Blogging can be a natural extension of my 6th grade class. My curriculum includes teaching responsible use of technology. So far I’ve focused on how to use technology, but this can be the first step at teaching how to use Web 2.0 in a socially responsible way. Students can use this as a way to interact about the content that we don't have time to discuss in class. I can give a weekly question that requires deeper thinking such as looking at the impact of social networks or cyber bullying then students will have until the weekend to respond in a thoughtful way. Has anyone attempted to do higher leveling questioning through any of the Web 2.0 apps?
Theresa, great idea for using a blog to cover content that you don't have time to discuss in class! I haven't incorporated Web 2.0 apps in my class yet, and one concern I have is the quality of student responses. Would you expect the same quality of writing in a blog as you would a written response on paper, or is a blog less formal?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the expectation should be. I'm already seeing a marked decrease in written language from year to year. On the other hand, blogs are more informal. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteHello! I was pondering this myself, how to keep the responses more professional in nature as opposed to posts becoming another social type of network. It dawned on me that the audience for their blog could make the difference. Depending upon the topic, you could invite another school authority to be involved, be it the principal or another expert in the field. Also, it may help if you draw up a rubric and clarify the rules and responsibilities that way. Good luck!
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Theresa, I have used web 2.0 applications for the last two years while I was one of the science Olympiad coaches. We used a wiki and had the students post answers to study questions for their events. Overall it worked alright but most of the students seemed to like it since they could communicate at home via the internet with others.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insights. I believe it's both the audience (great suggestion, Cris) as Cris said and the participants as Mr. Primrose noted. There's a big difference between Science Olympiads prepping for a competition and general students fulfilling a requirement. Anyone willing to share a rubric outlining the grammar and language?
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