Blogging in Mathematics?

As I've been working on my assignments for my class, I have been thinking frequently, "That would work so well in an English classroom." or "Every history class should be doing that."  It has even made me want to get my teaching certificate for science more so I can do some of the things that have been suggested for biology or physics.  It does seem that many of the features of the read/write web do favor the classes that are focused on reading and writing.  But as I've gone through my days thinking about it, I have developed several strategies for using technology in general and blogs in particular even in a math classroom.

If you have heard me talk about mathematics at all, you know that I feel that math is really just the study of patterns.  Different courses give you different tools to use to find, analyze, and create patterns.  Arithmetic is the patterns of counting.  Geometry is the patterns of shapes.  Calculus is the patterns of change.  I want my students to understand patterns in their lives and in the world around them.  A blog is the perfect way to do this.  I can set up a topic of "what patterns do you see in _____?"  Or I can have the students discuss how different tools can be used on a specific type of pattern.  Or the students themselves can find patterns and start a discussion about them all by themselves.  They can find information about how different cultures or people looked at patterns.  No matter what the student finds interesting, they can find a way to tie it to patterns.  A blog will help them discuss their ideas with each other and let them use their creativity to develop new ideas beyond what is taught in the classroom.