COMMENTING!
1. The points about commenting using an alias or real name were right on target. I attempted to start a blog last year in my class and I asked that the students respond using their real names, because I know that too many students are only too eager to make inappropriate, snide, or inane comments if they can hide behind anonymity, and I wanted to avoid all of that. Not sure how it worked, since the blog never really got up and running, but I will try it again this year! I also see how an alias would be helpful; I am on a couple of blogs that deal with parenting and life in general, and I think sometimes that being able to hide behind an alias makes people more comfortable with posting more personal questions/issues that they need help with, and I think that's a good thing. However, I strive every year to try to stress to my students that the internet can anonymity can breed all sorts of ills online!
Point #2, from "Cool Cat Teaching Blog": "You become part of the life of the blogger you are reading." Oh, heck yeah, and isn't this the reason that so many people blog and read those blogs? I have a girlfriend who has a blog about her life as a military wife who scrapbooks to save her sanity. Her blog is a great combination of her craft as well as her life experiences, and I've talked to her about how she has this big following now (it helps that she's a great, witty writer) and that others are so supportive of her during trying times or they feel like they know her even though they've never met. This is the beauty of the internet--we just have so much at our fingertips now and meeting people or staying in touch with others has never been easier. Reading this post makes me feel kind of guilty for reading so much online and commenting so infrequently!
#3. I am thrilled that we got this assignment, as it led me to an entire blog based on my favorite novel, AConfederacy of Dunces. This blog (on blogger, no less), goes through the novel, which is set in New Orleans, and attempts to find the notable landmarks. I am laughing hysterically as I read through it and it will definitely influence my next walking trip in NOLA! I was more than happy to leave a comment about some of the sites that he managed to hunt down and I forwarded the blog to a number of friends.
I also looked up a site that is dedicated to my neighborhood, and was able to comment on some alleged major construction that will soon be occurring a few blocks away from me. I was drawn to this site because I saw it listed as something on a neighbor's facebook page...so once again, technology begets more technology!
I would be interested in knowing how you used attempted to use blogs in class. My concern in the blog is that students would be worried about commenting on scholarly topics. I'm sure the blogging iedea would need some set up and confidence on my part. Maybe we can work together on getting this started.
ReplyDeleteMy original idea was to just have a place where I could post information, handouts, schedules, documents, assignments, etc., and it would be a place that students could refer to online whenever they forgot or lost something. I don't check my school or teacher email every night, and we have those student absences due to all sorts of things, so I thought it would be helpful to keep them on track (and it would be something I wouldn't have to constantly update or check, like email). I never really got it up and running, though I'd like to do so this year.
ReplyDeleteI want to be involved, too, Mary and Catie! I am so grateful to those of you who will let me be a part of your class!
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