My evaluation of the functionality of a blog and its usefulness in your learning context.

My brief evaluation of the functionality of a blog and its usefulness in your learning context.

Since the introduction of web 2.0 blogs which is derived from word collaborative two words "web and log" have become an exciting way for everyone who wishes to write to an audience can be heard as it has become voice for many.
In the past during the 20th century all news or ideas were promoted through static media such newspapers, including columns and articles written by journalist.

However, the advantage that blogs have over traditional media is that they are in real-time, written as the story unfolds and other followers can write comments to the articles virtually after they have been written anytime.
and are not limited to just texts however they can express their ideas through video, pictures, animations, interactive games, forms, polls, audio, as well as text.
They also can embed into the page links to other web pages, blogs, references sources,

Whilst blogs are a great tool for the author whether professional and novice, their strength and broad communicative abilities can incorporate their way into the learning classroom that will allow learning managers to facilitate collaboration and communication amongst their learners between learners and guest expert professionals.

The ICT introduction to schools digital pedagogies such as blogs are becoming mainstream ways of transforming learning as they encourage students to write, read through visual and literal texts and using multi-learning styles making learning more fun but also engaging and memorable.
Blogs should be used as integral part of learning not just integrated into learning.
However according to Stephen Downes there is a negative side to blogging especially with schools which is largely the content could be read by the wrong audience exposing them to the dangers of the World Wide Web.
Some schools just play it safe and block all blogs, wikis and anything that uses web 2.0 technologies outside the education department design.
Whist I appreciate their efforts to protect students, students are not learning new pedagogues which may support their learning styles and be forced to learn using the formal facilitate method of the 20th century.

The solution is that all blogs must be set to private and only allow fellow students in the class to read and collaborate and still achieve the learning objective.
There should be installed a security host who can review and filter all student blogs for any inappropriate information that can put students into danger.
This actually happens in real world as censorship by media companies encourage novice commenters to write under a call sign rather than their real name.
And if someone writes something offensive they often are rejected and approved if appropriate to the contexts.