How would you convince a colleague that it is/isn't worthwhile to learn to use blogs (etc.) for teaching/learning? Provide at least one argument likely to convince a faculty colleague to try to do so. Provide at least one argument likely to convince a faculty colleague NOT to try to do so. [If you prefer, provide the arguments for an "academic administrator" or "student" or "instructional designer" instead of a faculty member.]
For more "Dangerous Discussions" issues related to educational uses of blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc., see:
http://www.tltgroup.org/ProFacDev/DangerousDiscussions/Issues/blogs.htm
This is for participants in the TLT Group's Online Institute Workshop:Blogs, Wikis, and NewsfeedsNew Web Tools for Teaching/Learning?June 6, 13, 20 at 1 pm EST
Please provide your arguments as suggested above by adding one comment to this posting. Please give your name and institution.
A pro argument: Blogging by students is a way to get at their developing thoughts and ideas, providing a way to discourage plagiarism of a final product (such as a paper). If they can articulate the ideas leading up to their paper, then we can have more assurance that the final product was theirs.
ReplyDeleteA con argument: Reading blog entries by students will take time on the part of the instructor. If they are responded to, that will take even more time, and if they are not responded to, students will perceive them as busywork.
Drew Smith
University of South Florida
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHere is a very current article that relates to a reason for using blogs.
ReplyDeleteI'm especially interested in this quote from the article: "They are post-modern, eclectic, Google-generationists, Wikipediasts, who don't necessarily recognise the concepts of authorships/ownerships."
Until the concept of authorship is recognized and considered of value, the concept of plagiarism is meaningless. This is where blogs and wikis provide for an interesting juxtaposition: Blogs encourage posting your ideas and explicitly taking credit for them (although it remains possible to be anonymous, if that is of value), while wikis encourage posting ideas but giving up credit for them.
Drew Smith
University of South Florida
The aspect of Blogs and Wikis that is of particular interest to me, is the extent to which these can serve as vehicles for active group learning. I am interested in engaging students in collaborative projects ... where the resulting product or project depends both upon individual application and a truly collaborative effort. In such projects, it matters little who contributed which insight, or who made the greatest or the least contribution...because everyone benefits. A group blog or
ReplyDeletewiki would seem like the ideal type of living record to focus the energies of the group and support the active participation of all.
Such experiences can be powerful examples of active learning...in which each member of the team learns from others, and is motivated to contribute to the group effort.
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