Using_Blogs_for_Training_&_Development

Using Blogs for Training & Development A blog is a publishing tool that uses the internet. It allows a person to present their own writing and/or artwork to the public. It also often has links to other web sites. Authors often update their blog daily with a posting. So in this sense it is similar to a diary or journal. However, it can be interactive as well because often viewers are allowed to add comments to the author’s postings. A blog can be useful for training and development because, first of all, they are online so potential students can access it remotely from any computer. Blog sites are user friendly because they are easy to set up, maintain, manipulate, and update. It has been found that students, especially younger students, are rather self-motivated when it comes to interacting on a blog. Also, the commentary feature can promote a lot of quality discussion. Students can quickly access various texts and articles via links and the teacher can communicate and guide the student long-distance - as an instructor, facilitator, or evaluator. Students also can easily collaborate with other students on say, a multi-step project. Finally, blog sites have the ability to collect and organize students’ work into digital portfolios. A portfolio review can be arranged to track student progress and development. Also, the instructor may choose to post or “publish” a student’s work, which tends to motivate students to do their best work and when they do well, take pride in their achievements.