The whole idea of blogging for students can really make a teacher's head spin, especially if you are a parent! All I kept thinking was that I don't know if I really want to encourage my kids to have more screen time!!
Video games are very popular in my house, as well as the tv. I feel like I am constantly saying, "please turn that off". So the thought of giving my kids a reason to spend more time online was really crazy to me!
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently updated their screen time policy due to a recent study that states in the U.S., kids ages 8-18 are getting an average of 7 hours of screen entertainment time PER DAY!! A popular pediatrician a group says that
*parents need to be aware that too much screen time can have serious consequences- such as; cyber bullying, school woes, obesity, lack of sleep.*. (2013) CBS News Interactive Inc. This data is depressing, and I worry about how much this will affect our kids in the long run.
So much of our kids learning is dependent upon their interactions with their environment. When we send our kids out to play we are exposing them to an entire world of exploration. I worry that the amount of real, hands-on learning experiences will be diminished as the kids choose instead to watch tv. So what does this mean for our Students and blogging? Well first and MOST importantly, We have to separate screen time from our educational time! So then we can explore blogging as an educational activity!
Blogging IS an educational activity! One that is being used in tons of classrooms around the country, Canada and the world. Blogging gives Ss the ability to have "real" authentic learning experiences about subject areas that are important to them.
The main pedagogical theory regarding experiential learning is the idea that learning is dependent upon the Meaning making process of the students educational experience. Therefore, meaningful learning experiences CAN in fact occur when students are actively blogging about their learning experiences.
So how do we help our children find the right balance?
Do we set limits on their creativity?
Do we want to set a timer on their learning?
I think that the best answer to these questions is that there is a time and place for blogging within every curriculum. I myself, have been surprised by the unique learning experiences that my son Dylan's blog has exposed him to. When I asked him what he likes about blogging he said "he likes that it lets him interact with people around the world!"
That's all the justification I need.
Video games are very popular in my house, as well as the tv. I feel like I am constantly saying, "please turn that off". So the thought of giving my kids a reason to spend more time online was really crazy to me!
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently updated their screen time policy due to a recent study that states in the U.S., kids ages 8-18 are getting an average of 7 hours of screen entertainment time PER DAY!! A popular pediatrician a group says that
*parents need to be aware that too much screen time can have serious consequences- such as; cyber bullying, school woes, obesity, lack of sleep.*. (2013) CBS News Interactive Inc. This data is depressing, and I worry about how much this will affect our kids in the long run.
So much of our kids learning is dependent upon their interactions with their environment. When we send our kids out to play we are exposing them to an entire world of exploration. I worry that the amount of real, hands-on learning experiences will be diminished as the kids choose instead to watch tv. So what does this mean for our Students and blogging? Well first and MOST importantly, We have to separate screen time from our educational time! So then we can explore blogging as an educational activity!
Blogging IS an educational activity! One that is being used in tons of classrooms around the country, Canada and the world. Blogging gives Ss the ability to have "real" authentic learning experiences about subject areas that are important to them.
The main pedagogical theory regarding experiential learning is the idea that learning is dependent upon the Meaning making process of the students educational experience. Therefore, meaningful learning experiences CAN in fact occur when students are actively blogging about their learning experiences.
So how do we help our children find the right balance?
Do we set limits on their creativity?
Do we want to set a timer on their learning?
I think that the best answer to these questions is that there is a time and place for blogging within every curriculum. I myself, have been surprised by the unique learning experiences that my son Dylan's blog has exposed him to. When I asked him what he likes about blogging he said "he likes that it lets him interact with people around the world!"
That's all the justification I need.