Reflection on Blogging

When I first heard about blogging, I did not understand the need for it nor the differences between a blog spot and a regular web site. Then I realized how dynamic could be effective.

For the past few months, and since I started my interest in web 2.0 applications and its collaborative tools, I became more and more a fan and follower of news, sports and technology bloggers. Because good bloggers always try to update their content, raise new concerns, and share their objective analysis or political debate, including reporting from different countries around the world, the blogging world has a wide variety of content.

Blogging has already changed the world of communication, news and reporting. Baker (2009) stated in his article “Blogging turned traditional publishing on its head, allowing anyone with a computer and modem (or even a smart phone) to gain a global voice for free”. I am amazed by the general web 2.0 applications functionality and usefulness. For a while, educators were looking for tools that they could use in their teaching to promote and encourage teamwork and group participation. Now they have it. Web 2.0 provides an easy to use, friendly, and collaborative environment where students can work together and share knowledge and experience no matter where they live. In his article Yueh-Min (2009) stated, “With the gradual adoption of "Web 2.0" technologies, one of key Web 2.0 technologies, blog, has become a popular and wide-accepted Web application”.

For those who are not technical, it is very hard for them to realize what it takes to create a functional online collaborative tool, like what we see now with Web 2.0 applications. The Web 2.0 tools not only help students learn faster, but more importantly, they enable students to share their knowledge, skills and ideas. For example, I as a web design instructor require students first to submit what we call it flowchart; a blue print and a visual presentation of how web site pages are linked. I have them use Dabbleboard, an online collaboration application with an easy to use interface, to draw almost as naturally as you would on a real whiteboard.  This tool permits students to share their ideas most efficiently.  Consequently, they can create a flowchart for their web site with a minimum of effort.

Mohamed Bahrani

References 

Baker, Stephen. (2009). A Brief History of Blogs. Business Week. Retrieved on August 25th, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=7&sid=fa6d8324-c116-46f6-91ef-b91133f8fd22%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=43235274

Yueh-Min, Huang., Yu-Lin Jeng.,Tien-Chi, Huang. (2009). Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(2), 163-175. Retrieved on August 25th, 2009, fromhttp://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=6&hid=105&sid=fa6d8324-c116-46f6-91ef-b91133f8fd22%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=38422402