By Evelyn Kattes
English - SSHS
******** Please note that this article is from an email Ms Kattes put together when asked about the experience she had with blogging in her class. We are reprinting with her permission. You can find her Website and blog pages here. http://ekattes.weebly.com/ She has added pages since writing the article*******
A former student who now attends UNT told me that he blogged in his ENGL 2322 class, and I thought what better way to get technology in the classroom than blogging. I went online searching classroom blogs, and at first, I was overwhelmed. There were teacher blogs instructing teachers; there were student blogs of a personal nature; but I wanted something more of a classroom discussion and a share work blog. I was surprised at just how easy it was to create…move a text box here and an image there and then save. Viola!
Most of the blog is about the book Unbroken. On the “introductory” page, I included a slideshow, a couple of interviews about the main character and the author, and a review and still photos from the upcoming movie. I do plan to upload more information about the movie as it is released.
This semester I want my students to do more than respond to others’ comments about a reading. I’m thinking maybe they’ll brainstorm writing ideas, post some of their work…still thinking about this.
There are several reasons I value the blog as a teaching tool:
1. Students’ ideas and opinions are online for all to see. That means most of them put a little more care and thought into what they post. I saw more prewriting and editing from most students over these short pieces than I sometimes see in their longer, more formal papers. Some students even wrote their post in a word document and copy/pasted to the blog.
2. There was an immediate exchange of feedback. The conversations were, in most cases, thoughtful, insightful and civil. Students learned how to argue without being disagreeable. There was an appreciation for others’ ideas. Also, because students used an alias, I think they felt safe in what they wrote.
3. There was mutual learning between students and between students and teacher. I always love the “ah ha” moment…”I never thought of it like that.” There was validation and satisfaction in someone commenting, “good question” or “good idea.” I was surprised and gratified that the next day in class students wanted to comment about what someone had blogged the day before.
4. No one person took over the discussion, and no one person could sit at the back of the room quiet and uninvolved. Everyone had to be part of the discussion. It alleviated the potential for getting off topic unless it was addressed in a particular comment.
The ONLY drawback to using a blog in the classroom is the limited access to computers. I have many students who don’t have internet use at home…that includes no internet on their cell phone. Our library is used for testing, so students may have limited access to computers in the spring when state testing gears up. Also, our labs are booked, sometimes weeks in advance. We just don’t have enough computers. This is the only downside of a blog. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed creating the blog, and more importantly, my students have enjoyed it. They moan and groan at “Get out a sheet of paper”, but no complaints when I say, “We’re going to the library to blog today.” I’ll take that any day I teach.