Honestly, I hesitate using blogs in the classroom. I teach sixth grade students and we have had issues in the past with students using inappropriate language and even threatening other people online. Is there a blog site that blocks certain words and/or phrases and will not allow them to be posted? I could of course make it so that I have to approve the blog before it is posted, but I am just looking for a short cut if it is out there.
Because I introduce groups of students to middle school, it is also my duty to teach them some increased personal responsibility. I think it would be ideal to have a class blog where students can ask each other for help on homework assignments- of course I will monitor and post as needed- because they need to learn how to ask others for help and a peer is much less scary than a teacher.
Another possible use for blogs includes project presentations. Students may research a topic and post their findings then leave questions for their peers who must then find the answers.
I have heard of some blog sites already set up for students across the world to chat about different content areas, but I am still unclear on who monitors those. How does it not become a purely social atmosphere?
Also, about 96% of my student population is considered economically disadvantaged. Very few have computers at home and even less have internet. The simple logistics of having time for my students to use the limited computers for our school just makes the whole idea a bit daunting. I am going to look into some grants for more computers for my school (my teacher computer is from the 80s and most in our computer labs don't work) but until that point I will come up with something. Perhaps tag-team with the other sixth grade science teacher and do a stations activity in which one station some kids are at the computers. We shall see. Any ideas? I have one class with 31 students and I would estimate that maybe 15 computers in our lab work. Partners could work, but I would prefer for it to be an ongoing thing. This is definitely something I'm going to have to think about.
I don't mean to sound like a Negative Nancy. I love my students, I love my demographics, I love my other teachers and I make the best of what is available. I am just being realistic. In an ideal setting I would create a class website, split my students into groups and create a link for each unit under which students must discuss certain prompts and respond to each other- very similar to our discussions in class.
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Do you have a time period in your day where half of the students could be working on a paper/project and the other half could be on the computers and then switch? The nice thing about blogging is that it does not take forever to do, like some projects. Maybe block out a time that students could get on each day and allow them only 10-15 minutes. Once they get the hang of blogging, that may be enough time to read the blog and respond.
ReplyDeleteAnother suggestion would be to do it by days. Do you have any computers in your room? You could split your students into groups. On Mondays, group 1 would be on the computers during a given time, but then on Tuesday, group 2 would get them. Then if you only have a few computers, it can easily be switched. In this sense, you could do it as more of a journaling/response to something that everyone can do, but it doesn't necessarily matter what day.
Hope this helps give you some ideas!
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI really like your idea of getting together with another teacher such as the science teacher and collaborating on a project. Integration is a key component when it comes to providing a quality education. I think Jacqueline's idea about splitting up the days would work the best. This could really establish some quality interactions amongst your students. Really this might be the ideal way for many teachers to utilize blogs because it allows for ongoing communication throughout the week instead of everybody posting on a Monday and being finished.
I understand many of your concerns. I too teach a demographic in which I cannot count on student access to the Internet at home. To make matters worse, I teach in a school system where a blanket Internet filter blocks all blog sites, image search engines, social networking sites, movie posting sites, sites with any words on the "dirty" list, and commercial sites.
ReplyDeleteI do know that there is no automated system to prevent abusive language and threats--simply because our language is too flexible. This is why Internet filters are generally either totally ineffective at preventing abuse or so restrictive as to prevent any productive use at all.
So far, there is no technological solution to making people behave civilly. But isn't this the case in the hallway, too.
I suppose we'll have to put this, along with jet packs and automatic essay graders, on our wish list for the distant future.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI understand your concerns with students and inappropriat language and/or behavior. My other concern is, how can you make sure that each student IS participating and not having someone else do their blogging for them?
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteAll of your concerns sound completely understandable. It would be very frustrating to want to incorporate more technology into your lessons without having all of the resources to do so. I am fortunate to have a computer lab in my school with enough computers for my class but I am quite sure that over half of my students do not have computer access at home. This makes me hesitant to post information for parents on a blog because I know that not everyone would be able to utilize it. I think what is most important is that as teachers, we use technology as much as we possibly can. There will always be challenges such as a lack of resources that makes this difficult to do! Any experience our students have with activities like blogs will benefit them- even if they rotate in groups and get to use a computer once or twice a week.
It sounds like you have a lot of great ideas and are doing the best you can with the resources available. Good luck with writing the grant if you decide to pursue that.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI understand your concerns about blogging. My students are considered economically disadvantaged and I have them blog in class on the school computers. I don't trust them to use a blog site because they may access or post inappropriate content. My school district has teacher webpages for every teacher and we can create blogs for our students. I have total control and can edit/delete their posts. I hope that you can find a similar safe way to allow your students to use this great form of technology.
One of the issues I have in my school is that my classroom is on the other end of the building from the computer lab. Another, is that I do not have even one student computer in my room. The time taken to transition my students to the computer lab and back for half of the class would be more chaotic than it is worth. Since only half of the computers in the lab work, students would have to share and insanity usually ensues.
ReplyDeleteAfter further reflection, I could check the computers in the morning before school and find the ones that work then create a semi-seating chart and assign students to computers as they enter. Perhaps if I make this a routine for Mondays, my students would become used to this and would be more focused. I am nervous doing this so I might try it out with my advanced class first. Thank you for the support!