I do worry a little bit about how overwhelming the entire online community can be. See exhibit A
This was on the side of Mr. Richardson's webpage. With all of these ways of being connected to everyone at all times, do we end up less connected to the ones we are supposed to be closest to? I'm sure we have all seen this scene play out in the mall, or in the hallways (Exhibit B)
Now of course I am not saying that blogging is the cause of this. But if we keep thinking of ways to communicate without having to actually talk, we lose all of what is gained from having those interactions. I do see the benefits, and I am slowly (but constantly) trying to implement these changes in my classroom. I just want to make sure that I am using everything in the proper amounts.
I love that image of smart phone addiction, and it does convey the dangers of excessive blogging, getting in the way of old-fashioned face-to-face two-way communication.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point about this generation's focus on using technology to communicate with each other at the expense of not communicating face-to-face. That is a valid point; however, I really see blogging as being so much more than a means of communication. I see blogging as a means of expression. Most definitely, student's should learn about digital citizenship and why technology cannot replace 1:1 communication among individuals. Blogging should be used as an instructional tool to encourage and promote writing, collaboration, and sharing in a constructive and productive way.
ReplyDeleteYour post was great. I loved the visuals! You made me think of a blog as a way for students to communicate that is so much different than what I can provide them in a regular classroom setting. And that made me think of how powerful technology can be used to help our students achieve e greater in our schools. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThat picture of everyone locked into their cell phones while standing on the sidewalk is fantastic! That is so typical of our society, today. And I am one of those people! I didn't even get a Smart Phone until last year, and now I have an i-Pad. I keep thinking about an article we read earlier about giving up the pen and paper. After reading Kerry's comment, it makes me wonder if there will also be a trend where we see very little or no F2F communications/conversations in the future?
ReplyDeleteI liked the picture. That is so true wherever you go. I am one of those who are behind in the times since I do not have a smart phone or even a data plan for that matter. As much as blogging does not require face to face communication I think we can help students communicate better by teaching them how to communicate better in writing by using blogs. As a teacher I will not accept any work that has texting jargon on it and I encourage students to move away from that format in their writing.
ReplyDeleteI loved your post - especially the visual exhibits of evidence! This year I have attempted to reduce paper and be a "google" classroom. Students submit work via a submission form and their work is shared with me in DOCS. Assessment and feedback is given via comments in their document. I have found that about 80% of my students struggle with the technology! I was surprised that high school seniors struggle with this.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that this opportunity to expose them to this type of technology is available and will help them down the road. I have found students are excellent at texting and using Google as a search engine. When it comes to Blogs, cloud storage, various file formats and compatibility - they need a significant amount of help.
ReplyDeleteI too sometimes worry about the overload of the online community. I think the solution is to focus on one at a time. I have 14+ “social accounts” yet only use 2-3 concurrently. I pick and choose the tool for the task, knowing that this may be the only time I use this tool, or it may become a favorite. The right tool will engage the student and enhance learning.
Kerry
ReplyDeleteYou were one of the first students to post in the blog and I think you can attest to the evolution of our discussion here over the past week. I noticed that you yourself commented in many of the blogs with encouragement and suggestions of classroom activities that helped supplement your thoughts on blog use. You seemed to have experienced growth from this exercise, so just imagine what could be possible for your students!
Thanks for all your ideas and comments. :-)