Reflection - Blogger

One of the most useful components in the process of assessment is the use of the blog. The ease of access, minimal to zero cost, and ease of use make the blog an ideal vehicle for use in course assessment.I have introduced the use of blogs into one of my face to face classes. I am able to post course assignments, student presentations, grading rubrics and group assignments online for all class members to see. I am also able to use the blog to assess students' progress by requiring them to post comments about specific posts.Advantages include the cost, with most blogs being provided free of charge. Also, blogs are easy to use and have a user-friendly learning curve. In the future I intend to require students to develop their own course blogs. I will use the blogs to have students respond to specific questions relevant to the course material and will have students track their own learning with self-assessment tools.While the advantages of using blogs in an online classroom are excellent, there are a few disadvantages. First, the teacher and the student must have a computer and access to the internet. This is not as likely to be a problem in an online course as in a face to face classroom. Second, the teacher and the student must be willing to take the time to learn how to best utilize the blog.