Blog as Media for Teaching and Learning Activities

There is one feature in Internet named Blog. We can use this feature to make the activities of teaching and learning become easier by using it as the media. Students can learn without coming to class. They can do that with blog, because it can be used for delivering material or assignments from teachers to students.

Besides that, students can post their works or articles which can be read and commented by anyone who visits their blog. Unfortunately, in Indonesia, blog hasn’t become teacher’s choice because there are some challenges to use it as the media, such as:

§ Many schools in Indonesia which haven’t internet connection.

§ Not every teacher is able to use Internet; they need to have a training first.

§ Not every student is able to use Internet.

But, Brazil has used blog as media for teaching and learning activities. It used for talking about material and developing test, so students can learn not only in class but also everywhere. And then, it can build sense of community because interaction or communication between teacher and student or student and student can be done in the blog. With this way, student and teacher are more connected or closer even it is difficult to keep the interaction high, and the imagination and creativity which are so limited.

Then, in Argentina, blog used to communicate with native speakers because students of English class don’t have a change to speak with them. They can have a conversation there, so they can practice their English. Blog in Argentina is also used by students to carry our project in which anybody can upload and send comments.

Taiwan is an Asian country, same with Indonesia, but it more one step forward in using blog as media for teaching and learning activities. English Teacher in Taiwan use blog to provide students opportunity to enhance their oral skill by voice recorder assignments. Besides, video recorder of class presentation sent or posted by email, and uploaded online. And then, in this country students write and record their selves’ evaluation which recorded in blog.