are so many possibilities.” But although the SFCC library maintains a LibLog, few of his colleagues have jumped onto the blogging bandwagon.

“They look at the blog and get excited about it,” Bleck said of his fellow teachers. “They like the flexibility, but they get scared by the technical aspects.”

Blogging hasn’t yet caught on as a teaching tool in Spokane Public Schools, either. “It’s kind of a developing medium still,” said SPS spokeswoman Kristy Mylroie, adding, “Within our district, most blog sites are blocked.”

But many districts across the nation do embrace educational blogging. Some school Web sites feature teacher blogs parents can visit for updates, while others host blogs pegged to specific classroom projects.

Schools should “teach kids what blogging’s about and empower them to make good decisions,” Bleck said. “They can learn how to represent themselves to the world in an effective, appropriate matter. There’s lots of good information out there in blogs. I can’t imagine doing without them.”

Drilling down

Jerry Holkins went from servicing educational technology for Spokane Public Schools to co-creating Penny Arcade, an online comic strip and blog for video-game fanatics. Now based in Seattle, Holkins crafts the strips for penny-arcade.com with Mike Krahulik.

Last month, the duo — better known as alter egos Tycho and Gabe — put on the third Penny Arcade Expo in Bellevue. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer called it “a three-day cornucopia of gaming, panel discussions, live music, contests and more.” Holkins and Krahulik also were named two of the world’s most influential gamers by MTV Online recently.

Maybe Holkins can visit Spokane and get his old school district excited about blogging.