I found this blog post on how to use blogs in large classes written by a college professor. Thought it might interest some of you.
Nancy Riffer
Posts made by Nancy Riffer
I think you are definitely right that you will have to reduce other assignments. As I see blogging in a class, it helps with integrating material, learning to read with a critical (and sympathetic) eye, and having students see each other as resources. Which aspects of your course would benefit from one or more of these outcomes? Concrete applications of concepts strike me as one area. Maybe fewer concepts and more time making them "real."
What aspects are you considering decreasing so you can allow the students time for blogging?
What aspects are you considering decreasing so you can allow the students time for blogging?
Jeffrey,
I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for but I found some virtual labs at Johns Hopkins U. One of these is for building bridge trusses; it includes loads as part of the simulation but I'm not sure if that part becomes an assessment. Is this the kind of activity you seek?
Nancy
I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for but I found some virtual labs at Johns Hopkins U. One of these is for building bridge trusses; it includes loads as part of the simulation but I'm not sure if that part becomes an assessment. Is this the kind of activity you seek?
Nancy
I find Barbara Ganley's blog inspiring. She was an instructor at Middlebury College until she resigned after spring semester. She's had her students using blogs in literature and creative writing courses for several years. Some are still available to students and the public.
In a blog post from 2004, she quotes an interaction between two of her students that illustrates the value of posting one's writing publicly and getting feedback.
(The example is about one screen from the top. The links don't work on that page right now but links to actual student blogs are available on the link below.)
This link to assignments in a 2008 course on creative writing lists the blogs of the class members in the right hand column.
In a blog post from 2004, she quotes an interaction between two of her students that illustrates the value of posting one's writing publicly and getting feedback.
(The example is about one screen from the top. The links don't work on that page right now but links to actual student blogs are available on the link below.)
This link to assignments in a 2008 course on creative writing lists the blogs of the class members in the right hand column.
I've been reviewing our introductions and our comments in this seminar. It seems to me that we fell into having much of our conversation with you, Curt, and rarely talked with or responded to anyone else. Curt's comments are usually followed by comments from the person he commented on. Others don't seem to jump in.
I'm wondering whether there are activities we could have done early on to increase our interactions with a range of others. Drawing on activities in the book, a couple of ideas occurred to me, e.g., interview each other in pairs and share results, or work with an example of a situation someone is facing with particulars described.
What do you think we might have done to make this group more interactive? Are there Learning Activities we could have used to get ourselves more involved?
I'm wondering whether there are activities we could have done early on to increase our interactions with a range of others. Drawing on activities in the book, a couple of ideas occurred to me, e.g., interview each other in pairs and share results, or work with an example of a situation someone is facing with particulars described.
What do you think we might have done to make this group more interactive? Are there Learning Activities we could have used to get ourselves more involved?