Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Can Blogs Help Students?
Read the article, "Can blogs help students?" and share your thoughts about this. Do you feel using this technology in the online classroom would be helpful? If blogging would be helpful, in what ways would it assist you with learning? If blogging would not be helpful, please explain.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
36 comments:
I have never used blogs before to communicate. I normally just send an email to my friends. I am a little worried about putting to much information about myself online. I know people say that it is there anyways, but I do not want to volunteer it. I created the page for extra credit and honestly will probably delete it once the class is done. :)
To me blackboard is similar to a blog page in how we post to the discussion boards. The cafe in blackboard I feel is a good example of a blog, as well as our bio information.
I am sure it could be useful, but I am already set in my ways and do not see the need to have a blog page.
I have never published anything to a blog before, though I have read a few. Blogs could help students, though I think email or direct posting via blackboard is easier to use for me. It seems like one more method of communication to learn, monitor and keep track of. Opening up a blog to other non students could present problems as well. I am open to trying it though-maybe the next few weeks will change my mind. - Brian Johnson BBA038 MGT205
The flexibility of using blogs is huge. Many blogs start out discussing a single topic and then expand to cover a huge array of topics. This is usually because once the blogger gets comfortable, they begin to find other topics dear to them to address.
Blogging is a realm here students can post ideas to gain quick feedback for projects.
Jerry
I think blogging is a very helpful tool. We can get some insights into different angles of a certain argument. It can also let us go into other related topics, and then put things all together constructively. We can also use blogging to get insight into what people think about new ideas. Blogging, like any other form of open communication, must be a good thing, because it gets people thinking and expressing themselves. I believe it would be hard to find a negative aspect to that.
Mike Andrewes
I think blogging can help a student learn better communication skills. When they invite family, friends & other students to read their blog, they'll begin to get feedback from them on their writing style, their topic choices, their opinions, etc. They'll begin to discover that their thoughts may be interpreted by others in different ways than they intended, so they'll learn how to say things more clearly.
I don't have my own blog, but I've thought about creating one. My only problem is... I don't really think I'd have enough to talk about or things that people would be interested in continuing to read. I have a few friends who each have blogs and they are so much fun to read. One friend, Rhonda, created one when she moved to another state for her new job. She wrote about the trials and tribulations of packing, driving several states away by herself and things she encountered along the way, as well as horror stories about getting lost in her new city, her first week at her new job and grocery shopping for the first time in several years (her husband always did it, but he hadn't moved to the new city yet). We constantly beg Rhonda to keep writing her blog just for the entertainment factor.
So, I think just learning to express your everyday thoughts in a manner that others would find interesting would be a good learning tool.
I am not certain that I think blogs are good for formal communication, but it is definitely good for informal communication. My company has a Facebook page. Many employees have friended each other and use this all the time to keep in touch or let everyone know what is going on with them. People also use to to share photos etc. I think that is a great way for people to stay connected.
I have mixed emotions about whether or not blogging can help students. I can see how blogging can be good for expressing feelings, opinions and ideas freely but I am unsure if this is good enough reason to make it apart of a curriculum. I personally like the idea of blogging and I think that it can help to foster brainstorming on specific topics and it can assist with the virtual interactions that we encounter by taking online courses.
I think that blogging resembles our online cafe on the blackboard. It is a place where we can come together and discuss different topics freely. I am not sure how blogging would be any different than the daily interactions that we have on the blackboard. Maybe if I went to school onsite, I would find the blogs more useful, but since I am in an online program, I feel that we could hold the same discussions on the blackboard.
I may be a little old fashion but I do not see the point in blogging. I understand in situations that was mentioned like the soldier being in Iraq or something similar but for learning purposes I cannot see an advantage. There are so many learning tools like blackboard, wiley, etc... that is out there which basically does the same thing plus a lot more than blogging. This is just an opinion from an old fashion guy.
I think blogs can be useful, but in our case the discussions and other posting we make on Blackboard serve the same or a very similar purpose. I would think there would be times when blogs written by professionals in our field might be of interest, but as a whole, I do not think we need them.
Jeremy Starcher says: Blogs are a very useful communication medium that has gained widespread popularity with the launch of services like Google's Blogger. I think this technology can be very useful in the classroom if used as a blog post and not a "chat room". Blogs are potentially powerful in that it allows a person to write about anything but the information written is subject to peer reviews.
I think that blogging could be useful in some aspects of classes. It is merely the same thing as our discussion forums. However to be done on a daily basis would not accomplish any real benefit. I could see its usefulness in a journalism major but it would not be practical for other majors. We all might as well get on Twitter and stay in constant conversation with each other.
