Blog vs. Blackboard

Blogging is a good tool to inspire student writing and for students to share their work. However, I am finding that it is less satisfying to me than Blackboard because it is less interactive. It's rewarding to me when others respond to my blog, but sometimes I would like to continue a conversation with them. When I used blackboard in previous courses, I would write a post, it would be responded to. As other students and I went back and forth in our discussions, sometimes adding information, sometimes debating it, we would build a more solid understanding of the concepts. There are times in the classroom when the interaction is useful and other times when it is not necessary. Te blog and blackboard are not interchangeable. As with most writing tools, teachers need to think about their unit objectives and choose the right tool for the job.