Journal#4
Moderating and Ethics for the Classroom Instructional Blog
Patricia Duebel, Ph.D.


I really enjoyed reading this article about blogs and blog ethics. I found the article to be easy to read and to the point. I hope to use this article for future references and for times of misunderstandings. The author of this article brought out many valid points about blogging and the rules of engagement. The use of blogs in the classroom is becoming a hot topic among many middle school teachers and high school teachers. This article can really answer some tough questions about blogging, and at the same time help teachers decide if they will use blogs in their classroom. Blogging seems like a great tool for teachers to utilize. It is up to them to make it work, and at the same time make it safe for their students to use.


What is the appropriate grade level to introduce blogging and blogging related topics?
I believe the right time to introduce blogging to students would be in the middle school level. In the elementary setting students and teacher should work on introducing and using computers. In the middle school setting students should begin to be introduced to the many applications of the Web 2.0. Using a blog at this stage will help students become more engage in their studies rather then their hormones.


Do blogs really help students’ performance or just mask it even more? This question is still young in its creation, but one that should be better explored. Creating a blog and monitoring it can be an exhausting task for teachers. Blogs can help students get their statement out and be heard; especially the ones that are to shy in the classroom to express it. These same students might also be to shy or intimidated to use a computer, so their performance becomes stagnant and under par. It is a tough job monitoring a class blog, but if done correctly it can be a great tool.