I think there is some value in blogging because it helps you pull your thoughts together and process them. It can help you remember, understand, apply, analyze, and evaluate while you are writing which covers a lot of the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. It could help you see how your thoughts have changed over time if you went back and read earlier entries (I didn’t). It could also hep you see how your ideas were similar to or different from others’ thoughts and expose you to new ideas if you read others’ blog posts (I did a little, but not that much near the end of the school year). I think the greatest value of blogging for me has been that it makes me think more deeply about something and makes me re-examine my ideas. For instance, when I read the prompt for this blog post, I thought I probably won’t continue blogging and I don’t think I will use it in my science classes. But as I write, I’m thinking, “Hmmm, if it would get my students to think more deeply and do more higher order thinking, why am I not using it with my students?” Now I’m wondering what would be good prompts to use in Biology class next semester. I guess I’ll add another “to do” to my list for this summer.

Okay I just talked with two other teachers who will be teaching the same grade level next year. They were talking about how do a better job of teaching freshmen and sophomores group work skills. We decided we will include blogging self-assessments with the other structures we are putting in place to help them grow their collaborative skills.