At the present time I am not planning to have my students blog this semester. I have mixed feelings about it. I think it would be cool to have a successful blogging project with my students, but I don't know that I have really had one.
I know a lot of it is that I never quite got the blogging assignments right. For this semester I think I have decent assignments. One is even "stolen" from The Year of the Hangman Book Blog. So why not do it as a blog myself? I don't know.
This semester I am focusing on using Moodle more. What would have been blog assignments will be discussion forum assignments. I hope that once my students become more accustomed to writing online on a regular basis and get the idea of commenting on each others' posts to the forum, they will have an easier transition to blogging. I also want them to take their online writing more seriously and do a better job of it.
Am I giving up too soon? Making excuses? Making a mistake?
I think that I am in some ways. And I am disappointed in myself.
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6 comments:
I think learning is a recursive process in which we go back and forth between different positions and perspectives, reflecting on aspects of each. Who knows what our perspective will be tomorrow? And does it matter as long as we continue to learn?
I don't think there is one answer to this question. For some students, the discussion forum offers the discussion aspect of the blog without their having to worry about setting up and maintaining a blog. Other students like the independence and ownership that goes into it, as if they have created their own place. I think that the Moodle discussion group is easier to manage if what you want to do is to get the students writing and responding relatively quickly. I echo Charles Nelson's last question--"does it matter as long as we continue to learn?"
I wish you luck on what you've chosen to do. Teaching is for sure one of the hardest jobs in the world. Nobody will be successful in this job except those who do love their job. So don't give up even if you don't get the result you want.
wish you luck again,
Maryam
Hi Nancy - I've finally caught up on the move and am ready to explore blogging and teaching. You have to try whatever works with the group of students you have. Next year's group may already come with the experience of blogging (in another language probably) and the road will be clear. The best thing is to be flexible.
Hi Nancy - I've finally caught up on the move and am ready to explore blogging and teaching. You have to try whatever works with the group of students you have. Next year's group may already come with the experience of blogging (in another language probably) and the road will be clear. The best thing is to be flexible.
I think you just wanted to try new things and learn from them. Do what you must do. Just keep in mind that if you do something you should learn to love and enjoy it. Goodluck to your new found world!
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