Works Cited

Works Cited

Brooks, Kevin, Cindy Nichols, and Sybil Priebe. “Remediation, Genre, and Motivation:

Key Concepts for Teaching with Weblogs.” Weblog posting. Into The Blogosphere:

Rhetoric, Community, and Culture of Weblogs. 30 August 2004. 20 April 2007

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/remediation_genre_pf.html

Hartley, James, Michael Howe, and Wilbert McKeachie. “Writing through time:

Longitudinal studies of the effects of new technology on writing.” British Journal of

Educational Technology 32.2 (2001): 141-151.

Lowe, Charles, and Terra Williams. “Moving to the Public: Weblogs in the Writing

Classroom.” Weblog posting. Into The Blogosphere: Rhetoric, Community and

Culture of Weblogs. 13 March 2004. 20 April 2007

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/moving_to_the_public_pf.html

Martindale, Trey, and David A. Wiley. “Using Weblogs in Scholarship and Teaching.”

A. TechTrends: Linking Research & Pratice to Improve Learning 49.2 (2005): 55-61.

Mimirinis, Mike, and Madhumita Bhattacharya. “Design of Virtual Learning

Environments for Deep Learning.” Journal of Interactive Learning Research. 18.1

(2007): 55-64.

On Creating My Own Blog

At first this project seemed like a massive undertaking. After gathering research and outlining my ideas I was ready to set up a blog, and all I could think was, “what have I gotten myself into?” I know nothing about technology, or so I thought. All of the articles said blogging was free and easy, but then again there are plenty of commercials on TV, for perfectly ridiculous items, that say that very same thing. Although my articles were written by scholars, and that endows them with some degree of credibility, I was not sure I entirely believed them, but I figured I would give it “the old college try,” seeing as I am in college. As it turns out they were right, and I don’t know everything, but then again I know a little more then I realize. So I set out to blog.

Sites like this one make it possible for even the most techno-illiterate people, such as me, to successfully post a blog. All you really need to do is sign up, choose a template, and get writing. At first I had a little trouble, because I felt like my blog was really boring and I did not know how to add links or pictures. Slowly but surely I figured out how to change the font and color, add links and edit posts. It was really exciting to see the page come together step by step. The more I added to my blog, the more I wanted to work on it.

My Experience as a Student Blogger

Before starting this project, I had only been exposed to blogging in one of my classes. In Dr. Young’s Victorian Poetry class, the students were required to participate in two different blogs. The first blog was on Blackboard, and only for students in our class. The second blog was a cross-cultural blog, where we wrote to other Clemson students, as well as students at a university in Sweden. To tell the truth, when I first found out we had a blog assignment I was really upset. I barely knew anyone in the class, it was my first semester in graduate school, and I really did not want everyone reading my writing. After that first blog experience I really changed my mind though. I think what really made me comfortable was how friendly everyone was in their letters. We were required to write our entries like letters to our group members, with greetings and goodbyes, and everyone really got into being funny and friendly. I think we actually had a lot of fun with the assignment. Overall it made me more receptive to the idea of blogging. When we had to our second I was much less apprehensive then before.

The cross cultural blog was a really cool experience because it was something I had never done before. We blogged with students from Sweden and it was really interesting to read their perspective on poems that our class for the most part was relatively familiar with. Since English obviously was not their first language, those blogs were unique because they were purely to share ideas. I am really happy when we are presented for opportunities like that because sometimes we forget to just “talk” to one another. There is so much pressure, and so many other factors, however important, they sometimes get in the way of sharing ideas with one another.

Overall I would say that my experience with blogs has been really positive. Even though at first I was really unhappy with the prospect of blogging, and am really glad that I was given the assignment. Had it not bee for Dr. Young’s class, I never would have had a chance to participate in blogging, especially a cross-cultural blog. I am definitely resistant to technology, mostly because I have trouble with it, I lack the skills and understanding so many of my peers have mastered, but I have definitely had a change of heart considering blogs.

Conclusion

When I began this assignment, I wanted to examine blogs in the classroom, specifically to see what effect blogs had on writing. My original assumption was that blogs, being an informal genre, would negatively impact students writing skills. I am surprised to find, although quite convinced by my research, that I was very wrong in my assumption. It seems that blogs are what you make them. Blogs, like any other technology, are nothing more than a tool. Therefore, it is how you use that tool that matters. There are certain factors that will determine how well a blog will work, for example, it is important to establish early on the audience. You need to make it clear who the students are writing to; are they addressing one another, the teacher or is it a personal journal? Once audience and tone are established, the students will be able to generate quality work. Similarly, as my research shows, students often feel more comfortable blogging, and participation (from even the most shy of students) generally tends to increase. Students often develop a greater sense of community in their “Virtual Learning Environment,” then they would have in a standard classroom. Students, who normally would not have taken the time to get to know one another, can easily share ideas. Students can also participate in workshops, critiques and peer reviews in a more pressure free way.

