Technology Enhanced Classes

I would like to embrace the idea of using technology in the classroom. Blogging within the classroom is an invaluable tool, as it serves many purposes. The degree of involvement can be manipulated to fit individuals' needs. 1) Students can use the blogs as a recap of what was learned, so that when test time approaches, the students has a place where all their notes have been stored and can then easily review the material in a domain that is more accessible to them, as the internet is with today's youth. 2) Teachers can assign blogging projects. I studied one blog in which the teacher helped the students put together virtual scrapbooks. They wrote and illustrated the stories on paper and then transferred those into a computer equivalent and added music and their voices. 3) Another teacher assigned the children a topic for their blogs. This seemed to serve the purpose of teaching the children how they can use technology for their own future personal gains versus giving them a grade for an online project like the teacher above. One student was responsible for blogging about the classroom pet; one student published a blog on a particular project everyone completed the week before, etc. Every child's blog was different. 4) The blogs serve as a greater connection to parents. Another blog I studied was maintained by the teacher, and she basically composed scrapbooks or articles on what the students did in the classroom daily. She always included either a picture or sound. The parents commented on the blog about how much they appreciated the teacher for going "above and beyond" the call of duty. They felt like they knew more of what was going on because they could see and hear, just as if they were there, versus the old-fashioned way of a paper newsletter (updated only weekly). The parents not only felt more included in the education process, but they were happier because the children were excited to share with them the classroom blog.
As a teacher, I would hope to bring the use of blogs to the classroom: if not for a project for the students to complete, then as a tool for the parents to have so that they feel more involved and so that they could give feedback on what teaching method works best for their child. At any rate, blogs seem to be a most positive idea.