Blogging Models for the Classroom

Even though blogs are not suitable for all courses nor all course objectives, they do offer most courses an array of assignment choices, learning outcomes, and structural options. The list below is only the tip of the iceberg as far as how you can incorporate different blogging assignments into your classroom:

• Reflection
• Critical Reading and Thinking Skills
• Political and Social Awareness and Engagement
• Essay Writing

  

To facilitate learning, two common blogging models exist for incorporating these types of skill building discussions, reflections, or assignments. 

Multiple Individual Blogs: Because students create their own blogs, they take ownership of their blogs and often continue to post once the course ends. For example, Halfway to Somewhere a blog from created by a student from my Winter 2010 course has decided to keep blogging.  She notes the following to distinguish the transition from her personal blog from her classroom blog:

Writer's Note: 

Originally, this blog was created for a college class. Posts later than this point were written specifically for class and may or may not translate to a wider audience (and, may or may not contain a little bullshit).

A few disadvantages, however, exists for this model. The first is that because the blogs are dispersed virtually, the followers are required to follow multiple blogs. As a result, the blogs are individual pieces rather than a unified discussion.

Common Course Blog: By making students administrators or authors of blogs, they can post, add pictures and links, and even alter the template. English 200 Community Blog offers an example of a common course blog. As a collective, students cultivate a community by building a comprehensive virtual structure that allows for more interaction in a quicker format. Dr. Christopher Long, a long-time user of blogs in the classroom, has experimented with both models and sees the Common Course Blog as the better choice. Because he relies solely on blogging posts for assignments, etc..., Long designed a blogging rubric for student blogging participation.

Collaborative Blogs: Another model is to have students groups collaboratively work on developing, writing, and editing blogs.  As part of the assignment, student can present their information and support and defend their choices of template, text, sources, images, and links.  Blogs at Penn State is another example of constructivism where faculty, staff, and students are building knowledge structures by creating blogs that cover research, professional insight, and an array of other topics.


 Blog Combo: You also have the option of combining different blog models to give students exposure to the medium in a variety of ways.   Don't Waste Your Precious represents an individual response to a service learning project she participated in.   Major Initiative reflects her contribution to a group blog of 4-5 students who collaborated on a blog calling for student action to participate in service learning.  You can read more about their experiences by reading "Students Blog About Service Work."