Emma Duke-Williams

Bonita Bray wrote,

Of course, that may be the core of the issue - what they are doing/asked to do is limited by the LMS. So in that way, the teaching/learning strategies are determined by the technology.

I guess there are a few things coming in here; firstly - if the VLE is limiting what you want to do with students - then probably there is a reason to break out from it; (caveat: my students are computing students, and are more likely to complain about the VLE than I am!) - I think the problems really arise when either the VLE does do what you want, but staff just dislike it for whatever reason & use an alternative and/or it doesn't do what you want, so you find an alternative - but a colleague finds a different solution to the same problem, thus students have to use multiple sites.

Of course, the ideal is that all material is easily shareable via RSS or whatever, so all can browse/interact/whatever in their tool / platform of choice.

Hi Hilda & Diana
I'm a Lecturer in the School of Computing at Portsmouth University, on the South Coast of the UK. My interests lie in the use of technology to support learning - whether it's through the more formal VLE/Online assessment tools etc., or the more informal uses of Web2 / Second Life etc.

For my own personal learning, I find Twitter invaluable - am often on there. You've mentioned Facebook - I try to keep work out of FB! My friends there are generally either nothing to do with work, or, those I've met through work but feel socially connected with them too.

I, like you, also like to use Google Docs - and now that we have it on campus it's really useful for getting students to use in groups (though at present, staff have to request accounts on it, so that's kind of interesting, when you want them to show you work!)

I'm less fond of Skype - but I've never really liked audio on the computer - would rather write on it - and then use a landline to call people - though I admit it's useful to have audio when the other party isn't in the UK. (Possibly also because I only have one decent headset, which is invariably at work when I want it at home, or upstairs when I want it downstairs etc!)

Emma

(Oh, not ignoring any answers to this - but am doing it in a few moments I have spare - we've got the day off tomorrow for the Royal Wedding & I'm going to see friends in Scotland, so off to the airport soon)

Hi Glenn,
Sorry, took some time to get back to you!
You also mentioned you have several blogs, including a professional blog - is that edublog more formal than the teaching sandbox blog?

No, I don't think so, my research one (rather than 'professional') is more for thoughts in progress.

Do you enable commenting on all your blogs?
Yes, can't see the point in not, unless I'd got it set to be entirely private / was running it from a memory stick. That said, the research blog does have posts that are private / limited audience.
My comments on commenting referred more to the point that I don't blog for comments, so if there aren't any, I'm not worried. I know that others do find that worrying.

Michael,
You've said:
By and large colleagues feel that Blogging is a soft option and isn't challenging the students enough. I personally disagree and feel it gives students a dynamic creative space to express themselves in their terms... but other academics are hard to convince on this: tied as they are to more conventional modes of assessment..... just a few thoughts

(what happened to the quote feature??)

... anyway, I read "The Effect of Twitter on college student engagement & grades" today.
I'm not sure you'll be able to open it - it's possible that I can because I'm on campus & we have access to the journal via the library - in case you can't, the abstract concludes:
"This study provides experimental evidence that Twitter can be used as an educational tool to help engage students and to mobilize faculty into a more active and participatory role."

I know that Glenn said it was Twitter next week, but as I'd read that today, it was fresh in my mind!

Hi everyone,
I've had a blog since August 2004; though my use has been patchy!
What are a couple main reasons for why you blog?
Initially, I started using it as we were going to have a group of students using them, so I thought I ought to get going before I got them to do it. Seemed unfair to get them do something I wasn't familiar with!
What roles does the blog play?
Primarily for me to organise ideas - if students read it & learn, so much the better, if others read & comment, even better, though gathering more readers isn't a particular concern of mine.
What other bloggers do you follow? Why?
When I started, it was a range of other educational technologists (e.g. Steven Downes, Josie Fraser, James Clay etc., etc, etc). Now I tend to use twitter & see what people who I follow by tweet are reading & recommending - so a range of others.
What is your preferred style of writing?
I guess 'informalish' (I did one of those things that are meant to identify your gender from your writing style. It said I was female. I am. Not sure what that actually indicates!)
How frequently do you post?
Very infrequently at the moment - I cite lack of time (it's my heavy teaching semester), but also too much tweeting (and, no, I don't want to set up twitter to feed into my blog; I think I use them in different ways.
I also have a private, research based blog, which i do use more than the public one at present. I really ought to look at publicising some of the posts.
Has your blogging changed over time?
See previous! I've got far more into tweeting in the past year or so. But keep intending to get back into blogging. Perhaps this will help. (Or perhaps it will help that I now have a decent laptop at home, so can blog from the sofa)