Comments on: Blogging: To be or not to be? That is the question http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/2008/07/28/blogging-to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question/ Another excellent Edublogs.org weblog Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:56:38 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: mimiwheat http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/2008/07/28/blogging-to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-29 mimiwheat Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:44:41 +0000 http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/?p=12#comment-29 Your blogs are very insightful! I believe that blogs are best if you just allow students to write. If they have to think about every detail or can only write on a specific question, then much is lost. Sometimes while answering a question, another question occurs to the writer and the students should have the freedom to express those thoughts as well. As long as the comments are educational and related to the general topic, students should have the freedom to express their ideas. Granted there has to be some structure and students need to know the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not. Your blogs are very insightful! I believe that blogs are best if you just allow students to write. If they have to think about every detail or can only write on a specific question, then much is lost. Sometimes while answering a question, another question occurs to the writer and the students should have the freedom to express those thoughts as well. As long as the comments are educational and related to the general topic, students should have the freedom to express their ideas. Granted there has to be some structure and students need to know the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not.

]]> By: Randy http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/2008/07/28/blogging-to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Randy Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:40:14 +0000 http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/?p=12#comment-28 Your classmates are right on when commending your ability to put an engaging blog post together. I do enjoy reading what you are thinking. For me, your thoughts on using the blog to hear student voice were most insightful. Too often in education we leave out the "customer" and focus too much on what we as teachers think we need to do. Gathering this information through reflective, guided blogs posts is a terrific idea, especially once students have been taught how to use the medium. Your classmates are right on when commending your ability to put an engaging blog post together. I do enjoy reading what you are thinking. For me, your thoughts on using the blog to hear student voice were most insightful. Too often in education we leave out the “customer” and focus too much on what we as teachers think we need to do. Gathering this information through reflective, guided blogs posts is a terrific idea, especially once students have been taught how to use the medium.

]]> By: sveteczj http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/2008/07/28/blogging-to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-27 sveteczj Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:11:04 +0000 http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/?p=12#comment-27 As usual, you have really awsome insight and offer ideas. I like your quote, "The over-structuring of a blog, while understandable given the societal context of parental and even administrative pressure, is exactly what makes a classroom blog fail and fade away." I refer to situations like this as educational quicksand. If you do not take care of this quickly, your class and lesson will go down the drain. This is the idea that I am afraid of. I am already afraid that I am under the gun that I do not use technology enough. Now I am afraid that I will under a microscope because of practicing the 21st century approach. I don't want the administration and/or parents to come after me for not setting enough parameters. I do not want this idea to fade away because it is a great idea and has so many affordances as I listed in my blog. I really think this can help my alt. ed students with life skills. As usual, you have really awsome insight and offer ideas. I like your quote, “The over-structuring of a blog, while understandable given the societal context of parental and even administrative pressure, is exactly what makes a classroom blog fail and fade away.” I refer to situations like this as educational quicksand. If you do not take care of this quickly, your class and lesson will go down the drain. This is the idea that I am afraid of. I am already afraid that I am under the gun that I do not use technology enough. Now I am afraid that I will under a microscope because of practicing the 21st century approach. I don’t want the administration and/or parents to come after me for not setting enough parameters.
I do not want this idea to fade away because it is a great idea and has so many affordances as I listed in my blog. I really think this can help my alt. ed students with life skills.

]]> By: leshk http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/2008/07/28/blogging-to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-26 leshk Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:20:57 +0000 http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/?p=12#comment-26 Great post about the ups and downs of blogging. I particularly liked this statement: "In addition it can be a means of obtaining feedback on the presentation of a lesson, which is often lacking in education" How true. Several times I have really thought my students were all comfortable with certain material until the majority did poorly on a test. Commenting on a teacher blog could give students a great, open opportunity to informally express what works and doesn't work in class. Of course, we would need to really teach/model what makes for a respectful, appropriate comment, but expressing one's point of view respectfully is an important skill that should be taught anyway! Great post about the ups and downs of blogging. I particularly liked this statement:

“In addition it can be a means of obtaining feedback on the presentation of a lesson, which is often lacking in education”

How true. Several times I have really thought my students were all comfortable with certain material until the majority did poorly on a test. Commenting on a teacher blog could give students a great, open opportunity to informally express what works and doesn’t work in class. Of course, we would need to really teach/model what makes for a respectful, appropriate comment, but expressing one’s point of view respectfully is an important skill that should be taught anyway!

]]> By: boulrice http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/2008/07/28/blogging-to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-25 boulrice Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:38:19 +0000 http://wabalsj.edublogs.org/?p=12#comment-25 As always, you have a very insightful blog. I agree that over-structuring the blog can be detrimental. I feel that a lot of times, many educators over-structure in many areas. Kids need structure, but some people tend to go overboard and create needless worksheets where kids can take notes, just as simply as they could in a notebook. Annie and I came up with an idea today after going through some of the blogs today during class from established teacher sites. One teacher had a requirement of commenting on the blog post "of the month." In that, they only had one blog per month. While I feel that may be TOO extreme, I think that if I gave my kids a few days, maybe 2 or 3 to comment on a blog post, then I would be more successful. Those with limited access would have no excuse, because within those 2 or 3 days they could go to the library after lunch or make arrangements after school to get the late bus, or go during our "9th period" time which is free time they use for homework usually. Come to think of it, I could offer my computer for that as well during 9th period for those kids who don't have the access at home. As always, you have a very insightful blog. I agree that over-structuring the blog can be detrimental. I feel that a lot of times, many educators over-structure in many areas. Kids need structure, but some people tend to go overboard and create needless worksheets where kids can take notes, just as simply as they could in a notebook.

Annie and I came up with an idea today after going through some of the blogs today during class from established teacher sites. One teacher had a requirement of commenting on the blog post “of the month.” In that, they only had one blog per month. While I feel that may be TOO extreme, I think that if I gave my kids a few days, maybe 2 or 3 to comment on a blog post, then I would be more successful. Those with limited access would have no excuse, because within those 2 or 3 days they could go to the library after lunch or make arrangements after school to get the late bus, or go during our “9th period” time which is free time they use for homework usually. Come to think of it, I could offer my computer for that as well during 9th period for those kids who don’t have the access at home.

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