I'm a bit slow on the uptake, but for those that may teach research classes/group papers -- blog would be an awesome collaborative space. There is an option at least for this blog to limit the people who can see the information to the authorized authors, or a very select audience. Imagine splitting up a work loud and posting summarizes to a central repository, one that can be accessed online that's not taking up space (like a fatty word doc) -- this would eliminate the hassle of forgotten emails, attachments disappearing in ether, and other convenient excuses.
In the same mold, this would be awesome to work in a class that focuses on discussion, like 602 -- everyone could be given author permissions with the prof as admin, and maybe a person/group are responsible for providing talking points for each class/doing critical analyses of essays for one class. Again, there is this central repository of information, a microcosm community of academics, who are "freed" from traditional academic methods, yet still are "bound" by them (e.g., correct grammar, appropriate citations, but a "looser" style).
As usual, my ideas come out in jumbled spurts, but I can definitely see blogs becoming more and more collaborative spaces over time, and drastically cutting down research time, especially for group projects.
Comments?
<3 Gl3nn
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My beef is that it is just one more thing I have to check while I'm wasting time NOT doing homework. It seems like the best method to technological integration in the classroom, in my humble opinion, is to use a student's preexisting myspace, facebook, or blogspot, not create a new, completely isolated program like blackboard. Who even remembers to check that anymore?!
Or if RSS is your flavor, you might try a protopage that is connected with all of the other information that is sent to your inbox that is habitually ignored. That way you can get the latest classroom lecture with CNN updates and ESPN highlights.
I can understand the time crunch involved with rigorous academic life, but I think that what may help assuage some of this angst, especially if being used more as a tandem research project than a "forced" class assignment, is if the research topic chosen is something you enjoy.
I hate to read, hate hate hate it, but if it's something I'm remotely interested, I feel compelled to not only read, but add my $.02.
I think this is the key when trying to implement new technologies, especially collaborative technologies -- it has to make "sense" to the user, it has to have a utility aside from being a "pretty face."
Your average person would not want to learn how to code in PERL, but a person who finds utility in creating some sort of new with PERL would -- in the same way, not everyone may want to use blogs or facebook or a variety of other technologies, but if they see another way to deliver a message effectively, why not try?
I think I may have talked in circles here, but basically, if something is "important" enough to you, you'll find a way to accommodate it in your life, even if "sacrifices" must be made.
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I agree that by using the blog it would appeal to the younger students, as well as keep updated with the latest swing of technology.
However, how would the structure be handled? For example, on BlackBoard, we are given a set space, and we know what we are going to be doing, i.e. assignments, chats, etc.
So, what you are saying is to get away from the bindings, and structure, of the academy, we should branch out and welcome new technology to support our classroom? I like it! =] I agree with you. I think that there are other ways to communicate and share ideas and by using a blog, that is definitely one unique way to do that.
I like the fact that it would be a different blog and not an existing myspace/facebook, etc. blog because while that will probably not deter a student from accessing their other blogs, it would separate "professional" from fun, as well as successfully implement the collaborative technology aspect. Neat idea!
1337? O RLY?
If you are making the point that not every "new" should be folded rapidly in discourse -- then I can agree somewhat. However, I think even 1337 can have applications in discourse.
Think about taking a class in Old English, or another language that requires translation -- you have to "learn" another grammar, learn how to recognize said grammar, and translate it coherently into a "mother tongue." While no academic discourse has yet to be written in 1337 (and probably never will), it may be interesting in spurts to interject it with other classroom examples to attempt another way to communicate with the student.
1337/Textspeak may become another vernacular in the same way AAVE did.
jms27 --
At least with this blog, there are options to give people either full admin privileges (which would be bad news bears, for the most part), or just author privileges (can post).
As far as other blogs go, I'd envision it'd be similar -- this may limit freedom, but it may help keep things running smoothly.
I think that this is a really neat idea. Maybe using a blog would get my students a bit more interested in things like bibliographic essays. It seems like it could be a good way for groups to share ideas about sources and get that conversation going. It might also be a good way to get them going early on by assigning a certain number of posts each week. That might be limiting though. Thanks for the delightful tips, Glenn!
The use of blogsGlenn is suggesting would be very effective in on-line classes or in hybids that meet face to face part of the time and through blogging at other times.
I like the idea of the way this would be a less formal style and therefore might free people to share comments they wouldn't otherwise.
How can we solve the problem of there being a certian number of postings required maybe ruining the enthusiasm and the spontaneity. Or maybe that's just something people would get through and get on with it.
The captain
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