SCOTT STOUT
I am definitely in favor of blogs being another tool to assist students. Students need a number of tools to help them communicate, discuss, and understand the material. Video, blackboard, e-mail, etc. all great when used together. Blogs are a great way to share an article or concept and then everyone can ask questions about it or share their experiences with the subject matter.
I think blogs can be useful in a variety of ways. I have been blogging, myself, for a little over 5 years now. A personal blog is really as useful as a journal. It is a way to express what you're doing, thinking, and feeling. I really like the fact that others can give me input about what's going on in my life. In addition, I like being able to go back to old posts and have a reference to what was happening years ago!
That said, it is VERY important not to disclose any information that you do not want to be public. I have known people who have written all kinds of things that they didn't want to be public knowledge and then published them to the world wide web... not so smart.
I also believe that blogging can create social networks that are helpful in both personal and professional circles. As a student, these networks can be especially beneficial if I am looking for other students or professors with whom to discuss relevant class topics.
Lisa
Since this is my first time blogging I would have to say yes. Not only are we getting views and ideas in our discussion boards on topics but this blog has given me so much information and the ability to see different viewpoints of others, it is helping look at a wider view of my work environment and the ability to react differently to situations that could have been handled differently. Thanks everyone for participating and educating all of us.
Blogging, in my opinion, is a supplement that can be used to interact with others. But, the lessons and information gained during the course of one's education is not going to come from blogging. I agree with some of the other posters above that our discussions on Blackboard are much like blogging, but in most cases blogging is not in a formalized setting. I like blogging and I like reading other people's blogs, as it is beneficial to know what helps my peers, etc.
Lori Ellis
I have never used blogs and person ally do not like it too much as of yet. I am not sure that I totally understand this concept. The one thing I do understand is that my post is available to everyone and I am not sure I like this idea. Maybe with a little more exploring of blogs I will come to like them, bu as of yet I would have to say no to them. I am sure that it could be of use or importance to some classes, but I am not comfortable with them.
I'm still new to blogging and I don't see what all the fuss is about actually. I understand Blackboard and why we use it to communicate as a school group, but I don't see the similarities. I'm sure to people that blog a lot may get something out of blogging with others, but I'm not sure how you find others to read and respond to your messages.
I believe blogging is a way for people to share their ideas with out being afraid of what others think or how they are going to react to your face. A lot of college students still to this day have to wear the cool people clothes in order to fit in or feel they have to have that look so others will want to be their friends. I have been writing on this blog once a week for almost 3 weeks now and yet noone has ever seen a picture of me nor will they and that shouldn't matter. With so much focus on trying to crack down bullying in society, I think one way would be to establish more blogs. I could see this working especially in communities to share or discuss new ideas in the community.
I think by creating this blog it opens up some of the sense that I can pursue by getting involved in writing and keeping some of the chronicles of family get togethers. I found it interesting with the site you created for students to share some of the thoughts that they never shared in IWU blackboard. I also value the openness of students and learned a lot from their discussion here. I think it encourages others that do not think that blogs have good stuff to use and keep in record then a regular website that begs for payment every month.
I kind of see it both ways. I can see how blogging could help some students and certain classroom environments, especially since many people express their thoughts best in writing. I can also see how there would be no point in blogging, especially if you are in a classroom setting on a daily basis and see your classmates. In this situation, I definitely think that blogging is a creative idea for the classmates to interact. I kind of saw it as being very similar to blackboard, but a more casual way of discussion.
I think that blogs can help students. I have researched topics in the past and it was nice to see what my peers thought about the subject or if they had any helpful tips. Blogs are like anything else you have to read with an open mind and then decide if you agree or disagree with the opinion being given but ever when you may disagree with something being said you can also learn something from that point of view. I have enjoyed reading these blogs and I do feel that this is a great way to share thoughts and teach each other
Yes, I believe blogs could probably be very useful in the right context. I am not famliar with using blogs and do not see myself using them for personal reasons.
I can say however, I did enjoy reading the comments of other people who posted to this blog -- so it was much like having a conversation, without really having a conversation.
Like a lot of the people who responded to the topic of blogging, I would agree that one needs to be careful what they post to a blog and who they are communication to.
I would hope that one would not use blogging or any other eletronic communications in place of talking to people - which I can see happening quite easily. So can blogs help students -- I beleive it could be a useful tool, but a tool that should be used prudently.
T. Dixon IWU
This is the first blog I've ever added content to, but I've read and followed many of them. I have serious reservations about blogs becoming a part of the course curriculum. To me, blogs are meant to be a free-form type of journal where the participants can share their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. If blogs become something that students are graded on they'll start censoring their statements and the blog entries will become just another form of paper or class discussion.
