Journal # 4

Ethics using technology--with blogging being no exception--become especially important if we proport to use technology in the classroom. All sorts of considerations about appropriate use and content come into play and are to be weighed heavily by the educator and students. I would certainly consider utilizing a class blog with students in upper elementary through adult ed. Blogging, I am learning, is a useful communication tool and a very efficient way in which people can share information, opinions and ideas. In the classroom, I feel it is the teacher's role and responsibility to regulate and monitor student class blogs for appropriate content.

Question # 1: Would I erase content on a student blog I found to be objectionable? It depends entirely. If I would use blogging with my students--which I certainly would consider doing--I would want to create a prompt for my students to stick to and guidelines by which they must answer. If students in social science or history were writing their response to a question posed about the Vietnam War and I or others were likely to have an opposing viewpoint, I might let the post stand. If someone said something off topic and not suitable for class, I might very well be ethically obligated to delete that content.

Question # 2: What are some ways in which a blog can be useful? I'd like to see students blogging to keep up with current events & news stories, turn in some homework, communicate with one another--i.e. reply to 1 or 2 classmates' blog posts, etc.