Have you ever wondered what it must be like to travel to a foreign country where you do not know the language or customs and you must start a new job or go to school the very next day? What must it feel like - scary? intimidating? like you are totally lost?? Well that is what it is like at times with me when I start something new in the world of social networking - ie. blogging. I have landed in a foreign world and I am trying to master the world of communicating through a very foreign manner.
I may have read all the fine points, I may even agree with most of the fine points, but I am not so sure that in my world of education - where I am teaching the finer points of high school geometry or ap calculus or something in between - that blogging will be an integral part of my domain. I can see its use in writing, discovering the past, learning new languages or cultures, in the world of social sciences, and even courses where there is room for debate - but in my world where the progression of concepts is linear and the timeline leaves very little time for venturing out into the cyberworld I am afraid this world is limited. That does not mean it cannot be used - it just means that it has it's limits and time has the control of when it can be used effectively.
The pros - this collaborative tool is very effective with expressing ideas and writings - especially with topics that invoke that type of discussion. I can see the pros to students hearing other opinions and ideas - and the critiquing would definitely change how one would write and express their ideas.
The cons - some disciplines are not so easily defined to be 'writing' but to be calculating and analyzing. I can see blogging over topics that spark debate or needs an investigative tool - but when the discipline as a very defined scope/sequence for mastery - until the topic leads to a 'window' where time allows investigative mode - I am afraid blogging will be more on the "wish list if time allowed' level.
Laura,
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat, teaching geometry and algebra. These courses seem as though they would not lend themselves easily to the land of blogging. Yet, I begin to wonder if blogging wouldn't be the perfect place to have students "debate" how to answer a word problem. Could they not discuss the finer points of what exactly the question is asking? Or how to set up the problem in order to obtain the answer. What if a blog was used to discuss how to approach solving (or answering) a SAT question. Could this not be an effective use of this tool while allowing all students the opportunity to add to the discussion?
This is just a thought I had earlier today, and I'm excited for the opportunity to discuss it further with someone who has more experience teaching these courses, and speaks my language. Perhaps we can learn this new one together.
Hi Louisa
DeleteIt is always good to have someone in my world of mathematics and also comfortable with something I am trying to learn and master. So your newest student is twice your age but not too old to learn :-) So I hope you are patient, as I master this social networking world and my new computer with Windows 8 simultaneously (it is very different than any other windows to say the least) But on a happy note - at least my screen is large enough for me to see (a gift from my husband!)
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteBlogging definitely offers some freedom of expression, however, as a math instructor/teacher, I will have to find content that will engage my readers, encourage responses, and offer a vast amount of information at the same time. While technology plays such a integral role in Mathematics, we seem to struggle the most with the creativty side of it. As we continue to respond to each other's blogs, we can feed off of each other and come up with some really good strategies.
Thanks!
Kai
Hi Kai
DeleteI truly spend most of my time on researching and designing lessons that will be investigative to my topics - Mathematics is more than learning a skill but knowing how to use that skill correctly and effectively. I see technology as a wonderful tool - but as I try to master the ever changing world of technology, I sometimes feel like - let me be a master of one domain before I try 3 more. I am always astounded to hear how quickly one 'favorite' social networking is replaced by another - sort of like what is in today is out tomorrow!
I can see your concern, Laura. Most of the time, and all fo the blogs that I follow, are for informational purposes. I can't ever see myself blogging, especially about teaching (seeing as how I have 0 experience in the classroom). But these spaces are great collections of information to be accessed and used by all. The sharing of information is what these places are all about.
ReplyDeleteThis type of posting, or blogging was just the first, and easiest, way for the masses to share. Now there are so many social and multimedia outlets, blogs have fallen to the truly vain or those who really have something share with the world.
I use blogs primarily as a classroom communication / sharing tool. I'm not really interested in having the world read what I write; I am interested in having students read what other students write! Now that tools like Edmodo and Edublogs are designed specifically for education, I think it's safe to say that blogs are not going away.
DeleteThat said, I do think we can all benefit by blogging with a small group of people we get to know. In fact, I think it would be great if UMUC had a private blogging tool so that educators like all of you could stay in touch with others and with faculty.
Hi Dawn
DeleteI can see blogging being a great tool for online courses and even 'classroom' courses - especially when students don't have a chance to meet in 'person' - it is a good tool for discussion. I am still very new at this and so I spend a lot of time reading/learning and seeing what / how I can use it effectively. Right now - I am enjoying reading and seeing how my fellow students use/ don't use this communication publication.
laura
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteDid you come across the HTML code from the chapter on blog posts in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Class? I have the Kindle version of the book, so I don't have the exact page number, but it's in the section on adding images and other "stuff" to your post.
Anyway, I remember you responding to Kai on one of the blogs about learning how to do different "things" to your blog. I thought one of the items you wanted to fix was the dashboard banner at the top of the blog that allows a visitor to go to the "next blog". The code on the page I mentioned above lets you remove that banner. It worked perfectly on mine and I just followed Richardson's directions. Try it out and let me know if you need any help.
Hi Louisa
DeleteI am grateful for your advice and I have been reading Richardson's suggestions and advice like my newest 'how to book'. So now I will go and try out your suggestion - and Richardson's
I think that would make it possibe to use blogs in school.
ReplyDelete