Blog Usage Policies
What are the two types of guidelines that online instructors should consider when using blogs in the online classroom?
The biigest benefit to using blogs in the classroom is the overall utlization of technology in the classroom. Blogging puts the student in a god postion to further develop their writing skills. It is a great tool for engaging the students.
Tonya,
It is a great tool that will exercise their writing skills. You can monitor their vocabulary that can be very specific in many areas.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Two important ones is to understand that you posting in a public environment. It's important that you are using facts, being respectful, posting appropriate content, etc.
Another guideline is understanding both copyright and plagiarism. Use of some images and videos may be restricted, and students really need to understand citation basic before posting publicly.
Valerie,
Great post. Yes, you must have students follow protocol that respects people and property.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Students should be made aware of language guidelines as well as what is considered appropriate content relating to topics discussed.
Harry,
True, how would you train and assess that?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Two really important points about blogging to me are:
1. Present facts and reference sources. If what I am presenting is an opinion rather than a fact, I make that clear.
2. Be respectful of people and ideas in the blog. Educators should be open-minded, yet so many of us make fun of ideas that are not mainstream ideas in our fields.
Steve,
You are so right. I tell my students I don't really care what you think. . . unless you can support it with facts. The Blog cannot be "puking on. . .paper". Ok not paper, maybe the keyboard? :)
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I feel two types of guidelines that should be utilized in the classroom with regard to blogs are related to personal information and disrespect. Once something is online it can be accessed by many people even if a person doesn’t necessarily have the credentials or permission to access it. For safety reasons nothing personal should ever be listed or given out in this kind of setting. This can place the student, teacher, classmates, etc. at risk.
I chose disrespect for my second guideline since I feel it is “all encompassing.†Information posted should not be plagiarized, should not include derogatory or defamatory remarks, and/or should not include offensive language. Information presented should be dignified, factual, and respectful.
Michelle,
Great post! I think you make a great point about disrespect. Students don't want to be disrespected but doesn't think about the words they say and how other feels. Professionalism must be modeled and taught.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello Kelly,
From your experience, do you notice that students are less likely to support their statements in blogs versus a formal paper?
Barb
Barbara,
Yes yes yes! I think this translate to almost any type of electronic communication. Our role as instructors is to establish criteria and hold them to it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I use Moodle for my on-line courses. The discussion forums are very similar to a blog.
Clear guidelines need to be established as to what is expected within the blog. Below are two areas that need to be included in the guidelines.
1) Students get off topic. I teach math. We are examining graphs and how they can be misleading. Students are discussing this. But the topic gets off on where they shop, how bad customer service is at a particular store, etc. I need to steer them back so we are discussing math related issues.
Students need guidelines to help them post relevant posts--at least relevant to math. I am intrigued about using the discussion forum as a blog. I just figured out that I can set the Forum page to read as a blog. Possibly I can get separate pages to appear if the students want to work off topic. But this would need to be apart from the graded portion.
2) Students need to be instructed on Fair Use Policy vs copyright infringement. Most do not realize the "lifting" a graphic from a website could possibly be copyright violation. They also don't realize that they still need to cite their source of a particular graphic. So, the second guideline that I believe is essential to blogging is instruction so students understand the rights of authors of other websites.
Blogs should be interactive, allowing users to post comments or messages and providing a sense of discussion and social networking. Therefore, blog activities should be designed for such networking. However, many people believe that blogs must be public so that the networking expands across an entire pubic audience. This is not true. Blogs may be private between two people. For example, a private blog may be set up so that students can reflect on an experience, such as a service-learning experience, that only the student and instructor can view.
Consequently, blog activities may include the following:
• Students provide commentary on a research topic pertinent to the course.
• Students develop a central point for text, images, and links to other blogs.
• Students develop an interactive format to explain subject matter.
Janis,
I agree with you, you just provide guidelines for both the post and the reply. You must model it also.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
corinne,
You make a great point. You can create ti for the group. I love your ideas regarding blog usage particularly with service learning and internships. Nice work.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The two guidelines I feel are required in a blog are proper behavior/respect for others ideas and posting relevant information. Students need to understand that this type of environment is designed to share thoughts and everyone’s opinion should be respected. Also, it needs to be made clear to students that they must stick to the topic presented. It is inappropriate to discuss topics that are not relevant.
Lakithia,
I agree with you. You will have to provide expectations and enforce them. Students have to understand appropriate behavior
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I've found the same thing. they are very ready to support statements/ analysis with examples and this also end up being a great way to discuss the quality of sources/ resources that students decide to use to support their ideas.
