(Note: Sometimes you read a really good article and can't wait to use it in your work. Then your eyes wonder up to the author and suddenly panic hits. You are going to have to quote the author back to the author. That is what happened in this case. I hope I understood the authors' points correctly and do not butcher their work upon reflection.)
Blogging is another web 2.0 tool that can be used in the classroom to create authentic audiences for students' work. There are many blogging services out there, for more information about individual services visit the Teach Web 2.0 wiki or this blog entry.
When students construct knowledge they need an authentic place to present or publish this knowledge (Ferdig and Trammell, 2004). Blogs are a venue that can provide a place to publish and present work - and not just written work but also videos, slide shows, podcast and other multimedia presentations. The blog can also offer the opportunity to work through concepts and knowledge by posting reflections and analysis coupled with the opportunity to revise and adapt their work (Ferdig and Trammell, 2004). The blog becomes the student's own personal space to explore their ideas.
Through comments and hyperlinks viewers can provide feedback, constructive criticism, different perspectives, and more information to the blogger, thus enriching the learning experience (Ferdig and Trammell, 2004). Teachers can take an active role in attracting audiences to their students' blogs by linking to them, sharing them with peers and colleagues and tweeting about them on Twitter. It is these authentic audiences that lead students to think more critically, write more, and write better (Ferdig and Trammell, 2004).
The article suggests that teachers should "provide a set of strict rules for blogging such as frequency, length of posts, number of hyperlinks and staying on topic" (Ferdig and Trammell, 2004, 14). I, humbly, disagree. When strict guidelines are set, I think the student would begin to write more for the teacher and the grade rather than for the analyzing, reflection, and learning. I would prefer set up clear expectations with my students and grade them based on a rubric, like the one found here. When using a rubric as grading tool, I think it is important to show students examples of excellent, good, and poor work.
I do agree, however, that time must spent discussing with students what is and is not appropriate for blog posting. In addition, students should be made aware that once something is out there it can never be totally erased - even with editing and deletion (Ferdig and Trammell, 2004). A demonstration of the Wayback Machine would be a great resource for this discussion. Along with this message, a discussion of internet safety should take place.
References:
Ferdig, R. E. and Trammell, K. D. (2004). Content delivery in the 'blogosphere'. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons in Education), 31.7(Feb 2004). Retrieved March 30, 2009 from Academia OneFile database.
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Because my students are struggling writers, the blog is a way for them to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of failure. However, I have found that my students absolutely need to have strict guidelines and clearly defined expectations for any assignment they complete. A class blog would be no different. Although I agree that students might be writing for the teacher instead of engaging in critical thinking skills, my goal is primarily to encourage the students to write. Unfortunately, many of my students will not choose to write unless it is mandatory. I struggle with trying to find ways to encourage the students to find their voice and express themselves without having to dictate how often and how much they must contribute.
ReplyDeleteI just don't think twice a week, 150 words with 2 links makes a good blog or an effective assignment. I would rather spend the time with students going over blog entries, discussing the strengths and weaknesses, and expectations of the assignment.
ReplyDeleteDo you think your feelings would change if you weren't working with struggling writers?
Absolutely! My students are at risk college students, many of whom do not have the requisite skills/knowledge to be successful students. If I were teaching an advanced writing course, the presumption would be that these students could be autonomous and would not need the same level of handholding. I would much prefer the blogging to be more reflective.
ReplyDeleteBecause I've never had my students, elementary or middle school, blog before, I'm curious as to whether they would participate in a class blog without being required to do so.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a lesson in Internet safety needs to go hand in hand with the introduction of blogging. You made a good point (one that I had heard before but had forgotten until you mentioned it) - Once something is placed on the Internet, it's out there. You can modify or delete it, but you can never be sure that you did so before someone else got to it. This is definitely something I want to talk about with my students, especially my middle schoolers.