A blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
In learning teaching process, blog has lots of advantages . Teachers can use it as media of teaching in some contexts. the usage of blog as media in teaching activity has been using in many countries with various techniques. Here I would like to show benefits, techniques, and challenges of usage of blog in Brazil, Argentina, and Taiwan and will be compared to Indonesia.
There are many schools in Brazil that have been using blog as media of teaching their students. they think that using blog as media has many benefits ; the students can improve their language, because when using blog they have write correctly, indirectly their language will be improved. By using blog the students are more connected with other students in other countries, because blog can be used over the world. Students has chance to write more. Blog pays more attention to the language the students use, and they have extra practice of English. The relationship between teachers and students will be closer. However, the using of blog in Brazil has challenging, that is the teachers find it difficult to keep interaction high, and the matter of electricity, and money. Technique mostly used in Brazil is the teachers ask the students to do their assignments in blog, and put some materials in blog and ask students to give comment, then discuss at class, and the teachers will comment the students.
It is little different with the usage of blog in school in Argentina. the techniques they use is using desk message, one of blog's features in which they can send message to each other, receives the voice of foreign students and receives all kind of photos. like in Brazil, students in Argentina have challenges, that is there is no practice in the authentic situation, the students do not know the real situation, they just see in the pictures.however, by using blog, the students will be lured to find information. they can also give comments, have conversation, and take some photos.
whereas in Taiwan, the techniques they use is having presentation in video and voice record. And written assignments via blog.they thing by using blog it will be cheaper, faster comprehensive, and saving time. And improving English by giving and accepting photos and messages.
compared to Indonesia, we still find a lot of challenges in using blog in school, not many school can provide internet as media of using blog for their students. and blog for students circles is still uncommon, there are many students that do not know how to operate it.
