Using Blogging as a Learning Tool

Two years ago I taught a communications class in De La Salle University and one of the things I required my students to do was blog. Back then they had to upgrade their school email into a Google Account so they could use Blogger for their blogs. Google has now included Blogger as one of the additional features of Google Apps (read more about it here).

I wanted to hit two birds with one stone when I asked my students to blog:

(1) To immerse them in new technologies for communication;
(2) As a learning tool, they had to post new discoveries about specific topics in their blog.

Some of them groaned since they didn't really like writing (I found out that most of them wanted to take another college course, but their parents forced them into it), but since it was part of their grade they complied. I actually discovered quite a lot of talent among my students. The quiet ones apparently had hidden arsenals within them and I used this as a way to bring them out of their shell.

And I think using blogging as a tool worked. Most of my students have graduated from college and I've been pleasantly surprised since most of them are working for businesses related to new media. Most of them are responsible for their companies online programs.

Awesome ;)