I was amazed at the number of articles related to safe blogging. Some very interesting points came up.
For education blogs the safety and security of minor students is a great concern. On a blog titled "A Difference" the author lists several resources that can be used in keeping a blog safe for children. One of those resources laid out strict ground rules for students to post to the blog. Among the teachers instructions was to use only first names of students and to never include pictures. Avatars were strongly recommended. He also encouraged students to never give out personal information on the blog, addresses, phone numbers, etc. I think this is great advice for anyone but particularly for minors. There are a lot of sick people in the world and effort should be extended to protect school children of any age.
A different interpretation of a safe blog would be one that people feel comfortable and safe from emotional abuse from other bloggers. One teacher creates this safe environment with etiquette rules. This is a great practice for those using blogs for students of all ages. Something happens as we sit in the glow of our computer screens. Posts and comments from other people seem to be removed from actual persons. It becomes easier to say things that we would never say to someone personally. (I am reminded of the things that were posted on the KSL comment board when my co-worker died in a car wreck on I-15, people who never knew the man accused him of being high on drugs at the time, while in truth he was listening to scriptures on CD after spending a day in the family history library. Aneurysms are indiscriminate as to when they attack.) In order for a dialog to be open and honest writers need to be assured that they will not be verbally attacked by their peers.
In my research on this topic I found another article with some very helpful tips on blogging. These are geared toward corporate blogging but many could relate well to education blogging. Bloggers here are encouraged by Shel Israel to humanize their posts and remember the reader when writing. I believe these are important elements because that is what the blog is all about, people. I also like the advice from Debbie Weil to just get out and do the blog. Don't leave it on a to-do list and never get it done. Blogging takes a lot of effort but that effort can pay great dividends.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Blog Pedagogy
I've always thought of blogs as a way of allowing students a chance to follow up with each other and the instructor in an asynchronous way. A chance to report on homework, successes and failures they've experienced since the last time you were class together. The blogs I explored this morning were more than that. They were a place for students to record thoughts about the day's lesson and a way to help each other on assignments. However, there are a lot challenges with blogging (mostly the time and work required to maintain them) that permeated the blogs I investigated.
From the list of suggested blogs I was drawn to the fifth graders because that is the year my oldest is just starting. The Oakridge students use their blog as an activity for the teacher to get feedback from all of the students. The teacher poses a question and the students are encouraged to respond to the post with their thoughts and ideas. I like this usage because it allows for more discussion than a typical in-class conversation. It isn't as restricted by time and space. Kids could keep commenting on each other's posts when they get home that evening.
Other blogs seemed to be more for the parent's usage, to keep them up on what is happening in class. This is useful because parents can be more involved in what is happening in the classroom and find opportunities at home to help reinforce the learning. However the blog isn't directly being used for the students' learning. It's mostly a collection of the happenings of the school. This isn't going to be effective because it doesn't require any introspection or discussion. It's just fluff.
A few weeks ago a found a very different kind of educational blog. This one is maintained by a high school math teacher who believes that there are much better ways of presenting information to students. Teaching math concepts in a way that engage the students and creates problem solvers, rather than kids that can just figure out how to use a formula and regurgitate an answer. His blog isn't for his students. Instead he is blogging about his experiences in developing new curriculum. He uses his blog and Twitter to engage educators around the world. Ideas are posted and shared. In-class instruction is improved. It is a fantastic experiment in improving instructional technology and learning sciences.
One of the greatest problems inherent in blogging is keeping them current. It requires a lot of work on the part of the facilitator and sometimes just doesn't get done. Another problem I've encountered is getting student participation. I recently incorporated blog homework assignments into my online workshops. Participation has been low. I attribute this to the fact that my students aren't used to actually doing anything after class. As the facilitator one of my greatest challenges with using the blog is to create activities that will allow the students to apply what they have learned but also be engaging enough to illicit responses.
I believe there are two factors that will lead to a successful blog: active writing and active participation. When those two elements are found you are likely to have a blog that will aid in student learning and development.
From the list of suggested blogs I was drawn to the fifth graders because that is the year my oldest is just starting. The Oakridge students use their blog as an activity for the teacher to get feedback from all of the students. The teacher poses a question and the students are encouraged to respond to the post with their thoughts and ideas. I like this usage because it allows for more discussion than a typical in-class conversation. It isn't as restricted by time and space. Kids could keep commenting on each other's posts when they get home that evening.
Other blogs seemed to be more for the parent's usage, to keep them up on what is happening in class. This is useful because parents can be more involved in what is happening in the classroom and find opportunities at home to help reinforce the learning. However the blog isn't directly being used for the students' learning. It's mostly a collection of the happenings of the school. This isn't going to be effective because it doesn't require any introspection or discussion. It's just fluff.
A few weeks ago a found a very different kind of educational blog. This one is maintained by a high school math teacher who believes that there are much better ways of presenting information to students. Teaching math concepts in a way that engage the students and creates problem solvers, rather than kids that can just figure out how to use a formula and regurgitate an answer. His blog isn't for his students. Instead he is blogging about his experiences in developing new curriculum. He uses his blog and Twitter to engage educators around the world. Ideas are posted and shared. In-class instruction is improved. It is a fantastic experiment in improving instructional technology and learning sciences.
One of the greatest problems inherent in blogging is keeping them current. It requires a lot of work on the part of the facilitator and sometimes just doesn't get done. Another problem I've encountered is getting student participation. I recently incorporated blog homework assignments into my online workshops. Participation has been low. I attribute this to the fact that my students aren't used to actually doing anything after class. As the facilitator one of my greatest challenges with using the blog is to create activities that will allow the students to apply what they have learned but also be engaging enough to illicit responses.
I believe there are two factors that will lead to a successful blog: active writing and active participation. When those two elements are found you are likely to have a blog that will aid in student learning and development.
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