So I guess I'm on the fence about using blogs and Wikis and whatnot in my Ag classroom. It's not that I don't think they're a great resource - it's just that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around what I would do with it! I personally am okay with sharing my blog posts with the world, so everyone can see, but if I assign a reading response and have my students posting it on their blogs, doesn't it change things that they are high school kids? What about shy kids, or those who feel insecure or behind, who don't want to share their work with others besides their teacher? I think that if I were to go so far as to set up blog assignments in the classroom that I would feel the need to use it a whole bunch, and I don't know that I'm comfortable doing that. Not that I'm not or I think the kids aren't tech-savvy enough, I just don't think it's my thing. Not my style.
On the other hand, I do like the idea of a class Wiki in that it's a place where the whole class can come together outside of the classROOM, to tell others what they're doing in class, perhaps to brag a little :). A Wiki would also be a great place to post assignments/syllabi, and to connect and communicate with parents about what is going on in the classroom and let them have access to project due dates and the like. One project I've been mulling over in the back of my head since watching the Survivor Diaries (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2006) video is that students could film and edit public service announcements (to be uploaded onto the class Wiki...) about common misconceptions about the Vo-Ag program and the bullying that occurs stemming from those misconceptions.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. (2006). Survivor Diaries. www.netsmartz.org. Retrieved 6/15/11 from http://www.netsmartz.org/RealLifeStories/SurvivorDiaries.
You may not think certain technologies are relevant to your classroom, but definitely be careful about not integrating something simply because it is not your style. You may be surprised at the fact that shy kids are actually more vocal in online spaces... and it is easier for them to post their "voice" so to speak, then to contribute to the classroom environment.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Google Docs? Is there any way you could see your students using those applications? Sharing information? Collaborating?
Good job with your citation/reference.
I have found GoogleDocs IMPERATIVE for TCPCG, and it would definitely be helpful for students with group projects - but it relies on internet availability. I know that my students will not have access to laptops in the classroom, but they do have a computer lab. I also like the idea of using rubrics through GoogleDocs so that students have their "grades" accessible.
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