http://nycwp.net/nancybrodsky/?p=37

As per Gina’s suggestion last week, I asked my students to assign themselves roles in their groups. So far, two of the groups have done that, but I only know because those two groups e-mailed me. Tomorrow, I will have to do more intensive follow-up. I’ve been very disorganized, in terms of tracking group progress. Organization is probably key in an assignment like this–keeping track of who has signed up for YouthVoices, having a master list of all their e-mail addresses, tracking the frequency of their posts to the blog, and so on. I’ll have to whip a little spreadsheet and get as much information as I can in class tomorrow. I also want to print out screenshots of the Youth Voices blog, to show them how their blog posts should be composed. Normally, I wouldn’t be so exacting but since their blogs will, in effect, be annotated bibliographies, I want the information organized in a way that will make it easier for them to create the content for their wikis later.

Speaking of wikis, check out Conversational. I will probably print out whatever they post to the wiki, edit it and ask them to make revisions accordingly.

[composed and posted with ecto]

http://nycwp.net/nancybrodsky/?p=39

Chris at Practical Theory makes an excellent point.

Blogging goes far beyond the act of hitting the publish button. The heading of Chris’ post is actually “Why Should Teachers Blog?” I blog because I like the sense of community that has been built online by and for teachers. I blog because I like getting feedback from other teachers. I blog because I find the support in the edusphere that I don’t find in my school, and this is probably what keeps me from pulling my hair out.

[composed and posted with ecto]

http://nycwp.net/nancybrodsky/?p=40

One thing I’ve learned from doing this web-based research project is that I should introduce blogging on it’s own before incorporating it into a larger project. I would not say that the web-based research project was successful and part of that is because I didn’t fully articulate to my students the purpose and idea of blogging.

What really happened is that I was arrogant and foolish enough to think that I could make a few explanatory hand-outs, give out some laptops and the whole thing would fall in place. I made a big rookie mistake–I let the use of technology supplant actual teaching in my classroom.

Lessons for the next web-based research assignment:

1. Introduce blogs and blogging on its own, by first asking them to explore blogs on topics of interest, and to explore Youth Voices.

2. Give explicit instruction on doing internet research. I thought their “regular” library research skills would transfer but I thought wrong!

3. Give explicit instruction on note-taking. Again, I made assumptions and those assumptions knocked me flat on my tuchus.

4. Create clearly defined roles and responsibilities, especially when laptops have to be shared.

5. Don’t let the laptops become the sole learning experience in a class period.

[composed and posted with ecto]