Blogs: Understanding and capitalising on 'newness'

Abstract

This paper explores blogs as a new means by which to create and publish texts in primary schools. It highlights the 'newness' of web 2.0 texts, such as blogs, in terms of multi-linearity, interactivity and authorship. Web 2.0 provides us with new ways of connecting with one another, new means for collaboration and new forms of texts. One such text, increasingly commonplace as a source of personal musings and ready reference, is the blog. Primary English teachers are urged to incorporate multimodal and online texts, such as blogs, by documents such the Australian English Curriculum, yet there is little support offered regarding how to make use of them in order to address syllabus outcomes. This research paper will highlight the affordances and challenges of blogs as a means to recontextualise and reconceptualise traditional texts, such as narratives, recounts and discussions to the brave new world that is the online environment.