DEBRIEF: Blog Set-up

As you can see from my LINKS section to the right, we had a successful blog-set up day in class on Monday. Overall, the day went pretty well. We spent the first few minutes talking about blogs in class and what exactly blogging (in general and in this class) was about. We then jumped into creating the blogs. I found that identifying the students who are already bloggers and giving them free reign worked well and allowed me time to help the students who were new to blogging more. I asked each student to set up a blog, give it a name, and write down its address so I could link to them on WebCT and on my blog. This part went over pretty well. We did learn that www.blogger.com on a Mac computer does not like using Internet Explorer so well. When we used Safari or Firefox instead it worked much better. I also asked the students to keep the blog names and info "clean and appropriate" (as in language and pics) as well as separate from any other blogs they have so as not to mix academics and private lives too much.

Once that was done, I assigned each student to complete their first blog entry in class. Each of them was asked to introduce themselves and write about what they hoped to achieve by the end of this semester in this class. Most answers were thoughtful and useful for me and each other!

That's it for blogging for about a week and half. We will be focusing on theory for awhile and then come back to the blogs in early February. I'm not a fan of the "gap" time here, but its seems unavoidable. Perhaps next semester, I can have the blog set-up day on class day 2 and then move straight into theory from there?

In Class Demonstrations

For today's class (the third of the semester), I set aside the entire period to go over blog and their technology with my students. I felt it was important, if I were to ask my students to take the leap with me into this still emerging technology, that I give them the time in class to set up their blogs, make an entry, and play with the interface (so they can ask any questions they might have).

My class agenda for the day is pretty simple. I reserved a computer classroom on campus with internet access. We'll spend the first few minutes logging in and then I'll go over the WebCT portal which will be an integral part of our class as well. Then I'll introduce the SpeakingBlogs assignment and show the students my blog (hi folks!!!) and maybe a few other examples. From there I'll take any questions and give them the opportunity to create their own blogs and make their first entries. Finally, at the end of class, I'll be asking every students for their blog's name and web address soI can upload them to our class WebCT page. That way, everyone in class will be able to read each others blogs and reference them (which will become a required component of the assignment as we move later in the semester).

Hopefully, today will prove a useful period to really get the ball moving on this assignment.

On Blog Topics: Assigned or Free Blogs?

As the first day of class is approaching, I'm finding another issue with the speaking blogs that could be critical to the success of the assignment. Primarily the question is whether i should structure the blog topics or allow my students to blog on whatever subject they like. Each ha stheir own benefits...

By structuring the blog assignments, I think i may be more likely to have results that go to what I'm hoping for. If I assign, for example the topic of "Blog about the pros and cons of a speech we heard in class today." I should get exactly that from my students. Thsi way I can direct the learning in my class most effectively.

However, by structuring the blogs to much, I fear that the studenst will not find ownership in their blogs (since i'm telling them what to write). It also provides less room for innovation and self-discovery among the class.

At the moment, I'm trying to find a way to balance these concerns. Potentially, I may try to do both. For example, I might assign several blog topics for the fisrt few weeks and then open the blogs up to free blogging for the remainder of the semester. However, I'm still undecided!

To WebCT or not to WebCT?

DAY TWO of my new blog here. I've spent the last two days working on trying to write up the Speaking Blog assignment so that my students will have some idea what I'm talking about.

Initially I had thought about using our WebCT program to coordinate this project. However, after playing with it and seeing the limitations of the program, I thought Blogspot (blogger.com) would be a much better option. Its more permaneant, easier to interface, and more accessible to those of us who are not so adept at HTML and programming. Blogspot has done a good job allowing users to creat links really well, too. That way we can link to each others pages and events we see online that might be useful (for example, here's a link to my department's website thus far created on the Emerson College website!) I do wish there were a few more options for templates, but I think we'll survive. An added bonus of using Blogspot: the students will have some hands on expereince blogging and really getting to utilize this new tool. Who knows? Maybe this project will create the next great blogger that everybody needs to read!

WELCOME!

WELCOME!

This is the beginning of my new blog SpeakerTeacher that I'll be using in coordination with several of my students in OP100 class at Emerson College. Feel free to check in as the assignment evolves and let us know what you think.