I am looking back on a three week class that I have just finished teaching, and in which I required my students to blog. (for reference, these were high school boys in a computer class.) Some, but not all, were asking a credit towards a graduation requirement. So, as I compile their grades, I am left reflecting on how blogs worked in my class.
I required the students to blog every day, about what was going on in my class. What they were learning, what they thought was interesting, what they struggled with, what they'd like to know more about. Then, when they started on a project, I asked them to blog about their experience with the project, including what was working, what wasn't, what their plans and surprises were, and what they were working towards.
As a teacher, perhaps I should know better, but I was surprised by how my expectations didn't align with what I got from the kids. Certainly, they participated, and some did quite well, but there were some disappointments, and it is human nature, I guess, for me to dwell on them.
Often, I got pro forma comments. "This is what we were taught in class today." Many students were reluctant to reflect on the class, but rather seemed to just report on it, even after feedback and suggestion with leading questions. ("What was your impression of what was effective -or not- in the class?" "What ideas are you starting to have about the project you are about to do?")
Perhaps expecting teenagers to open up on demand is too much, but a blog that reads like a book report is pretty boring. Still, I can see a student who feels he has something negative to say being pretty reluctant - we've trained them to hold back.
It was also surprisingly difficult to get students to read and comment on each other's blogs. Again, they seemed reluctant to share or give each other feedback. There were exceptions, of course, but it was surprising how resistant they were. If we couldn't even comment on each other's, I didn't see how they would be able to give each other feedback much.
To some extent, I wonder whether this experiment didn't work because it didn't have enough time to work. Maybe once they got into a rhythm, my boys would have opened up and had something to say. Maybe e problem was that they resented being made to blog. Does blogging have to come from the heart to work?
I don't know. It leaves me thinking about what to change for next time.
I understand some of your frustrations. When some of my seniors commented that blogging was becoming a chore like any other high school assignment, I sat down and had a talk with them. What were they bringing to the table, I asked? Did they think they had an audience? Did this matter to them? Were they doing their part -- writing something that someone would want to read?
ReplyDeleteIn general, I think students (and most adults, I might add) have trouble with reflection and "transparency." It's not something they are enthused about, and they seem to be unsure even of how to go about this. Are they so out of practice with reflection? Do they do this anywhere else? I wonder.
Do you think it mattered that you had all boys in the class?
Overall, I still think students benefit from blogging when they use their real voices to address real issues that matter to them. Sometimes we just have to trick them into doing this.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Harlan.
Do you think blogging every day was a little overwhelming? Do you think that maybe once a week would give them a better chance to assimilate what they had learned and have time to reflect? We are having our students in groups of five on one blog (http://oakridge-econ.blogspot.com). That way each student only has to blog once a week so they have more time to hopefully think about it and come up with something meaningful. Sure, some still just do it to do it but many of the others seem to put a lot of thought into it.
ReplyDeleteJust some thoughts but no matter what at least your students were reviewing what was happening in class and that has to be a good thing.
That's a good point. My defensive instinct is to point out that it was only a 14-day course (so weekly would be 3 posts), that my class was half their day, and that blogging was their only homework.
ReplyDeleteBut that probably misses the point.
I think there is a lot to be said for working in groups on a blog - a rising tide lifting boats, and all that. That sounds like a good strategy to pursue.
I suspect there are some kids who would rather have a blog of their own - and I can see arguments for why they should or should not be "stuck" in a group of five...