There are so many positive things to say about blogging, and its usefulness as a tool in writing classrooms. Researching this topic has completely changed my opinion of blogging and technology in the classroom. I would definitely consider trying a blog in my ENGL 103 sections next semester. I think it is a fun and easy way for students to develop their skills as effective writers.

"A Time to Heal"

In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shooting, the press focused on how the Internet played major role in the universities ability to quickly disburse information to students, faculty, and family members. Since blogs were one method students were using to communicate, and the media has been saturated with references to those blogs, I thought I should touch on the topic. I have posted a link to a CNN news article on the topic; it is available in the related links section. As Virginia Tech grieves for their loss, I think blogs will play a distinct role in the healing process. The history of our country has been scared forever by the tragic events of last week, and technology has transformed how we bare these scars, and move forward.

"Weblogs in the Writing Classroom"

Moving to the Public: Weblogs in the Writing Classroom was a really important article in my research on this topic. What I thought was noteworthy about this article was its discussion of peer response and workshops. Sometimes it can be frightening for students to make their writing pubic, especially to their peers. Weblogs create a safe space where students feel comfortable posting their work. In actuality students are publishing their writing online, but it seems as though the weblog takes a lot of pressure off students. Similarly, students who may normally be shy in class, tend to participate more when weblogging.

Another really interesting point this article brings up, is that while teachers often encourage students to experiment with style when writing for a weblog, the student knows that they are ultimately going to be graded by the teacher. So in some cases, assignments generate artificial responses. Yet either way, students do become more comfortable with presenting their writing publicly, and that is a huge hurdle for anyone.

The article states that one of the benefits of a weblog, over student web pages, is that it is not necessary for students to learn HTML when blogging. Thus, students with even limited experience can easily participate in blogs. This is important because students can become overwhelmed by the thought of so much work, and possible criticism. Also as the article states, web page design can be distracting for the students, but when blogging they “spend more time developing their texts” and “these texts likely end up being more rhetorically sensitive” (4).

Because weblogs are similar to journal writing, they lend themselves to a greater stylistic flexibility. Students can write critically as well as reflectively, and they can also engage in a dialogue with one another, if they so choose. Students even reported reading the work of other so they knew what the standard was, or what ideas had been discussed. In this respect having the online space helped the students to work together to make their individual writing better, or more relevant.

This article gave examples of student responses to the blogging exercise, and some of the comments are really moving. They show how the students were really able to develop a strong sense of community through blogging. They even developed friendships and were, in many cases, supportive during times of struggle; caring when their peers were ill or injured. I really liked the aspect of community that this article brought up. As far as the “perks” of weblogs, the article went over the same teaching benefits as other articles but, the sense community that the students develop is a new idea. I think this concept is crucial to the development of writing. Students need to feel comfortable before they are willing to share their writing, because it is a part of who they are. Being able to develop a space online where students are able to publish their work, and feel good about it, is wonderful. Blogs give students the opportunity to share with their peers and they don’t have to worry about being shy. Being a student myself, and often worrying what my peers will think, or how I will be judged by my professor, made this article, and blogs, appeal to me.

Genre and Blogging

Remediation, Genre, and Motivation: Key Concepts for Teaching with Weblogs, discusses how weblogs can be a successful tool used to teach writing. The article considered “developing writers,” and how a blog can be helpful to individuals working on improving writing skills. “Weblogging seems like such a potentially rich set of online writing activities because it is relatively low-tech compared to producing hypertext or websites, and it incorporates familiar writing skills like summary, paraphrases, and the development of voice” (1). I think this is a really crucial point. Weblogs help students find their voice, and develop unique style as a writer. Blogs might not require that students be the most technically and mechanically savvy writes, but blogs help student become comfortable, confident writers. One of the “Key Concepts” of the article is that Blogging is not necessarily a new genre. Students are very familiar with activities like journals responses, and Blogging is just a new, innovative and creative way to participate in the same exercise. This idea is really important to convey to students. It is not that they are doing any extra work by participating in a blog, it is actually quite the contrary, blogging in many ways simplifies things for the students. Students don’t have to worry about handing their assignments in because they are time-date stamped when posted (this helps the teacher as well). The students can read what their classmates have already posted on the topic. Blogs not only simplify things for the students as well as teachers, but they also offer students the opportunity get help from peers and resources without pressure. Students can take advantage of the various resources that blogs provide, if they need help. Blogs afford students the freedom to work on developing their writing in a comfortable, supportive and pressure free environment.

