Blogging for fun and learning

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Blogging for fun and learning

• AEJMC 2007
• Washington, D.C.
• Doug Fisher, University of S.C.

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So youre thinking of having your students blog
...
Just one question ...
Why?
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Reasons to consider a blog

• Writing practice with the feel of getting
  published (with these possible additions)
• Feedback from readers
• Meet deadlines
• Editing practice (with possible additions)
• Effective linking
• Community moderation

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Reasons to consider a blog

• Allow students to work out extended thoughts
  beyond the time/space available in class.
• Individual with feedback or no feedback?
• Or collaborative?
• Robust debate
• Another way to also teach moderation of online
  communities
• Share information and updates
• Alternative to e-mail

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Blog v. Wiki
Version 1
Blog
Version 2
Version 3
Item 1
Topic 1 Version 4
Item 2
Version 1
Version 2
Wiki
Version 3
Item 3, etc.
Topic 2 Version 4
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Wiki
Blog
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A wiki a pond. Can be deep, can be large, but
you still see the boundaries.
A blog a river. You see things flowing by, but
never really see the beginning or end
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So what is a blog?

• Mechanical definition
• Publishing system
• Each entry own URL
• Reverse chronological order
• Time/date stamp
• Archive
• Generally auto format (headline, entry, comments)
• RSS feed generated

• Ethos - FTLP
• Frequent
• Transparent
• Links
• More Personal

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Technical reasons to blog

• Ease of use
• Low or no cost
• Little lead time -- get it running NOW!
• Greater sense of permanence than course
  management software.
• Use a free/low cost hosted service or seek place
  on college servers?
• Who owns content once student graduates?

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Lots of free or low-cost services
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Types of blogs

• Diaries/microjournals Generally more personal.
• Link Collections of links, minimal comment.
• Comment Often focused on one event, such as a
  conference (or class)
• Filter Links elsewhere plus longer observations
  (common journalistic form)
• Story/notebook Longer essays (includes photo
  or word essays) the blog can be substituting for
  a more traditional media form.

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A filter blog (with a touch of diary)
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We used this moblog as a story blog
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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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Other things to consider

• If for writing and editing practice, you might
  want a public blog.
• Individual or collaborative?
• What kind of feedback?
• Do you open comments?
• But
• Sensitive student can be hurt by feedback
• Moderate?
• You have some responsibility
• Activate RSS or e-mail alerts

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Other things to consider

• Comment blogs
• Private might be best if the comments are on
  class work, such as others presentations
• Consider any blogging tools in your course
  management system
• Link blogs
• Work well as collaborative projects
• Good public resource
• You need to be a bit of a cheerleader. Comment as
  often as possible. Use links in your comments.
  Show by example.

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Other things to consider

• You need to be a bit of a cheerleader. Comment as
  often as possible. Use links in your comments.
  Show by example.
• Provide clear focus and expectations
• Summarize the idea behind the blogs in five words
  or fewer.
• Be clear in how often you expect postings or
  comments.
• Be clear in all the aspects you will use in a
  grading rubric. (Frequency? Effective linking
  (define)? Topical and relevant commentary (how
  defined)?