Classroom Blogging
Although I have not used a blog in my classroom yet, I am awaiting permission from my IT department to create and use one. I would like to use a blog to discuss and share ideas on work ethics. Classes at my school are ten weeks long, and we emphasize ten good work ethics words/traits. Each week I would pose a question concerning the "word of the week".
Currently, we use a discussion board that is part of the online delivery at our school, or we debate the merits face to face in class. Participating in a blog would/could open the discussion to more classes/students and offer more points of view.
Potential problems might be remembering to show respect while discussing; remembering to use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; and remembering to stay on the subject. I think that by initially (and maybe continually) reviewing expectations, these problems would be minor. Also, I would like to set up the blog so that I have control over what is published; and, for privacy, students use only first names.
The age range in my classes this quarter is from 17-60. Some students feel very comfortable with the possibility of blogging and others are uneasy. I think that most students would enjoy participating in this new way to communicate once they are able to try it and are offered instruction on proper usage.
Although I have not used a blog in my classroom yet, I am awaiting permission from my IT department to create and use one. I would like to use a blog to discuss and share ideas on work ethics. Classes at my school are ten weeks long, and we emphasize ten good work ethics words/traits. Each week I would pose a question concerning the "word of the week".
Currently, we use a discussion board that is part of the online delivery at our school, or we debate the merits face to face in class. Participating in a blog would/could open the discussion to more classes/students and offer more points of view.
Potential problems might be remembering to show respect while discussing; remembering to use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; and remembering to stay on the subject. I think that by initially (and maybe continually) reviewing expectations, these problems would be minor. Also, I would like to set up the blog so that I have control over what is published; and, for privacy, students use only first names.
The age range in my classes this quarter is from 17-60. Some students feel very comfortable with the possibility of blogging and others are uneasy. I think that most students would enjoy participating in this new way to communicate once they are able to try it and are offered instruction on proper usage.
Posts
Wanda,
ReplyDeleteAs you approach the IT department, it might also be a good idea to discuss with them the use of a blog contract with the students. The only way my district would let us use blogs was if the students and their parents signed and returned an acceptable use policy.
Responsibility is a problem with blogging, often students forget that it is a school related website, and they do need some redirection with them. I think once we get through this class, we will be better prepared to use them in our classrooms more efficiently.
Wanda -
ReplyDeleteI like your idea for incorporating blogs into your lessons regarding the "word of the week" with your students. Because your students are adults, with the exception of the 17- year- olds, I do not forsee a parental problem with permission being an issue. However, I do feel that your inklings regarding professional versus personal conversations are valid. In order to overcome this hurdle, perhaps you could provide ruberics with specific "do's and don'ts" that you are requiring, together with solid examples of both.
I like the idea of being in charge of the blog so you can approve posts or take them down if they are not appropriate. One concern about all of this online learning is making sure that the students are doing their own work and not just copying other students' ideas or having someone else do the work for them. Is there a way to do this? I'm not sure, but you may be able to use other assessments to determine if the students are really doing their own work.
ReplyDeleteDo all posts to blogs have date and time labels? This could be a way to see when each of the students post, and which ideas may be "knock-offs" of the earlier posts.
ReplyDeleteThe word of the week idea is great and should give the students a way to really grab a hold of the blog that you want to enter into your classroom. That is definitely a neat way to use a blog.
ReplyDeleteWord of the week...what a great idea. It seems so simple but could be used in many ways to benefit your students. I teach physical education at the elementary level and could easily incorporate a word of the week into my blogs for my students.
ReplyDeleteSince you seem to have such large age gap between your students, perhaps you could partner them up so that students who may be a little apprehensive could work with those who may have experience in the art of blogging.
Wanda,
ReplyDeleteI high recommend Will Richardson's book 'Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts & Other Powerful Tools for Classrooms.
carol