The Composing Process

A study in the British Journal of Educational Technology entitled Writing through time: longitudinal studies of the effects of new technology on writing took a look at the writing process and the effects of new technology on writing. What the study intended to do was settle the debate over whether or not technology had an impact on the quality of writing. The article explored different studies conducted on students that evaluated hand written essays in comparison to computer written essays. What was most interesting about this article is that it highlighted the composing process. I think a really important idea that this article points out is that technology is a tool that the writer uses and therefore it does not play a major role in the composing process (as far as pre- writing and writing are concerned). On the other had what computers and technology do aid in is the revision process. Computers make it easier to revise drafts and as a result students are more apt to do more revisions. Likewise, some computers have programs that aid in grammar and spelling corrections that students are able to implement in their writing. This article also explores the writing process of three published writer and how it changed over time, as new technology developed. What the study showed was that even though the tools these writers used changed, their process for the most part stayed the same. The article states, “although the three authors differ from each other as writers, they are remarkably constant over time” (148). All three maintained some sore of pre-write, draft and revision activities in their writing. Clearly, this study shows that technology, and computers specifically, do not necessarily have a negative effect on the way students write. I think this idea relates directly to blogging because it shows that blogs will not necessarily have a negative influence on the way students write. As the article suggests, there is no reason to believe that the quality of posts would be any less adequate then any other class assignments.

"Using Weblogs in Scholarship and Teaching"

This article, by Trey Martindale and David A. Wiley, gave a brief history of blogs that I found really interesting and helpful. It also provided information about blogging and the different types of blogs that exist. It listed some of the functions of blogs especially those helpful in using blogs as a teaching tool. The article explained how set up a blog, for example they provided the web address for Blogger.com where “creating a weblog [is] both free and simple” (56). Blogs have become popular because they are easy to set up and use. For this reason they are also a functional teaching tool. As the article points out, “the user (or “blogger”) does not have to do any programming, or even formatting to create a technically sophisticated, visually impressive website” (56). The accessibility, even for people with little to know experience in computers can easily participate in blogging. Blogs are basically on going discussions that are highly organized as a result of the many beneficial functions of the software. Some of the helpful functions of a blog (especially for teachers) are that it updates and achieves information and posts, making it easy to search.

There are various types of blogs available on the Internet. Professional blogging and syndication, though not the focus of my studies is something to consider. Since blogs can be used to search for information, news, and data they are a great research tool for students. The way that type of search is done is through “RSS which stands either for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary” (56). What happens with this type of search is that an “aggregator” collects “RSS feeds” and displays the information. So basically this process is a really quick and easy way to search for, collect and sort data. “By using as aggregator a reader can quickly survey the blog landscape and receive notices of new content from a collection of blogs, as well as from a wide variety of sources like online newspapers and other periodicals”(57). This function would be particularly helpful and useful for students because it is highly organized and time saving. Being that it works with periodicals blogging is also a great way to see what is going on in the world, and an opportunity for students to participate in ongoing discussions about current events. The Internet has made the world smaller and students even have the opportunity to have “cross-cultural” discussions, where they can talk people from all over the world.

Martindale discusses his experience implementing blogging in a graduate course at East Carolina University, for further evidence about the usefulness of blogging. The students had two main assignments Martindale explores how that blog experience affected the students work. He states, “The blogs were key tools in improving the quality of student work on both assignments. Students used the blogs to post their ideas on proposed article topics, and they posted links to relevant research and web resources along with their own commentary” (58). The quality of work is definitely a concern when using an informal setting such as a blog. This idea hearkens back to the debate over formal versus informal writing style.

Martindale highlights another feature; blogs are a superior forum for discussion because they are so accessible. He points out that with other learning sites you have access because you class has subscribed to the site (for example Blackboard.com) but, when the class is over the students no longer have access to that information. With the use of a blog, students can still communicate and access information long after the class is over.

When considering the actual quality of the work the students are producing it seems the most important factor was audience. The atmosphere is what is crucial. As long as a certain standard is set and maintained, there is no real reason to think students would not post quality work. Martindale found that students began to post longer and in some cases extra assignments. Clearly this article demonstrates that Blogs can be an effective learning tool that students may even enjoy using!

"Virtual Learning Enviroments"

Design of Virtual Learning Environments for Deep Learning by Mark Mimirins and Madahumita Bhattacharya focuses on technology as a tool for "deep learning." They examine Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), and what effect these environments have on learning. The debate seems to stem from pedagogy; how is traditional classroom pedagogy impacted by the VLE? The VLE is a tool that can only be as useful as an individual makes it, thus the success of the VLE depends entirely on the student. What Mimirins and Bhattacharya argue is that flexibility is the key. Students tend to respond well to the VLE when there is "flexible and independent learning" (60). One thing that they caution against is "providing students with too many hyperlinks, resources, multimedia or other materials within the VLE" (61). It is easy for the students to become "bogged" down or intimidated by too many materials. The article stresses that the design of the VLE is very important; just as the dynamic of a classroom environment is crucial to learning so is the VLE design.

Introduction

Throughout the course of this weblog I intend to examine various scholarship concerning blogs and their function in the classroom. I am looking for evidence concerning how blogs influence academia and student writing. It is my assumption, that the discourse of the Internet and "Virtual Learning Environments" will have a negative effect on student's ability to engage in academic discourse, and scholarly writing. I base this assumption on my, albeit limited, knowledge and experience with technology. I want to examine a class blog I took part in, and evaluate how my how my experience with this exercise compares with any of the scholarship I find on the topic. Finally I intend to document my experience creating this blog, and what I have learned overall from this project.