The spirit of Web 2.0 is conversation, that perhaps the best learning happens when people share their questions and problems, and a community can suggest answers and solutions in an open forum.
Let's blog out loud!
Present at the NCETC BloggerCon
David Warlick -- 2¢ Worth
Some Starting Questions: ''' What is the experience of blogging with students -- Privacy Concerns?'''
- Gaggle accounts (3-5 grade students blogged holiday experiences and shared with peers)
- Advantage was all participants were able to see and comment on other posts
- Different layers of protection/filters exist in for visibility and content
- Blogmeister has these layers as well. It also has a Blogger's Pledge students can sign and teachers can use as a teachable moment.
- Think.com from Oracle is another emergent tool.
- Good pedagogy is key.
- Composition is richer. Not just text anymore. Also, real audience exists
- Blogging satisfies Intrinsic need in people to communicate.
- This conversation about blogs is part of bigger discussions and bigger systems. IMPACT, network policies,
How Young can you have students blogging -- keyboarding? How do you pull folks along
- Kids will pull us along
- Work with the pioneers
- Good if admin is on board
- Show examples of student and teacher work (Keep your own blog as a portal)
- Create extended access for students:
What are some of the software applications?
- Gaggle (for students)
- Blogmeister (for students)
- e-Pals (for students)
- Learner Blogs
- ELG (open source)
- World Bridges
- Blogger (for education professionals)
- Edublogs (for education professionals)
What can you do with blogs that we couldn't do with traditional writing assign? / How do blogs influence the writing process?
- Much attention and guidance should be given not only to content of assignment but also writing process
- Hit counters on Blogmeister may be a catalyst. In some ways, do hits reflect relevance?
- Sometimes, the student who is silent in classroom discussions becomes a major force in blog-versations. That student's proficiencies may be more in a written context.
- Pedagogical challenges...can we teach students to tell compelling stories using pictures, sounds, music, etc?
- One blog for class with comment space OR individual blogs for students connected as a group. It depends on the purpose, assignment and perhaps age.
Participant Blogs
Joe Poletti Haulin' 'Net and Making Waves
Image Citation
Keso, "Blogggercon." Keso's Photostream. 28 Oct 2006. 29 Nov 2006 <http://flickr.com/photos/keso/281549375/>.