Chapter 2

Chapter Two

In chapter two, “Weblogs”, Richardson defines Weblogs as “an easily created, updatable site that allows an author (or authors) to publish instantly to the Internet from any Internet connection” (17). He highlights the primary difference between a blog and other common Web sites by pointing out that Weblogs are not static; they are regularly updated reflections and conversations.  The mini overview presented in this chapter leaves the reader feeling better informed and capable of looking for additional information on the topic.

I especially appreciated Richardson’s over view of the potential uses for Weblogs in the school: Class Portal, Online Filing Cabinet, E-Portfolio, Collaborative Space, Knowledge Management and Articulation Location, and  School Web Site.  After reading this chapter, I can see that there are numerous ways that A Weblog can improve the way I teach and assess, and the way that my students learn, obtain information, and reflect. My question is, “How do we streamline all of these sources for students?”  My students currently use two different sites for my class: Turnitin.com and edmodo.  They also have multiple other sites to keep track of for their other classes and for their own personal usage.  Keeping track of a few sites, class sign-in codes, passwords, and user names,  may not seem like a difficult task; however, many of my eleventh grade students still have difficulty remembering to bring the proper text book, a writing utensil, and the assignment of the day to class.  Is there a type of online organizer where students can keep track of their web sites and gain quick access to these sites?