Ngiap Hui - Blogging being beneficial to students' reflection

In my opinion, blogging is more than a platform for self ventilation, self expression of emotions and events experienced by an individual in his workplace, school, public or at home. It is also a good and appropriate site for students to post their reflections as part of their post activity homework. In this IT era where almost all students have had some form of contact with the computer, be it msn, friendster, youtube and even blogging, posting reflection via the blog is rather relevant now. However, that will need consideration and education on the teacher and school's part in relation to cyberwellness issues.

There may be the tendency for students to use informal language when writing their reflection as to them, informal language is the tool for communicating ideas in the cyber world. In this aspect, if the reflection were to be graded, many students would be penalised on their use of language, which in this sense may not have been the case if the reflection was done the conventional way instead. Thus, it is about the mentality of students that may cause this discrepancy in the correct usage of language and the prevention would be for the teacher to inform and educate students on the need to use formal language as they post their reflection on blog. It is also necessary to make students understand the difference between work using the computer and self expression, in which students have the freedom to write in any forms they like for the latter, except for the use of vulgarities and disrespectful languages on others especially. thus regulation is required to make work through blogging possible.

The other reason why blogging students' reflections is beneficial because this will make the works accessible for all to see and even for comments to be made easily. Learning could be made easier as time and space is being saved on, above the fact that students may usually find blogging their thoughts more interactive and less mundane. However the teacher cum administrator of the blogs would have to be caution of the possible nonsensical and negative remarks that students may have of other students' work.

In conclusion, blogging is a possible teaching tool in school for students and not just for students' personal use. Teaching and learning could take place in the cyber world and to some extent, may be even more effective for some aspects of our curriculum. However, the crux to managing the appropriate use of blogs for students' work would be on the form of language students use and the etiquette they use when interacting with other students.