This is the first time I have ever created a blog or even communicated on a blog. This is all new to me so I had to use the net to research as to whether a lesson could be delivered using a blog. When I clicked on to http://blog.myspace.com/marineperez; I learned that a blog has calendars and whiteboard space where students can meet with instructors for additonal time and tutoring. I thought this was really neat.
I didn't know about myspace ... and I work in a university! I believe a blog has some powerful opportunities - for writing, journaling, collaboration, and project management. My question is, though, how do you evaluate this new form?
Have you been able to research and find information on blogs in educational settings? There is so much technology available, it is a wonder that educators can maintain and keep aprised of what's new, useful, and bad business. I really understand the concepts of lifelong learning more and more as I continue down the path of higher learning. You truly are always a student because to keep up with everything, you have to constantly read, research, and study.
Good question, so of course good questions requires one to go and research to find a valid or supportive answer. So I went to the friendly neighborhood yahoo search and I really like what I found. At first I found this website http://kathyschrock.net/edtechblogs.htm which listed several educational websites that help educators with educational technology blogs.
I found this by typing your question of "how do you evaluate educational blogs" and retrieved this website. Then, this website had other information that further answered your question. The title of the article was critical evaluation of blogs and podcasts. So it sent me to the following link http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/eval.html and I really enjoyed what I saw. It reminded me of the information that is on the library link at Walden and the Foundations couse that I took to help me write my professional development plan and plan of study.
These two documents and the course itself advised students to critically evaluate each website. This particular website of Kathy Schrock's has the evaluation method downsized for students grades k-12 all the way through college to help them with this process of critically evaluating information that they have on the web along with evaluating a student's work that is posted on the web. These rubrics are very helpful.
Kathy Schrock is one of the gurus of librarians in the US and beyond. Her website is one of the first places to go to learn how to spot a bogus website and now I guess how to evaluate podcasts and blogs as well. Good job. Dianne
I agree with Dianne. Kathyschrock's is a wonderful resource for all of us educators. Thanks for bringing it into the discussion. Regarding David's concern with how to assess such spaces as blogs and wikis, I would say that it is really not important to asses the tool as it is to asses what is done with the tool.In this respect it corresponds to the instructor to design the experience the students are to have using these tools and then evaluate the outcomes. I think the possibilities are endless.As an example, the sole fact that through a blog or wiki you can make students worki in groups, mostly independently from their instructor, and produce a certain product like a presentation as part of a class, tells you that they worked collaboratively ( you can verify this by following the posting they make while working online). As a result of this capability provided only by these tools as compared to face-to-face meetings, you already have an advantage on using these tools versus not using them. Regards!
7 Comments:
This is the first time I have ever created a blog or even communicated on a blog. This is all new to me so I had to use the net to research as to whether a lesson could be delivered using a blog. When I clicked on to http://blog.myspace.com/marineperez; I learned that a blog has calendars and whiteboard space where students can meet with instructors for additonal time and tutoring. I thought this was really neat.
Nia:
This is the first time for me as well. But it is fun and very helpful. A powerful resource for teachers.
I didn't know about myspace ... and I work in a university! I believe a blog has some powerful opportunities - for writing, journaling, collaboration, and project management. My question is, though, how do you evaluate this new form?
Marilyn,
Have you been able to research and find information on blogs in educational settings? There is so much technology available, it is a wonder that educators can maintain and keep aprised of what's new, useful, and bad business. I really understand the concepts of lifelong learning more and more as I continue down the path of higher learning. You truly are always a student because to keep up with everything, you have to constantly read, research, and study.
David,
Good question, so of course good questions requires one to go and research to find a valid or supportive answer. So I went to the friendly neighborhood yahoo search and I really like what I found. At first I found this website http://kathyschrock.net/edtechblogs.htm which listed several educational websites that help educators with educational technology blogs.
I found this by typing your question of "how do you evaluate educational blogs" and retrieved this website. Then, this website had other information that further answered your question. The title of the article was critical evaluation of blogs and podcasts. So it sent me to the following link http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/eval.html and I really enjoyed what I saw. It reminded me of the information that is on the library link at Walden and the Foundations couse that I took to help me write my professional development plan and plan of study.
These two documents and the course itself advised students to critically evaluate each website. This particular website of Kathy Schrock's has the evaluation method downsized for students grades k-12 all the way through college to help them with this process of critically evaluating information that they have on the web along with evaluating a student's work that is posted on the web. These rubrics are very helpful.
Nia:
Kathy Schrock is one of the gurus of librarians in the US and beyond. Her website is one of the first places to go to learn how to spot a bogus website and now I guess how to evaluate podcasts and blogs as well. Good job. Dianne
I like your blog
Hi Nia!
I agree with Dianne. Kathyschrock's is a wonderful resource for all of us educators. Thanks for bringing it into the discussion. Regarding David's concern with how to assess such spaces as blogs and wikis, I would say that it is really not important to asses the tool as it is to asses what is done with the tool.In this respect it corresponds to the instructor to design the experience the students are to have using these tools and then evaluate the outcomes. I think the possibilities are endless.As an example, the sole fact that through a blog or wiki you can make students worki in groups, mostly independently from their instructor, and produce a certain product like a presentation as part of a class, tells you that they worked collaboratively ( you can verify this by following the posting they make while working online). As a result of this capability provided only by these tools as compared to face-to-face meetings, you already have an advantage on using these tools versus not using them. Regards!
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