The available technology that is available to students is unbelievable, and most of them know how to use it better than adults. I teach high school Economics (grades 11-12) and I have recently started using a wiki page for my students as a platform for them to get course materials and have discussions about various topics that we study in class. This has been a fantastic learning experience for me and I find that I am excited to discover what else can come from a wiki (I have posted the link to my Economics wiki below). Even though I am just getting my feet wet with all of the new 1:1 type of classroom technology I am very excited for the potential it holds. The big question this post addresses is "how can I use a blog in the classroom?"
I am very new to blogging but not to the fact that students must read and write to gain knowledge. At first I thought I would use a class blog much like the wiki I mentioned before. However, after much thought, I would love to attempt to use a class blog to connect with students and teachers across the nation and, perhaps, in other parts of the world. The logistics of doing this could be complicated but think of the potential rewards. My students would get to collaborate with other students across the nation about similar topics and experiences while potentially building strong relationships with each other. All students would get different viewpoints on certain ideas and topics and this would broaden and extend their learning beyond what I could give them in the typical classroom. Am I going to attempt this endeavor? Absolutely. Will it take time and research? Yes. Will I start tomorrow? I cannot answer that for sure but what I can be certain of is that blogging absolutely has its place in the educational setting. Whether a blog is used as a class or school home page or for a space for students to voice their opinions about certain ideas it remains one of those untapped technological resources that will be hitting a classroom near you! How about everyone else? How would you use blogging in the classroom (and even outside of the classroom). Does my potential idea for a collaborative class blog sound feasible and valuable? A penny for your thoughts anyone?
http://embrock-economics.wikispaces.com/ECONOMICS+MAIN+PAGE
I envy you in that you are branching beyond the four walls of your classroom. I am an elementary school teacher and fear what would happen if the blog was out of my control. Would you monitor the posts and preread before they were published on the blog?
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, when I begin to use blogs with my students, I plan to teach a few blog etiquette lessons. I hope by doing so the students will learn how to respond appropriately and to disagree with one another respectfully. Do you feel that explicit etiquette lessons will be necessary for high school students?
I do think that students will need some instruction on how to post to blogs. They cannot just write whatever is on their mind in the format they are used to (like in text messaging). I would spend some time teaching them how to use it, how to write appropriately,and how the process works before we would use blogging.
DeleteI love the idea of connecting with people outside of our geographic area, even going world wide with communication. One thing I would suggest is maybe keeping communication semi-local and setting up the potential for meeting those in which you are talking to. Do you think it would be possible for you to set up blogs that connect you with another high school that is 30-45 minutes away. Then, use it as a platform for students in both locations to share learned skills and information or debate. At the end of the year set up an opportunity to go meet the students in which you have been communicating. I teach at the elementary level and there is always more motivation when people they do not know and have the potential to meet are involved. I believe the desire for new human connections is nothing something students, or people in general, out grow. Also, who does not love the idea of a field trip?
ReplyDeleteJill I think you have a good idea about starting the connections small and then expanding collaboration out to further distances. The problems with the plan you are suggesting is time and budgeting. I only get 18 weeks with my kids until they move on to either the second semester or summer break. Our district is also on a strict budget and field trips for our high schools are pretty rare. I love the idea though, I think it has a great deal of merit and deserves further discussion.
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