Since educational blogs are most effective when students are given opportunities to express their ideas and feelings on topic that interest them, Tom’s objective was to engage his students on a current topic on a both a personal and academic level. It was also an opportunity to get to know a group of students he had just started teaching. Many students opened up on the blog and revealed deeply personal responses regarding the events of that day.
Tom gave this blogging assignment on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which coincided with the first week of school.