Pros, but also Cons, of Blogs

After researching the use of blogs in the classroom I have become aware of the enormous benefits that blogging provides for our students. How it can enhance writing, reading, creativity, communication, technological awareness, etc. I have read many articles from experts who endorse blogging.
However I think that it is important to examine the cons to this technology as well. As a grade 3 teacher (who admittedly has not yet attempted blogging with my students), I do have some concerns. I only have one 50 minute period in the computer lab a week with my students and although setting up a blog takes only minutes, with a class of 20 young children I wonder how ’smoothly’ that would be. Then their typing abilities come into question. I know that quality beats out quantity, but I think a few could only manage a sentence or two after reaching their blog. I definitely think older students have the advantage here. (Although I guess if you start them young...). There are also concerns about content that would have to be closely monitored of course. Here are some safety tips I found:

Copyright Parry Aftab 2006, all rights reserved. For permission to duplicate, e-mail Parry@WiredSafety.org. Parry Aftab's Guide to Keeping Your Kids Safe Online MySpace, Facebook and Xanga, Oh! My! Keeping yourself and your kids safe on social networks

The quick tips for teens:
• Put everything behind password protected walls, where only friends can see
• Protect your password and make sure you really know who someone is before you allow them onto your friends list
• Blur or morph your photos a bit so they won't be abused by cyberbullies or predators
• Don't post anything your parents, principal or a predator couldn't see
• What you post online stays online - forever!!!! So thinkb4uClick!
• Don't so or say anything online you wouldn't say offline
• Protect your privacy and your friends' privacy too...get their okay before posting something about them or their pic online
• Check what your friends are posting/saying about you. Even if you are careful, they may not be and may be putting you at risk.
• That cute 14-year old boy may not be cute, may not be 14 and may not be a boy! You never know!
• And, unless you’re prepared to attach your MySpace to your college/job/internship/scholarship or sports team application…don’t post it publicly!

And for parents:
• Talk to your kids – ask questions (and then confirm to make sure they are telling you the truth!)
• Ask to see their profile page (for the first time)…tomorrow! (It gives them a chance to remove everything that isn’t appropriate or safe…and it becomes a way to teach them what not to post instead of being a gotcha moment! Think of it as the loud announcement before walking downstairs to a teen party you’re hosting.)
• Don't panic…there are ways of keeping your kids safe online. It’s easier than you think!
• Be involved and work with others in your community. (Think about joining WiredSafety.org and help create a local cyber-neighborhood watch program in your community.)
• Remember what you did that your parents would have killed you had they known, when you were fifteen.
• This too will pass! Most kids really do use social networks just to communicate with their friends. Take a breath, gather your thoughts and get help when you need it. (You can reach out to WiredSafety.org.)
• It’s not an invasion of their privacy if strangers can see it. There is a difference between reading their paper diary that is tucked away in their sock drawer…and reading their MySpace. One is between them and the paper it’s written on; the other between them and 700 million people online!
• Don’t believe everything you read online – especially if your teen posts it on her MySpace!
• And, finally….repeat after me – “I’m still the parent!” If they don’t listen or follow your rules, unplug the computer…the walk to the library will do them good. . For more information, visit WiredSafety.org.

I hope that I have not given the impression that I am 'against' classroom blogging, far from it, but I do think that we need to look at the cons as well as the pros before we take the responsiblity of using it with our students.