Technology Integration Article Summary

Hong, Wang (2008, October). Exploring educational use of blogs in U.S. education. US-China Education Review, 5(10), 34-38. Retrieved August 19, 2009, from ERIC database.A very popular Web 2.0 tool is a blog. Blogs are tools that allow individuals to record and document ideas and thoughts on various issues that can later be shared with others. It is an electronic log. Blogs have advantages and disadvantages: they allow for more instantaneous interaction and collaboration, helps save paper, and creates a sense of ownership. The downsides are they are hard to regulate, facts may be incorrect and some of the views may be extreme.EduBlogs are blogs used in education and many instructors have moved to this format. This is beneficial not only to the instructors but also the students. This can be intimidating to teachers apprehensive with technology and it also removes authoritarian power from the teachers. Students play an active role in the learning process.Blogs have the ability to remove socioeconomic barriers that have hampered the development of vast populations. It allows students to view ideas from different cultural perspectives they may have previously been unable to share. Blogs have tremendous potential to impact education. Research is being conducted now and will need to continue in order to establish best practices.