When people write in blogs, they expect responses or feed back from others. Blogging in education is not about merely completing an assignment, but more about the interactions and dialog that take place around the assignment. It connects people to one another, and not just student to teacher. Blogs are also used by many outside of education as a means to connect with others with similar interests. It allows people to be globally connected, even if they have never met face to face.
Blog reading is different from other types of reading in that it is done on a computer and, not only do you read what the blog page owner wrote, but you can read responses to what he or she blogged. It can also contain links to other sites and pages that help support the blogger's opinion. Once you find a blog page you like, you can follow it and read whenever the blogger posts. While working on this assignment, one of the blogs that I read was Is this SSR 2.0? by Mark Ahlness. Mark is a 3rd grade teacher and he was reflecting on the type of reading he did during SSR, which was check e-mail and read through the blogs he followed. So he tried something different, he let his students read blogs. They could not respond during SSR time, only read. He continued to offer blog reading as a choice during SSR and all the kids chose this format. When he asked them about it, they had insightful answers which he then loaded as a podcast to his blog. Here is that link too. SSR 2.0 - a podcast . I wonder how many of those students would go back to blogs they had read during SSR either during writing or when at home so they could respond to a post?I think this would be a wonderful option to offer to students. Reading of blogs can also be considered similar to other types of reading due in part to the array of subject choices. One can find blogs on cooking, reading, fishing, gaming, math, history and so on. The choices are virtually endless.
The words Will Richardson used in Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts and Other powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (2010) sums up how blog writing and other types of writing are different and yet similar.
The differences between blogging in this manner and writing as we traditionally think of it are clear: Writing stops; blogging continues. Writing is inside; blogging is outside. Writing is monologue; blogging is conversation. Writing is thesis; blogging is synthesis... none of which minimizes the importance of writing. But writing becomes an ongoing process, one that is not just done for the contrived purposes of the classroom (p30-31).When someone chooses to comment on a blog, you know that something in the original post made them stop and think. Occasionally you might see the "I like your page" comment, but most comments tie to what was read. I hope that this would be the beginning of some deeper learning as you, as the reader and commenter, decide and possibly challenge what is being said. This could lead to discourse and in doing so is allowing people to build meaning from the conversation.
While thinking about blogging literacy and how it affects the way we read and write, I decided to do a Google search for "blogging literacy". I found a blog that seems to really address this issue. Langwitches - Web Literacy and Differentiated Teacher Blogs and there was a picture that really showed the ladder of blogging for education.
Blogging is another tool that we need to keep in our belts to help facilitate learning. Collaboration becomes ingrained in the process and blogging can cross all areas of the curriculum. connections can be established with other classes and even experts in fields of study. It seems blogging might be one of the simplest ways to begin with Web 2.0. I certainly am enjoying my journey and feel that I have learned a great deal from reading, posting and creating blogs
I liked your statement about blogging being more than the assignment, but that it is about connecting people to one another. I remember reading the Will Richardson's description supporting the similarities and differences of blog writing with other types of writing, but I'm glad you included it, because it was a good comparison. The classroom blogging ladder would be a good guide for our teachers as they begin their blogging journey with their students. I'm going to include it as a resource for my Classroom Blogging class. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteI like your new background for your blog. It looks good.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for the great resource! I love the ladder! I never really thought about blogs allowing experts into the classroom. It makes complete sense! Blogs are out there for people to read and comment like we all know, but couldn't we as educators invite outside people to deliberately read them? You made a good point about blogs allowing people to challenge the ideas written. That is how good dialog gets started. Seeing things differently from one another. We do see blogs slightly different though. You said that blogs expect responses. When I blog, I think the exact opposite. Responses are a part of it, but I know that some blogs that I post I am not looking for responses. I am looking for a way to deliver information, no matter if others read it or not. Another interesting part of blogging...differing ideas for its purpose! :)
Whitney, I see where you may post something to a blog to deliver information and not expect a response, but I don't thin you would really post if you didn't think someone was going to read it. I shared with someone else that I am getting better at reading blogs, even ones from outside our "circle" of classmates but have yet to respond to someone I don't know. I have gotten dome great information from many of these blogs and maybe I should just say "thank you for sharing" it has helped me. one of my goals for the upcoming week is to respond to a "foreign blog". I enjoy reading your blogs, even if i do not post (time management- I seem to be reading a lot these days and get trapped up in the reading).
ReplyDeleteThe ladder image you posted is a great visual and teaching tool for others. I think showing this to my teachers would give them a better understanding of where we need to be headed with our class blogs.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I believe that it does make some difference when you know that other people are reading and responding to what you say. I am always checking back to see what has been said in response to what I've stated. I like reading the feedback and do take everyone's thoughts and responses into consideration whether I agree or not.
In your comment, you said you are becoming a better reader of blogs. That's great! I feel that I have definitely made some improvement on my writing style since last semester. Reading other blogs and realizing what is expected is key.