[Yr7-10it] (no subject)

[Russell Edwards]

Ken,

I must admit, a very common complaint was "this sucks, why can't we  
just use Myspace? It's so much better!" Then again, they were more  
than likely just wanting an excuse to do at school what the spend all  
evening doing--social banalities. Indeed, left to their own devices,  
many would spend most of their time both in the blogs topic and the  
HTML/CSS topics adding pictures of themselves and their friends.

Russell


On 20/08/2007, at 5:03 PM, ken price wrote:

> I've been working with a bunch of pre-service teachers. Mostly GenX  
> and GenY, but not many had personal experience in blogging - most  
> just read someone else's blogs. It was a challenge for some to post  
> content to a shared blog we set up to look at student self- 
> assesment in ICT
>
> Then I mentioned Facebook.
>
> There was no need to worry about teaching them about this- they  
> were off and running, as they either use it or they were desperate  
> to learn. The only problem is that while they can add their  
> reflections and ideas, their colleagues need a Facebook account to  
> see them. Oh, and it is probably blocked in schools....
>
> So, I'm wondering if extending technologies that kids already use  
> is a more effective option. If the technology is intuitive we can  
> make better use of it without having to teach its peculiarities.
>
> After all, did anyone need to run training courses in using an ATM,  
> or does anyone need to show students how to use a mobile phone?
>
> Ken.
> On 8/20/07, Russell Edwards <edwards.russell.t at edumail.vic.gov.au>  
> wrote:
>
>
> On 20/08/2007, at 3:03 PM, Kerrie A Hammond wrote:
> >
> > I keep hearing a lot about blogging yet have no idea how to use it
> > in my classroom. I would be greatful if any list contributors, who
> > are currently using blogging, could give me some hints on where to
> > start.
>
> Hi Kerrie,
>
> I use blogs in two ways in my Year 9/10 classes
>
> 1) For each class, I make a "class blog", where each unit of work is
> listed and full handouts placed for viewing or download
>
> 2) Each student makes their own blog. At the end of each unit of work
> (typically 2 weeks long), they write a reflective entry on the work
> they have done, where possible uploading the actual product or an
> image/screenshot. This forms part of the VELS ICT for Communicating
> assessment, and where the product is adequately displayed I will
> often do the assessment of that (for the other dimensions) just by
> looking at their blog. Also, some units of work give them some
> specific questions, which they answer in a blog entry for assessment
> in either or both of the other two ICT dimensions.  Their blog
> entries are also meant to include a "trackback" link to the
> corresponding entry of the class blog, however I have found that
> these often inexplicably fail to work (on wordpress.com blogs).
>
> I think this has great potential, but as with everything else, it
> often founders on the shoals of student disengagement...
>
> HTH
>
> Russell
>
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