Blogs: Pros and Cons

Social networking sites are individuals or organizations that connect to explore and exchange regarding a common topic or interest. One social networking tool is a blog. Internet users will use a web log, or blog, to publish their thoughts, respond to others, post pictures, share files and otherwise contribute to the explosion of content available online.

Richardson points out that a weblog has the advantage of read/write and discussion. Learners may read content and write or post to the blog specific to a topic. In a blog, the writer submits a piece and discussion is ongoing. Others can comment on the written piece and/or the learner will learn from the ongoing discussion and reflect upon a previously submitted piece.

Weblogs can be used across curriculum because writing becomes infused into other academic disciplines depending upon the topic of the discussion in the weblog. For example, the weblog which requires ongoing reading/writing skills may be about a math concept or a biology concept.

Edith Starbuck (2008), MLS & Meredith Orlowski, MLIS created a PBWorks site at http://meblog.pbworks.com/ called Blogs & Wikis: New Educational Tools? I have found the advantages and disadvantages they listed informative so I have presented them and then also added more that I felt were significant advantages or disadvantages.

References

Comeau, M. (2006). Article Pros and Cons. http://aboutawebmaster.com/articles/blog-vs-article-4.php

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (2nd ed.). United States of America: Corwin Press.

Siemens, G. (2002). The Art of Blogging – Part 1. Overview of Definitions, Uses, and Implications. http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/blogging_part_1.htm

Starbuck, E., Orlowski, M. (2008). Blogs & Wikis: New Educational Tools? http://meblog.pbworks.com/