My very first blog I created in January 2009. I was very excited to learn about blogging. It was like discovering a new planet in the Galaxy.
Later, as a part of a course requirement, I asked my students to create a blog and reflect on their class. However, after a while some students complained that they couldn't understand anything in blogger.com and couldn't create a blog. So, next class (as we don't have internet access at the university) I made a power point presentation on how to create a blog and explained every step. Finally, by week 4, all my students had their blogs (*some students forgot their passwords, and had to create a blog again though).
As I had 60 students, it was a bit hard for me to read all blogs regularly, and when it was time to grade these blogs, I had no rubric for assessing them. However, despite all difficulties with blogging experience, I found blogging a very useful tool for improving students' writing and developing their reflection and thinking skills. What is more, one thing which made me very happy was that even after the course finished, some students still keep writing in their blogs.
Shahnoza
ReplyDeleteYou have had some great teaching experiences with technology and the blog. I hope you can test out some new features in this class.
Robert
Hi Shahnoza,
ReplyDeleteI really liked the way you dealt with the problem that your studetns had by making a powerpoint presentation and explaining things to them. It is good to show our students that nothing is impossible.
Nada
Hello! Shahnoza! Nice to meet you! You are rather experienced in working with blogs and creating them as well. I liked the idea of preparing the Power Point explanation before the students created their blogs. I am going to experience that also in the nearest future. I am of the opinion that blogging really will help to improve language skills, especially writing and reading as they also have to comment on each other's blogs. I agree that their reflections will develop thinking activity and ability to express their ideas.
ReplyDeleteThus, this kind of work is a great challenge either for teacher or the students.
Thanks for your ideas!
Best regards, Perizat
Hi Robert, yes, I still have many things to learn and test.
ReplyDeleteDear Nada and Perizat, thanks for comments. Indeed, the Power Point explanation helped my students in creating their blogs. If you want, I can share the power point with you.
Dear Shahnoza,
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult for me to imagine how you can teach a class of 60 students. You've done a great job, I think.
I appreciate your idea of using Power Point Presentation in class because I also use it in the classroom without Internet. Thus when we were doing the Web Quest activity, I had prepared a special presentation which we could use and did it successfully.
Irina