Ralph E. Hanson, Ph.D
Professor of Communication
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Blogs have received extensive attention as a replacement for mainstream media, as a way for individual writers to draw attention and make a living without a connection to a major media organization, and as a tool for self-absorbed narcissistic expression. But blogs can also be an effective tool for teaching writing, where students engage in casual writing that is still publicly visible and open to criticism and coment. This presentation examines how teachers have used blogs not just as an end product, but as a method for teaching more formal types of writing.