After an inspiring keynote speech at the KS Ed Tech Conference on June 9th, I thought it might be fun to explore the idea of blogging in our department & with our programs. For this OWAU session please read the article found here & post your comments. If you have the time (hahaha) you might want to select one of the web site readings listed in the "Notes" or reference section of the article & share what you learned, too. http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/EducationalBlogging/40493
I was thinking that this might be a way that we can share our OWAU articles without taking up too much time during our meetings. Also, I was thinking about possibly adding blogging to our VSDL newsletter if we decide to move to an online version. Thoughts?
Also on a side note, this blog was created using blogger.com that's affiliated with Google. This post should be private, if I set it up right ;), & only invited people have access. I just wanted to test this out.
I was thinking that this might be a way that we can share our OWAU articles without taking up too much time during our meetings. Also, I was thinking about possibly adding blogging to our VSDL newsletter if we decide to move to an online version. Thoughts?
Also on a side note, this blog was created using blogger.com that's affiliated with Google. This post should be private, if I set it up right ;), & only invited people have access. I just wanted to test this out.
Comments
I found this article to give good background info on blogs in general. I like the examples provided, especially how it's been used in a f-2-f classroom setting. I also found Henry Farrell's 5 Major Uses for Blogging in Ed. to be useful & particularly liked 4 & 5. I'd like to learn more about blogging & using it within lessons as I see lots of potential for both the `Ike HI program & A`o Makua. Anything to keep my h.s. kids engaged would be an asset. :)
For this article, I was particularly intrigued by the statement "Writers will write because they can’t not write."Pilgrim’s moving declaration should be read as a cautionary note: writing weblogs is not for everybody. You really have to have something focused to say...something that will keep people interested.
I'm eager to see what your thoughts on in terms of finding uses for the 'IKe HI students especially. How this type of medium could motivate them vs. be similar to a contrived assignment (which the article warns about). I have no doubts you'll find a way and hope you will share it with us in this blog.
It was an interesting article that pointed out realistic pitfalls and possibilities for learning through blogs. I got a little restless as it was long, but that's the point ....online reading, and writing, have to be personally ENGAGING.
This esp. interested me...
"..Despite obvious appearances, blogging isn’t really about writing at all; that’s just the end point of the process, the outcome that occurs more or less naturally if everything else has been done right.
...Blogging is about, first, reading. ...And it is about engaging with the content and with the authors of what you have read—reflecting, criticizing, questioning, reacting. "
The last sentence is of course what we are aiming for in all teaching, but its a challenge because he says blogging needs to be unconstrained and without much of the structured prompting we find necessary to get the particular outcome for a particular assignment.
But if it can be achieved, its worth the effort. Our students need to be able to first understand their and others' perspectives, then to articulate a discussion in a way others want to listen to.
'
Interesting with LOTS of potential. Thanks for moving us along Kelly!
I enjoyed reading the article. It brought up valid points for educators to ponder when venturing into blogging with their students. This part of the article stuck with me...
"And herein lies the dilemma for educators. What happens when a free-flowing medium such as blogging interacts with the more restrictive domains of the educational system? What happens when the necessary rules and boundaries of the system are imposed on students who are writing blogs, when grades are assigned in order to get students to write at all, and when posts are monitored to ensure that they don’t say the wrong things?"
Just thinking of the possibilities of integration for our DL programs. Teachers blogging for students to read? Free for all blogging by students in a casual environment to encourage reading/sharing? Restricted blogging for specific topic discussions?
BTW, I like the idea of adding a blog for to our newsletter component.
Lots to think about and possibly venture into...Looking forward to our owau discussion.
Dorothy