To Blog or Not to Blog?
Can anyone think of a reason as to when blogging would be a detriment to the online classroom?
- Dr. Eileen Wibbeke
I have used blogs in the past. On one occasion, two students developed a dislike for each other and started using their blogs to sling mud (and that's putting it politely). While I could (and did) tell them that I would not grade their blogs unless it stopped, the rest of the students were already following the blogs. I advised them to stop following, but as you can imagine, that was completely ineffective. I couldn't close the blogs as they were under the students' names, I couldn't delete posts (ditto). It was a very unpleasant experience.
Christen,
Wow, That is awful! You as the instructor need to be able to manage the blog and if you use a tool that is not part of the LMS that may not be possible. That is something to really consider. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Eileen,
I just read a post about an instructor's bad experience with a blog as the students began to bash each other in the medium. Since this instructor was using a product that was controlled by the blogger, he could do nothing. That is a scary situation.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Eileen,
I just read a post about an instructor's bad experience with a blog as the students began to bash each other in the medium. Since this instructor was using a product that was controlled by the blogger, he could do nothing. That is a scary situation.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kelly,
That is indeed unsettling. I think I would talk to my own supervisor at the school to see what would be the protocol in solving the situation.
- Doc Wibbeke
Eileen,
It is something to think about!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I would use it as an assessment tool regarding the content delivered.
Geri,
I assume you mean if it measures the outcomes of the course?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hi Dr. Eileen,
It would need to be the responsibility of the instructor to make sure that they are monitoring the blog so that students not going off the topic and they are not posting inappropriate stuff. I think you would really have to look at your audience and when it would be appropriate to post a blog within a classroom. Maybe the class would need to sign a form stating that they will not include anything inappropriate within the Blog.
Patricia
Patricia,
You are right. You want to make sure students understand the expectations and know what is appropriate and inappropriate regarding Blogs. You will also need a grading system that will provide a framework.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I can't unless you live in a communist country. We still have a free media today in spite of the political correctness movement.
Brian,
I am not sure what you mean by this post. Could you clarify?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
