The Impact of Using Blogs on College Students

   In the article, "The Impact of Using Blogs on College Students' Reading Comprehension and Learning Motivation", by Hui-Yin Hsu and Shangkwei Wang, it discusses the effectiveness of using a new literacy, such as blogs in the classroom. The authors also discuss the pros and cons of using blogs as a learning tool.
    During the research that was conducted, the authors discovered that many teachers are scared to use technology in the classroom because of lack of knowledge and training. I feel that teachers should do their best to stay up to date with the newest technology that is available to them. This will help the students become more motivated and eager to learn. Since we are dealing with the 21st century learners who are engorged in the latest technology we as teachers must be able to help them use the technology in a proper educational way.
     The use of Blogs  can help form a sense of community in the classroom. For the last two semesters I have been taking online classes and using blogs and discussion boards. Even though I have not met the students  that are in my classes or the teachers in person I feel like I know them through their postings. The use of blogs can also help the students who do not normally participate in class showcase their ideas and opinions on topics. I feel like it is a lot easier to form a discussion when blogging because everyone is able to communicate their feelings because no one is being cut off or interrupted by someone in class.
     Although it was discovered that the use of blogs in the classroom does not help with reading comprehension I feel like it does help with forming a community with the students.