With that said, I do believe that blogs can be terrific personal and social tools. Blogs that build up a network of followers and participants are stimulating and exciting for everyone involved. I think that encouraging students to blog, but to do it without the element of being graded - like the blog we're participating in here - is a great idea.
Blogs, Tweets, chats, etc.
I think any organized medium that allows for the sharing of information will provide value. Just look at what we do on blackboard, and we only use a small portion of the tools that it has. With online classes it is essential that we be able to communicate asynchronously since we are generally all working at different times. Like all forums of this nature one challenge will be how well it is moderated to keep it useable.
After reading the article “Can blogs help students”, I cannot say that I my opinion has been swayed one way or the other. I have not had any real experience with blogging myself however, I have been exposed to others who have set up their own blogs. Based on the courses I have taken thus far in my educational path I do not know that blogging would provide more value than using discussion forums. I personally feel the value of blogging depends on the readers and the purpose of the blog.
This is my first time of using a blog and I still do not understand it, however, I feel it is the same thing we do in the discussion forum. Maybe once I get use to it I may find it easier or better to use than anything else. I guess I need to give it a chance.
I can see where blogging would be useful to students who are taking online courses. I think it would assit being able to hold discussions in a useful format. When posting to discussion forums, students are required to post a particular number of paragraphs, etc...where on a blog you could be online with others at the same time and have a quicker response time to answers you are seeking.
I also find myself concerned about the privacy issue of blogs. I get very worried about people hacking and getting my personal information, that I shy away from these blogs.
In today's world of technology, I think that learning any new way to communicate is beneficial. It seems sad that there is less face-to-face communication, but with schedules to keep and everyone going in different directions with their lives, it is important to stay in touch anyway that we can. I also feel that blogging can help students develope and maintain relationships with other students based on classes, assignments and interest. This also allows students that may not be a social the opportunity to be heard, so overall blogging is a great thing.
I think Blogs can help students in learning. But like several have already mentioned it gives you some similar effects of posting on the online courses. The one benefit to a blog verses the online post it you have real-time access to other post at the same time instead of a delayed response.
I personally do not care for public blogs such as my-space and face-book. With all the security issues I prefer to keep my family out of those risks.
Clare Fox MGT 205, BBA056
I am new to blogging, but see how this can be useful and help students. As a student using a blog to get other opinions on a particular topic may help the student gain insight. I can also see how blogging could end up resembling a chat room. It's like anything someone tries for the first time. They need to decide for themselves if this can be a useful tool.
I think blogging appears to be a great way to help students. Blogging allows students from all over communicate with each other and share information, opinions, and ideas. I believe that any communication tool that allows students to interact, be creative with their thinking, and also encourages the sharing of information will be beneficial. I like having online forums and outlines to communciate with my fellow classmates since I attend classes online. Blogging is just another source for us to all get together to create a virtual classroom setting.
I suspect there are some benefits to blogging for students; as with any social network caution should be exercised along with a good dose of sound judgment. We must remember that what is posted can be viewed by anyone, including prospective employers. Although not always acknowledged most Human Resources people will admit that social networks such as Facebook and the like are open books into potential employees lives so blog with due regard. I suppose the argument that having students blog on certain topics might be setting them up for headache down the road, however; with good judgment and some common sense blogging can be a valuable tool for students that can develop thought processes, writing style, and the art of expression.
For me, the jury is still out on how helpful blogs are for me as a student. One one hand, it does offer the ability to communicate to a wide audience. However, I'm not sure I have time to read through all responses to get the opinions. The blackboard environment already has a way to "blog" to the others in the cohort. I am already extremely busy with work, family, and online studies. This seems like just another place to go because right now I don't see a huge benefit to it.
I can see a use for blogging especially in journalism. This can allow you to perfect your craft. I do see other applications as well though. In business you can create networks, share ideas, and maybe even help each other with difficult situations. I never thought I'd use FaceBook or LinkdIn either but I've found myself using more technology as the years pass. I suppose the downside to these new technologies is we have a false sense of social interactions. We in fact have less face to face time and more time spent interacting on blogs and social networking sites.
Blogging can be useful for students. It gives them a diverse amount of perspectives to consider. Everyone can learn something positive from each other. It can be easier for people to effectively get their opinions or thoughts across to others.Kristi Lee
Nasiya Walker (MGT 205)I think that blogs can be helpful, it give a way for the students to communicate outside of blackboard, not making it into a school setting but still addressing school subjects. Technology has presented a lot of great tools to use when performing school activities and I think blogging is a good one. Before this, I had never used blogging before, but it seems to keep us up to date on how others feel about a certain subject. Not only our classmates, but we are able to see information from other people’s blogs from previous classes which I thought was interesting.
Post a Comment