I think blogging and many of the tech tools we have been discussing and learning to use in ED TECH can have a big impact and numerous uses in the classroom...someday. But right now, at least where I teach, it seems like a long way off.
When I sat through the first ED TECH session and listened to all the ideas about phones, video, blogging and other stuff in the classroom it raised a lot of red flags for me. The district wide policy where I work bans all mobile phone use during school hours. Even during lunch students must be outside the building to use their phones. If a student is caught talking or texting with their phone during school hours the phone is confiscated until the end of the next school day.
In addition the internet that is available inside school buildings is heavily filtered. Video sharing sites like youtube and vimeo are blocked and most blog sites, including this one, are also inaccessible to students and teachers.
All teachers also sat through several hours of required training about internet protocol and safety. Online posting of photos or video of minors, even on the school's own website, requires parent or guardian permission. And two policeman gave an unsettling presentation about the importance of keeping online presence (facebook, twitter, etc.) private and unattached from any student access. This presentation included numerous cautionary tales that left many teachers feeling uncomfortable and wondering if they should delete or scale back their online lives.
So all of that being said, here are my ideas of how blogging can be used in the classroom.
If the instructor posted daily or weekly readings for homework students could then comment on their reactions and reflections. This would ensure that every student gets to respond, something that is not always possible in a live group discussion. I'm not sure what the rules are regarding public posting of copyrighted material.
For my class specifically I could post several camera shots and angles I want students to capture. They could then post their own creative examples of wide, medium and close up shot sizes or high, low, overhead and dutch angles.
If I was to blog a daily summary of what was covered in class it would be a big help to students who miss due to illness, appointments or school activities so that they can keep up or catch up.
I appreciate the immediacy of electronic communication. Another benefit is that less resources are used...paper, ink, printing, etc.
As these types of practices become the norm and more acceptable in the business world and on college campuses, hopefully public schools will be more open to utilizing these tools as well.
Yes, each school/District has different interpretations of appropriate internet usage and whose responsibility it is to enforce these policies. The fear factor by police is interesting --- obviously they have never taken the time to look at the State Dept of Education Standards regarding Tech Standards --- and the multitude of strategies that can be used to address their ultimate goal. Yes, fear is one solution. Let's see --- parents provide cell phones and computer access to their kids, and generally without any training. They power down when them come into the building, but it's ok to go out to the parking lot and use them. Question: what is our role as educators to help them become good digital citizens and model and demonstrate appropriate and safe uses of these technologies?
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