Blogging??? Am I...

This is not the first time that I have created a blog of my own, but still I'm not very use to it. I can't really remember when did my first blog die off, but I guess it is my intention that is not too strong in keeping it alive!

I don't consider myself to be in the front line of the gadget of new technologies, but I do concern about everything that happen around me. Although the term "blogging" is not new to me, nevertheless as I progress myself (I know, I'm a bit slow...) towards the data or information given by the course (The New Literacy, of course...), I think I have a new defination for blogging...

Previously and most of the time, I would think that blogging is just a tool for someone to write and to express themselves, mostly towards the things that they are not satisfy of or maybe as part of their "online dairy of self expression"... It has never entered into my mind that blogging can also be use as part of the tools in the teaching process...

After reading through some articles on blogging, I start to realize the power of this tool. Although I do understand the limitation and the challenge to use blogging in classroom, but I guess, it is definately a great thing to start with. To be honest, I have just started to learn all these new tools (e.g. social bookmarking, blogging, wikis and podcasting...), but I guess it is a lot of fun to engage with (and of course, I know I have to pay more attention to it!). I do have something in mind on how I want to implement these "new stuffs" into the course that I'm going to teach next semester... (he..he..he..).

Basically, in the assignment that I gave to my students for example, reviewing journals. At the end of the day, students need to give me an individual writen report on their comment of the journals that they have viewed. As time progress, I do not find this technique much useful, as students tend to be lack of resources and the lack of communication/interaction among the students and also with the lecturer eventually deviate the true meaning of what I really want the students to learn from reviewing journals.

Now, I have a better idea in my mind! (thanks for the new gadgets that I have learn in "The New Literacy"!!!) I plan to ask the students the review the journals and ask them to write their comment into their own blog! Besides, I will ask the students to "tag" the topics in the websites which are related to the journals in "delicious", where other students can share these information together. With this, students will tend to get information in a faster pace and they can't give me excuses like short of resources and they do not know where to look for it! Furthermore, extra marks can be given to students who are actively involve in giving comment towards what other students have written in their blogs! This indeed, will mark the first history of the usage of the "new gadgets" in my teaching... and of course I'm eager to know the outcome...

As this is only my first trial and I know I'm still new in it, therefore I'm prepare to face the obstacles along the way... Don't worry, I'm quite determine in it and of course I do know and understand that obstacles and barriers are opportunity for growth and improvement!