Comments on: Teachers as blogging models

By: Rick Biche

Rick Biche — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:35:13 +0000

If what we wish to do is empower students to learn, then blogs are just one of those tools. I agree that when first learning, a class may have to do blogs repetitively for a while to get it. But after that they could become part of the options, just like bubbl.us, Google docs, Voicethread…the list goes on. As we use many new tools to engage our students in rich content, they can be given more choices when we open up the options to them. My students turn in work using all of these options, including a grid lined, bound notebook. When they ask how I want something I usually say, “whatever works best for you”.

Great blog examples too!

By: Claire Thompson

Claire Thompson — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:40:26 +0000

It’s refreshing to see a class blog that is more than just a place for the teacher to post assignments and for the students to post reflections. Simon Power and his students are doing some inspiring things and really getting the most out of blogs.

By: Audrey

Audrey — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 04:35:12 +0000

Thanks for sending up that blogging example. I see a lot of good writing on board, which is what it is about. Wish you’d take a look at the blogs I’m doing in my 7th grade classroom this year! http://www.audreyhill.typepad.com It’s our first year of blogging. We are a diverse student body, both socio-economically and ethnically, which provides some special challenges, as some of our students don’t have computer access at home, and so have to do everything in school. It’s a pleasure to watch them take over the computers in the library so that they can publish in their blogs. We spend one day a week blogging in the labs, but a lot of work is expected to be done at home. I agree that there absolutely has to be a commitment to blogging as a regular activity. I have students blog once a week (3 out of 4 weeks they write on topics of their choice, once a month I choose the topics)

By: Jeff Utecht

Jeff Utecht — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:53:32 +0000

Karyn,

Yes we do need to be careful about using the word replace. But we also have to allow the tools to change the way we teach and allow them to replace old practices. It cannot be an add on in the classroom. Not everything should be turned in via the blog, and the blog is not the only thing one should use.

This teacher has allowed the blogs to replace some of the things he does in his classroom. He has also allowed them to create new ways to communicate and learn. It’s not all about replacement. We need to move beyond “Doing old things in new ways” which is what replacement is. But it is a start. From there teachers start to understand blogging and it does change the way they teach and students learn. There is no “killer app” in education. Not when every child is different, and we are focused on meeting the needs of every child. Blogs, if used correctly, can be another tool in which both teachers and students use to learn.

Thanks for the conversation.

By: EBrown

EBrown — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:13:43 +0000

I understand about the all-pupose hammer concern, but in middle school, that’s exactly what is needed sometimes. Repetition, repetition, repetition…. Why am I having such a hard time transitioning from “one more thing I do” to “Just the way I do it”?

Thinking locally and linking globally is what my students will need to know as they mature in an ever-changing social arena.

By: Karyn Romeis

Karyn Romeis — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:57:11 +0000

I woudl be wary of the strong use of the word “replace”. Replacing too many things with blogging will result in blogging becoming like posters are now at our boys’ school. Every-flipping-thing must be represented in a poster! There’s an expression that, when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. I would say that, while blogging needs to become an integral, indistinguishable and unremarkable part of what you do, it’s probably not a good plan to try to turn it into that all-purpose hammer.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:08:14 +0000

Hi Jeff,

I was just wondering if you had any links to the student blogs? What blogging service are they using? Have you found one to be easier to use than others?

Thanks,
Jamie

By: Jamie Sonneville

Jamie Sonneville — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:08:55 +0000

@jutecht: New comment: http://tinyurl.com/2z7hta

By: Jamie Sonneville

Jamie Sonneville — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:05:38 +0000

Reading: http://tinyurl.com/2z7hta