What is the pedagogical value for asking students to write in public spaces?
I am of two minds about this. On the one hand, I think that there is value in asking students to write in public spaces because it will help teachers “teach rhetorical situations” that will help students “understand writing as the decontextualized product of a single, isolated worker” (Lundin 432). I agree with Lundin on many levels, but I think that teaching with blogs and wikis can be a bit complicated in a 101 classroom. However, because it is (in many cases) an introduction to writing and rhetorical skills, I think that using the mediums will require a great deal of preparation and constant explaining of each medium. Although it may reduce anxiety about writing for the public, I think that it is important for students to be comfortable writing for a shared audience before other people (who will and can be mean) critique their work. I often think that some students will be scared by negative experiences with public writing in the initial stages of their academic careers. So, I think that using public writing beyond English 101 may be more useful (and I am writing with the assumption that public means that anyone outside of the people enrolled in the classroom can view the information).
What successes or failures have you (or do you foresee having) by using wikis or blogs?
I admit that this was rather premature of me, but I attempted to use blogs my second semester of teaching. Although I feel as if I have more a theoretical understanding of how to use blogs at this point, I am not too comfortable with using blogs in a 101classroom. I do think that “weblongs facilitate sharing and building community” as evident from our Teaching with Technology class (Lowe and Williams 7). However, I am not sure how the use will fare in 101, especially given my experience teaching with them as students really did not engage with one another. It was also daunting to have to read 52 blogs each week. Essentially, I have to find a better way to use blogs in 101.
How would you overcome technological barriers using blogs or wikis?
It is good to have sessions that focus on the technology. I know that some teachers may disagree with me, but I usually take a class period to show students how to use the Maimon handbook. I think that the same needs to be done to help students understand mediums before they are asked to perform in them. So, I would do some type of demonstration and then walk students through setting up accounts and posting information on the medium.
If you were to use public writing in your own classroom, how would you go about doing so?
At this point, I am really interested in using Twitter in the classroom. I am becoming more drawn to wikis for brainstorming, too. I think that it would be a great way for students to compose and think about the early stages of their papers. I would try, however, to control the site so that at a certain point, students will only be able to see their own writing (not sure that this can be done though).
I am of two minds about this. On the one hand, I think that there is value in asking students to write in public spaces because it will help teachers “teach rhetorical situations” that will help students “understand writing as the decontextualized product of a single, isolated worker” (Lundin 432). I agree with Lundin on many levels, but I think that teaching with blogs and wikis can be a bit complicated in a 101 classroom. However, because it is (in many cases) an introduction to writing and rhetorical skills, I think that using the mediums will require a great deal of preparation and constant explaining of each medium. Although it may reduce anxiety about writing for the public, I think that it is important for students to be comfortable writing for a shared audience before other people (who will and can be mean) critique their work. I often think that some students will be scared by negative experiences with public writing in the initial stages of their academic careers. So, I think that using public writing beyond English 101 may be more useful (and I am writing with the assumption that public means that anyone outside of the people enrolled in the classroom can view the information).
What successes or failures have you (or do you foresee having) by using wikis or blogs?
I admit that this was rather premature of me, but I attempted to use blogs my second semester of teaching. Although I feel as if I have more a theoretical understanding of how to use blogs at this point, I am not too comfortable with using blogs in a 101classroom. I do think that “weblongs facilitate sharing and building community” as evident from our Teaching with Technology class (Lowe and Williams 7). However, I am not sure how the use will fare in 101, especially given my experience teaching with them as students really did not engage with one another. It was also daunting to have to read 52 blogs each week. Essentially, I have to find a better way to use blogs in 101.
How would you overcome technological barriers using blogs or wikis?
It is good to have sessions that focus on the technology. I know that some teachers may disagree with me, but I usually take a class period to show students how to use the Maimon handbook. I think that the same needs to be done to help students understand mediums before they are asked to perform in them. So, I would do some type of demonstration and then walk students through setting up accounts and posting information on the medium.
If you were to use public writing in your own classroom, how would you go about doing so?
At this point, I am really interested in using Twitter in the classroom. I am becoming more drawn to wikis for brainstorming, too. I think that it would be a great way for students to compose and think about the early stages of their papers. I would try, however, to control the site so that at a certain point, students will only be able to see their own writing (not sure that this can be done though).
No comments:
Post a Comment