The example that I saw in her classroom was a blog that acted as forum for posting film reviews. In addition to her English class, she also taught a film course. Students were required to write about one post per week about any film they had seen recently. It sounds like a simple enough assignment, but the results were of a wide variety of and complex content. Students reviewed all sorts of films: recent box office hits, unknown indie flicks, classic favorites or internet-only movies. Students would also comment on one another's posts, and it was great to see students discussing and analyzing in a forum in which they might find more comfortable than a live classroom. I feel that students will excel when given more options, and blogs provide a useful alternative for student expression.
Thinking back on my student teaching, I think I will try and use blogs for the following ideas in the future:
-Discussion about texts we use in the classroom
-Discussion about future topics that are student-centered or student-initiated
-Free-writes and creative writing
-Student-composed articles and reports
-Question forums ( not unlike our Peer Help thread on UbLearns)
-Feedback forums (not unlike our How Did it Go? thread on UbLearns)
Blogging opens up another form of communication which can enhance our channels with students. Technology is growing at such a fast pace that we, educators, would be foolish not to tap into its potential!
Hey Katy! It's interesting to hear your ideas about using blogs in the classroom from someone who has already experienced student teaching and the successful implementation of blogs in education. I hadn't even thought about question forums at the high school level, even though I have used them through UBlearns, and looking back, I think I asked several high school classmates per day about assignments and clarification of directions. A low attention span is probably pretty common for that age group, so being able to ask questions online could save many from the embarrassing confession to a teacher that they hadn't been listening!
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right. As educators we would be foolish not to use this kind of technology and its applications in our classrooms. Our students are using it everyday! One of the best parts about all of this is that we don't have to spend a lot of time teaching them HOW to use any of the major programs (blogging, podcasts, etc.) because they already know! I know I have used that excuse before to stay away from technology-I'm too busy just planning lessons, how could I take time out of any more class to go through all of this?!" But now, since I feel like I have my feet firmly planted with my lessons and the curriculum I have to get through, all it will take is some minor tweaking to apply it to a technology setting. The students would be more than willing/excited to get to use this in school. What we do have to make time for, however, is teaching them how to use this in an educational manner, which would incorporate secure blogging techniques, for example, how to comment in a mature manner, "internet manners" , and so forth.
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