Thing #3: Using Blogs in the Classroom

I can see a blog being a powerful tool to enhance and support a classroom.  In my classroom, I could see myself creating a blog to act as a "remote hub" for the class, where students and parents could keep track of assignments, important dates, and class policies.  As the teacher, I'd  would like to use it as a place to post notes, presentations, and supplemental material for the day's lesson, links to helpful websites, and even opportunities for extra credit.  I can see it as a jump-off point for WebQuest activities, and possibly even a way to conduct class when class couldn't normally meet.  In addition to all this, I see it as an opportunity to interact with students and parents in a way that is not always possible through traditional channels.  

I do have a small caveat, though.  I've worked in a small rural school district where a large portion of my class does not have Internet access at home.  That puts me in an awkward position when it comes to implementing a class blog:  I'm basically favoring my students with Internet access over those without it if I make a blog central to my class.  Until Internet access becomes more universal, I would have trouble feeling justified in using a blog as a major centerpiece in my classroom.