You've all been blogging for a course for a few weeks -- what do you think?
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Assigning blogs to students
There was an interesting blog post/column that I read at Inside Higher Education today, in which the author and his commenters discuss having one's students blog. Privacy issues came up -- along with use of aliases/pseudonyms and whether it's still a blog if it's locked up inside a course and disappears at the end. Someone also raised the issue of authentic writing, noting that true bloggers don't have prompts or word counts.
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1) Privacy issues were foremost in my mind, and I elected to use initials as a "thin disguise" alias.
ReplyDelete2) Of course it is still a blog even if it receives minimal exposure and is abandoned or even taken down. And yes, it is still a blog when written in response to prompts. The internet is replete with obscure blogs that are filled with drivel; they are not in any way "superior" simply because of their spontaneity or persistent availability.
3) Keeping a blog has been an interesting exercise, but it is not fulfilling any personal need and I am unlikely to continue after the class, at least not at this point in time. Maybe at another time on a different topic….
Forced blogging? (Flogging?) I could see blogging as an assignment being very effective in a classroom situation, but the privacy issue for children would want one to keep it in a contained environment.
ReplyDeleteI agree with DD 's comments about not all blogs being superior due to spontaneity or persistence.
I can see the value of requiring students to keep a blog in a class about Web 2.0 where the point is to understand how tools like these work and the value that is created through them. I can also understand the minimum posting requirement because you want other students in the class to have a point of comparison so they can learn from each other.
ReplyDeleteAs for its value in other classes? I'm not sure. I would have to understand the goals more. I have a personal blog and what makes it enjoyable is posting something that I think will be of value to the community that I'm trying to reach. I like to post when I feel I have something to say - and when I don't I can choose not to. I think there are other ways to foster interaction and collaboration in a class. I don't think it is necessary to employ every tool out there just for the sake of trying something new.
Mike, I agree. There is obviously a lot of learning that comes from posting new blogs, and posting responses to other's in this class. For other courses, I can see how it might become an added stress with little benefit. We have plenty to talk about for this course, but in other courses, isn't that what the discussion board is for? I'm happy to be proven wrong, but I don't see how a blog is useful in every course...
ReplyDeleteIt all has to do with the age of the students. I think privacy issues are an important concern for high school kids and younger. For most college-age kids, privacy is less of an issue, but I think it's important to warn "kids of all ages" of the open and sticky nature of what gets put on the web.
ReplyDeleteAs far as "true" blogging is concerned....who cares? My best writing almost always happens when I have word limits: It makes for more precise thoughts,and clearer communication.