How have your experiences with blogging been? Do you like to stay connected with all of us in a space like this? Or would class discussions be more up your ally? Would you use it in your own classroom? Thoughts, comments...
Monday, March 22, 2010
blogger...what do you think?
So we have all gone through this blogging process many times (the famous moodle, blogging...). For me, i don't really enjoy the process, I like reading others but find I don't get a ton out of it (and forget about it) so i was 'reflecting' on why this is. I have come to the decision that it has something to do with the fact that I am getting very sick of school and want to be finished. However, if this was blogging in a subject I only got for a semester and it was instead of reading a text and answering questions (basic highschool learning) I might really be into it. Because of my experience with blogging I don't know if i would be inclined to use it in a classroom because I would understand why students might not like it. But if I was teaching in a highschool classroom and I knew by class and knew they would really benefit from something like blogging I would for sure use it and am very happy I have had experience with it.
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12 comments:
I'm having a hard time blogging too but I thought it was because I was inexperienced. I think for me it has to do with the idea that I am displaying my thoughts for others to read. It is getting easier but I don't think I'm ready to add it to my classroom toolkit, yet!
I would definitely use it in class but it would not be mandatory. It would be an alternate forum for student that are more tech sauvy and comfortable on the internet than other students. I think it's excellent to use this tool for those types of students, because it may make them more engaged and excited about doing written tasks and discussing content.
However, it won't work for a lot of students, so making it mandatory in almost any grade could create a lot of problems for the teacher and students (but it still may be worth it).
I like that students can stay connected to the class through blogger, especially when they've been absent. And also, students learn best from each other, and blogger gives them the opportunity to do this.
I agree with Brock. If I ended up using blogging in my classroom I would make it optional. Not everyone (students or parents) feels comfortable with having online message spaces and some may not feel comfortable placing their thoughts in a place where others could read. They may fear what others may think about what they think or view; I know because I have felt that way.
I can see how it's a good tool to use for creating a classroom community and for communication, but I think that it shouldn't be manditory, but optional to meet the needs of all the students.
I think blogging could be very useful, as long as it was centralized and easily accessible to everyone. The problem with Moodle, is that I find it quite disorganized, and difficult to find things. It is also fairly difficult to host discussions on Moodle. The Wikispaces we just signed up for is a good way to create pages, and to share stuff, but again, I find it a bit disorganized. I think what would be best is a website with a classic template. There would be links for Disussion, Projects, Links, etc.
I think each of the things we use are useful in one way or another (blog, wikispace, moodle), but the best would be if these all were combined in one straightforward, easily accessible website.
Blogging is TIME CONSUMING!! There are no two ways around it. It takes a lot of mental energy and dedication to keep up with a blog, even if you're just reading it! I follow one blog, which is kind of a metablog that shows all the best stuff from a number of blogs and that's about it. I feel like I hit all my bases with that one blog visit and that's all I have time for these days.
When I was in high school, however, there were a number of blogs, message boards, and listservs that I followed and contributed to religiously. I enjoyed it a lot. But I've sort of matured since then a bit (I guess that's arguable), and I see a lot of what goes on online as kind of pedestrian and pedantic. And who are these people with such strong opinions and ridiculous assertions?
Here's an excerpt from a song I really like called "It's a Hit" by Rilo Kiley. I think it provides a great metaphor for what goes on on many blogs:
"Any chimp can play human for a day
And use his opposable thumbs to iron his uniform;
And run for office on election day;
And fancy himself a real decision maker,
Then deploy more troops than salt in a shaker.
But it's a jungle when war is made,
And you'll panic and throw your own shit at the enemy.
The camera pulls back to reveal your true identity.
Look, it's a sheep in wolf's clothing,
A smoking gun holding ape."
Instantaneously I am amused and shocked. Carlo! I think you have single-handedly severed any semblance of confidence and security I felt in posting blogs, moreover, you reaffirmed all my insecurities and fears that I have worked so hard to suppress, (coming from someone who just posted a response with incredibly “strong opinions and ridiculous assertions” with respect to the newspaper article about lap dancing for students). And, although you may not be able to tell, I am writing this with a smile on my face in a lighthearted but genuine response to a colleague which I respect and typically appreciate his founded, educated but blunt assertions. I think that’s the problem with posting in a written and communal forum. Ultimately, no one can visually interpret tone, intonation or the unstated but presumed intention of any written text. There is no one to distinguish sarcasm, sincerity or the literal interpretation of the prose. Ideas or written thoughts remain isolated, mere snippets of a progressing, evolving stream of thought and consciousness, permanently documented and subject to unintentional, biased or misconstrued interpretations. I think it takes a lot of confidence to manifest, assert and declare one’s intermittent personal opinions and emotions about a topic and moreover, for the world to see. It is apparently still hard to do this at our age, despite our advanced sense of identity and within the established security of our own inclusive program with relations having been intimately established over the last three years. I think it might be a little advanced and potentially even scarring to ask this of high school aged students. Plus, I couldn’t even imagine trying to initiate, direct, manage and referee this means of learning now or at any point in the near future. However, this is just my ‘strong opinion and ridiculous assertion’ (once again, said with a smile).
