Pluses and Minuses of Blogging in the Classroom

Let's start with the minuses...

Ok, well on to the pluses of blogging in the classroom. First off it can be a great classroom communication system. You can use it for responses to lessons, sharing ideas, or even assignments. In fact, I can remember at a fairly young age in school having a class journal. How about instead of turning in a notebook journal having a student blog!
Another great benefit of blogging in the classroom is nation wide and world wide collaboration. I am particularly excited about bring this into my classroom one day. Something else I remember doing at a young age in school is everyone in the class was paired up with a "pen pal" from another classroom in another country. We exchanged photos and letters about what we were doing in our classroom, our culture, and current news happening around us. Now days this is easier and quicker than ever by just doing it through blogging. You can collaborate with other classes or students anywhere around the globe instantly! What a powerful and exciting learning tool!
Having a classroom blog can be beneficial to parents as well. You don't have to worry about sending home papers with students knowing there is a chance it won't make it into mom or dads hands. The blog can be a place parents can check for newsletters and updates straight from the teacher as well as the progress of their child and his or her class.
Blogging can be done anywhere, anytime (with access to a computer/internet). Let's hope it is a priority of parents to make sure these are available to their children. If not there are always libraries and school computer labs.
Right now this is a fairly new trend so students will be more enthusiastic about this new style of learning, collaborating and exploring!
The possibilities here are endless. I couldn't come up with any real negatives of blogging in the classroom but that doesn't mean there won't be obstacles. I believe it is worth it though.