Education and The Blog

I was just involved in a panel discussion at Cal Poly regarding using a WIKI for teaching purposes. While we were discussing the idea of the WIKI, many of the instructors were curious about blogs. How to use them and create them for the students to post journal entries.

However, if you use a blog program like Blogger then your students are not anonymous bloggers, and when you use the comment feature for your instructor comments on the student blog then anyone can read your comments to the student. You both have entered the public Internet arena for all to read.

Hmm, what to make of the blog idea and education. On one hand it seems like an extension of a writing assignment (journal). On the other hand, it seems like one more assignment created to keep the students writing with the idea that thinking occurs simultaneously, with the hope that maybe even brilliant thinking and writing will take place.

I only ask the students enrolled in the new media course I teach to blog because blogging falls under the new media category. All my students have created wonderful blogs designed for a specific audience with a topic that interests them and not necessarily me. That is fine for my new media course. But, should I ask students to blog because I want to see their writing all the time or anytime? Should I ask them to blog in a public format where their writing then becomes part of their Internet persona? Questions to ponder as I blog on.

Expert Blogging

Lately, I have been asking students if they think blogging is publishing and if writing a blog makes the author an expert in the blog subject. The response has been varied. For the most part, they do not think that blogging counts as “real” publishing. Most of them are also in agreement that the blogger is not an expert; it is merely an opinion spun into the web open space to be viewed by many or none.

People could argue blogging is publicity, and in the hands of the uneducated blogging could seem like expert testimony. And, you can make money blogging. To make real money blogging you need to meet all the criteria of good writing, or you need a good interesting idea ripe for publication as witnessed by the article I have as a link on my blog. You also need a “following.” I barely have time to write this blog, and contemplate blogging, let alone “follow” someone.

However you view blogging, it ain’t goin away.

First Posting: English 210: Blog the Assignment

This is just an example of what your blog will look like. You, the student, can choose many options/styles for your first blog. Please write on something you are interested. You can add music, pictures, and other links on your blog. Remember, you want to keep in mind your audience (primary and secondary--or more). If you already have a blog then add a new feature to the blog entry. You can add something that you have been thinking about but haven't had time to incorporate.