My blogging experience has also been very difficult. I find it very time consuming to log onto moodle or the blog and then to read through other people's entries before adding in my own opinions.
I do like the aspect that we are all communicating and having the opportunity to put our opinions forward if we wish, but I feel sorry for people who do this, and then their contributions are not appreciated or read by those of us, me particularly, who do not read or contribute to the blogs.
Having a mandatory blog would also not work, as the responses may not be true and the people are jumping through hoops to fullfil the requirements and not gaining anything from participating.
I would have to say that I would find in class discussions much more useful for myself. The fact that i can get a sense of the persons feelings and opionions through their body language and tone would make the topic much more engaging and having depth than online blogging in which you do not know who you are talking to and how they are recieving what you are saying.
It is evident in how long it has taken me to reach my min. number of bloggs that I struggle with the process. I believe that my aversion to blogging is rooted from my hatred toward my laptop and being illiterate with technology. My computer is very slow, I dislike that I spend all day on my computer, and I have created so many accounts this year I have gotten lost in the process. Also I never remember to blog and when I do I don't like how my comments are public. I don't know if I would include blogging in my own classroom based on my own experience. I do strongly believe in including technology in the classroom through YouTube, media images, and other online resources. I also believe that blogging makes the assumption that all students have access to technology which may not be true. I think what I would do as an alternative to blogging is incorporating journal writing that still allows for reflection with a level of privacy. Personally I have questioned how private any information is on the internet and for that reason I choose not to participate.
I think that blogging is a way to get students that are otherwise silent in the classroom to participate. Where I find blogging frustrating, is where they are used as a diary, and not as an area to respond to a question simply. Blogs should be easy to read and not take you 5 minutes to read each response. I find that people write too much instead of hitting their point.
I do feel that I would use it, however only as support and not as a single tool to gather responses. There are so many powerful ways that we can use technology in the classroom and this is only one of them. I would like to use just snipets of each in moderation.
Hmm, wow, a lot has been said here. To say something first about blogging being mandatory, did Leanna say something about the success of the blog being greater with mandatory participation? I imagine it would be. I disagree that mandatory participation necessarily = hoops. I think 'jumping through hoops' is just one way of looking at mandatory things, there are other ways and other reasons for doing the things we have to (but also choose to!) do. Not that its necessarily easy either way. I participated in the blog lots toward the beginning, then just stopped and this is the first time I've been on and read anything much in months! I too have an aversion to mandatory or any lengthy time looking at the microwavy computer screen. I do however appreciate the opportunity to share a bit and to get better sense of what's on everyone's minds - albeit a snapshot (Joanne) but about which I may not otherwise have any idea! Maybe blogging and keeping up with particular blogs really is useless to some. This reminds me of when I was in highschool and I told my Dad I was bored and he said "boredom is your own dumb fault. You have brains, think of something!" Ha ha! Which to me kind of goes along with "it is or will be what we make it." So how can we make it meaningful to us? I have minimally participated in this blog and I find just having different views on different topics and issues is refreshing and therefore beneficial (even though I worry about some of you! Ha ha!!! Ooh, maybe some of you worry about me... :) Maybe to have blogging go well in a class it needs to connect or have a focus, a definitive and explicit purpose? And I wonder how debriefing or discussing blog topics and blog discussions in class would go? I think sharing our thoughts and opinions is important. As may be using different forms of technological tools for learning and communication among learners. Of course we will experience fear and insecurities! Some more, some less and depending on all kinds of circumstances. What about doing it anyway, and trusting? Everyone's in the same boat, and we work together to run the thing. I think it can be too easy not to do something and rationalize with various fears around why not. I don't know when I will have the opportunity AND be brave enough to host a blog myself (hypocritical?) But I do see it as a tool with many benefits and challenges not unlike other forms of sharing and communicating, putting ourselves out there among a number of people, with its potential for inducing fear and inciting learning. Cheerio!
Ooh, and I like that idea of a "straightforward, easily accessible website"
I'm curious what the real benefits and drawbacks are to all these possible forums? ANd how i will develop what works best for me in my career(s)...
:)
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