Extending the Conversation

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Extending the Conversation

• Aimee Knupsky
• Allegheny College

http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/Pr
ofKnupskyHome.html
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/we
blog/
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Overview
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FS101

• Sunday Morning on CBS

• Why Blogging?

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Musings Responses
Musings (every other week)
Thoughts about any segment of the episode for
that week.
Reactions to supplemental readings.
Preparation for open floor discussions
regarding the material for each days class.
Responses (off weeks)
Reactions to the thoughts of classmates.
Extend the conversation beyond the classroom.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/o/ohmerk/weblo
g/2007/11/the_solar_decathlon.html
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Musings Responses
Benefits
Voices in the class not regularly heardfirst
steps in joining the conversation.
Ideas develop across timebefore class, during,
and after class.
Freedom to express thoughts not comfortable or
ready to volunteer during class time.
Ability to express ideas in multiple modesverbal,
visual formal and informal.
Ability to search for and connect to broader
discussion of topics.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/s/slosara/webl
og/2007/09/sunday_morning_a_summer_song_1.html
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Musings Responses
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/p/phillis/webl
og/2007/11/the_great_wall_of_china.html
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Musings Responses
Challenges
Range in engagement across students.
Extending conversation extends time commitment.
Worries about having nothing to say.
Deadlineshow to fit structure into a free
flow technology.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/h/harrisj/webl
og/2007/11/musing_11607.html
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Class Time Debriefings
Debriefings (every week)
Reactions to class discussions, activities, and
assignments.
Place to bring up ideas not considered due to
time constraints.
Appropriate for discussing issues beyond the
classroom content.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/we
blog/2007/11/being_mindfuldecreasing_stress.html
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Class Time Debriefings
Benefits
Real-time monitoring of student interest in
topics, student needs.
Holistic sense of where the class stands on
issues and activities from class.
Less formal than musingsgoal is not to set-up
discussion, but to share thoughts as they occur.
Extends the window of time for considering ideas
from class.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/c/conwayc/webl
og/2007/12/thoughts_on_mediation.html
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Class Time Debriefings
Challenges
Students dont perceive use of debriefings as
much as musings.
Less structured than musingsless certain about
what to share.
Deadlinesdebriefings due by end of weekoften
forgotten.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/s/snydern/webl
og/2007/11/debriefing_11807.html
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Other UsesPodcasts
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/we
blog/2007/10/group_3_podcast_academic_succe.html
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Other UsesFor Fun!
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/f/fulated/webl
og/2007/12/surfing_the_web_1.htmlmore
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Other UsesFor Fun!
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/we
blog/2007/09/a_theme_song.html
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Student Perceptions
How much did you enjoy developing and maintaining
your blog?
0 (not much) to 6 (a lot!)
M 2.60 (1.64) Mdn 3.0
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Student Perceptions
Do you feel your blog allowed you to discuss
ideas, thoughts, or opinions you didnt express
in class?
0 (not really) to 6 (a lot!)
M 4.47 (1.06) Mdn 4.0
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Student Perceptions
How creative do you feel you were with your blog?
0 (not at all) to 6 (extremely)
M 3.47 (1.36) Mdn 4.0
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Student Perceptions
How often did you read the blogs of your
classmates?
0 (not very) to 6 (a lot!)
M 2.60 (1.12) Mdn 3.0
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Student Perceptions
How often did you read the instructors blog?
0 (not very) to 6 (a lot!)
M 3.20 (1.57) Mdn 4.0
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Student Perceptions
How likely are you to maintain your blog next
semester?
0 (not very) to 6 (extremely)
M 1.33 (1.29) Mdn 1.0
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Student Perceptions
What was the best part of developing
maintaining the blog?
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Student Perceptions
What was the most challenging part?
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Considerations
Motivation
Generate excitement about the blogs to engage
students.
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/we
blog/2007/10/fs101_blog_awards_the_categori.html
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/a/aknupsky/we
blog/2007/12/and_the_winners_are.html
http//webpub.allegheny.edu/student/o/ohmerk/weblo
g/2007/12/i_won.html
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Future Questions

• Assess student perceptions from the upper level
  course.

• Consider whether blogs more effective in
  specific content courses.

• Consider disconnect between students
  perceptions and instructors
• evaluation of their performance with the
  technology.

• How to support student engagement across
  semester...after
• semester?

• Assess the time spent on writing for blog vs.
  other class
• assignments.

• Consider tone of bloginformal tone
  appropriate? formal tone
• modifies original purpose of blogs.