Using Blogs in the Classroom - Assignment 2

I like the idea of using blogging in the classroom to teach civil discourse, as outlined in the article, "Don't feed the trolls". It is true that providing students with a platform for discussion could go very well and enrich the learning environment, or could be potentially disastrous or negative. These outcomes will be determined by the guidelines provided surrounding the assignment or creation of blogs and the monitoring that is done by the teacher. As discussed in the article, guidelines for having a civil, productive, enriched discussion on student led blogs should be similar to guidelines given to students to lead a productive life: i.e. no name calling, think before you speak (type), respect your peers, etc. Assuming the students will abide by the rules, the medium of the blog is a great environment to teach them assessment, reflection, and discussion skills. Using a blog is also a way to reiterate lessons learned in class, spark dialogue around topics brought up in class, and share web based resources with students in real time.

The example provided for a blog used in a classroom environment, Mr. Harbek's Math Blog, was interesting. From what I saw of the blog he really used it to assign and explain homework on a level that his students were most comfortable with. He was clever in adding YouTube videos to add in explanation of difficult math concepts and had great links to pictures and chatrooms which gave his students space to share and contribute thier ideas. It seemed as though his blog provided space for his students to upload their assignments without having to turn them in during class time. It seemed like an interesting use of time, but not one I would feel comfortable with in a math class.

After reading the article "Don't feed the trolls" I would have preferred to have an example of a class blog where civil discourse was actually taking place rather than a teachers space to reach out to his students on their level. While the math blog was interesting, it's not anything I would like to integrate into my classroom.