CHAPTER 3: Weblogs: Get Started!
I feel Keri has done a good job introducing us to blogger.com, therefore I found this chapter to be mostly a review about what I already know. However, the author did provide some additional resources that I may decide to check out and investigate further. I do think that the author has a definite point in this chapter....in order to utilize blogs in the classroom and expect students to use them, one must be adept at blogging themselves. Actually creating a blog or two of my own has helped me to wrap my head around this whole idea. I believe it was Confucius that said...."I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." I plan on implementing blogs into my teaching pedagogy in small stages. In the Fall of 2012, I plan on putting my blog address on all my course syllabi. I will also post my course syllabi to my blog. In addition, I will start off by posting assignments and homework on the blog. As of right now, I am not too sure how I am going to incorporate student interaction/authorship on the blog.
At this time I disagree with the author's comment that giving each student a weblog basically means a paperless classroom. I think that it will greatly reduce the amount of paper used, but I simply cannot see it has a paperless classroom until each students has a digital tablet of some sort (i.e. iPad, etc.) that is accessible to them at all times (with an otterbox case might I add!) Check out the following blog that argues for the extinction of textbooks and other paper-type educational tools: http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/ My school currently has an AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) committee that was specifically formed to re-examine the existing policy. It has been suggested that the no cellphone use ban be lifted. The thought is that students with smart phones can use these gadgets as an educational tool. I myself am an iPhone person and plan on checking out the BlogPress app suggested by the author.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
CHAPTER 2: Weblogs: Pedagogy and Practice
Upon reading chapter 2, there is no doubt in my mind that the use if blogs in the classroom will definitely have a permanent place in the very near future (if not already). It may be in its infancy at the moment, however, all grade levels seem to be moving towards this new genre of writing. According to the author, blogs facilitate a new genre called "connective writing" (p. 28). The author argues that this is a form of writing that encourages bloggers to read carefully and critically. As I write this very blog, I find myself doing this very skill.
As I am reading this book, I keep thinking of ways that I could execute weblogs in my high school special education resource room math class. The superintendent of my school system has a strong vision of leasing ipads and providing every high school student and faculty member with one of these highly sought after devices. However, the school committee in my town is split on the issue. There are only two computer labs in my high school. Each classroom is equipped with only one computer. This one computer is hooked up to the smartboard and is mostly for teacher use. I truly feel that more computers need to be made available in order for blogging to be consistently used in everyday instruction and assignments. I do feel that it is moving in that direction, however painstakenly slow it might be! We currently have a grading system called x2. This program allows teachers to create a "page" (essentially a weblog). On this page, students can reference assignments and submit them. They can also make comments, etc. In addition, students and parents can access a portal in which they can see their grades. Sometimes I think back to when I was in high school, and I think of how I may not have liked it if my parents always had access to every single grade that I received! In certain respects todays students don't always have it so easy!
At a recent training, the faculty at my high school learned about a site called Edmodo. This site resembles facebook, and is a secure social networking tool for teachers and students. Check it out: edmodo.com . After all the trainings and readings I have done, I am not sure that I am 100% ready yet to take on the extra responsibilities that may come with social networking and/or blogging in the classroom. I am sure that many kinks will need to be worked out and also many unforseen problems may arise. I feel as though I need more trainings to fully wrap my head around classroom management, and user agreements, etc. Nevertheless, I do think that blogging has a lot of potential in the classroom, and will motivate this generation of digital learners!
Upon reading chapter 2, there is no doubt in my mind that the use if blogs in the classroom will definitely have a permanent place in the very near future (if not already). It may be in its infancy at the moment, however, all grade levels seem to be moving towards this new genre of writing. According to the author, blogs facilitate a new genre called "connective writing" (p. 28). The author argues that this is a form of writing that encourages bloggers to read carefully and critically. As I write this very blog, I find myself doing this very skill.
As I am reading this book, I keep thinking of ways that I could execute weblogs in my high school special education resource room math class. The superintendent of my school system has a strong vision of leasing ipads and providing every high school student and faculty member with one of these highly sought after devices. However, the school committee in my town is split on the issue. There are only two computer labs in my high school. Each classroom is equipped with only one computer. This one computer is hooked up to the smartboard and is mostly for teacher use. I truly feel that more computers need to be made available in order for blogging to be consistently used in everyday instruction and assignments. I do feel that it is moving in that direction, however painstakenly slow it might be! We currently have a grading system called x2. This program allows teachers to create a "page" (essentially a weblog). On this page, students can reference assignments and submit them. They can also make comments, etc. In addition, students and parents can access a portal in which they can see their grades. Sometimes I think back to when I was in high school, and I think of how I may not have liked it if my parents always had access to every single grade that I received! In certain respects todays students don't always have it so easy!
At a recent training, the faculty at my high school learned about a site called Edmodo. This site resembles facebook, and is a secure social networking tool for teachers and students. Check it out: edmodo.com . After all the trainings and readings I have done, I am not sure that I am 100% ready yet to take on the extra responsibilities that may come with social networking and/or blogging in the classroom. I am sure that many kinks will need to be worked out and also many unforseen problems may arise. I feel as though I need more trainings to fully wrap my head around classroom management, and user agreements, etc. Nevertheless, I do think that blogging has a lot of potential in the classroom, and will motivate this generation of digital learners!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
CHAPTER ONE: The Read/Write Web
This chapter provided a good overview of how and why one should use the web in his/her classroom as a social learning tool. "Today's students, of almost any age, are far ahead of their teachers in computer literacy. They prefer to access subject information on the Internet, where it is more abundant, more accessible, and more up-to-date" (National Educational Technology Plan 2005). This point really makes it clear to me that textbooks are going to become obsolete. Information is constantly changing and needs to be revised, editied and updated. The Internet is a much better option for providing information for content area and skill based classes. If a student has an inquiry about a related subject matter that the teacher cannot answer, the Internet is right at the student's fingertips. An answer can be found in a matter of seconds. I think that what many educators, administrators and parents are grappling with is the financial cost in some instances,the question of student safety, teacher training, and how to make the transition.
This chapter provided a good overview of how and why one should use the web in his/her classroom as a social learning tool. "Today's students, of almost any age, are far ahead of their teachers in computer literacy. They prefer to access subject information on the Internet, where it is more abundant, more accessible, and more up-to-date" (National Educational Technology Plan 2005). This point really makes it clear to me that textbooks are going to become obsolete. Information is constantly changing and needs to be revised, editied and updated. The Internet is a much better option for providing information for content area and skill based classes. If a student has an inquiry about a related subject matter that the teacher cannot answer, the Internet is right at the student's fingertips. An answer can be found in a matter of seconds. I think that what many educators, administrators and parents are grappling with is the financial cost in some instances,the question of student safety, teacher training, and how to make the transition.
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