The power of blogging is immense but the apprehension for newbies can be just as immense. Usually that apprehension boils down to fear of the unknown and a control issue that is inheirant being a teacher.
Teachers are generally creatures of habit (shocking isn’t it). New technologies represent changes to those habits.
New technologies right out of the box also represent a lack of control. Usually when people adopt new technologies, like Blogs, the evolution of it will provide teachers the controls to make them feel comfortable.
Blogging has gone through that evolution process. David Warlick has developed a site called Blogmeister (http://classblogmeister.com/) which allows a teacher to set up a blog and student responses must be approved by the teacher before they appear on the site. There are other blogging sites geared specifically for teachers to use in the classroom that provides teachers with as much control as they want/need to have to implement it in their classroom.
Will Richardson makes a great point about the modeling the correct/proper usage of new technologies. I agree with him that teachers and educators need to use this type of technology to showcase the ethical and proper usage of blogging and other social networking websites because the kids are already using it. Without the proper models children are going to look to whatever sources will provide them with the guidance (positively or negatively).
History has pointed out time and time again when we don’t have models and best practices to follow chaos usually follows. Look at the whole myspace phenomena, kids and just doing it and in most cases there isn’t someone showing them how to use it safely. We hear about isolated cases (which usually ends tragically) when the technology is abused. Each generation has their own challenges in socially acceptable usage. A few years ago it was IM and before that it was email. We can probably go back and find similar debates over telephones and letter writing. What things do they have in common? Communication. Is education about the stifling communication? I think not!
Another aspect of the fear and apprehension of adopting new technology is the idea that more work is going to be added to their plate. Teachers in Maine have been told time and time again, “this is not meant to add more work…” but usually it does. Blogging doesn’t have to add more work to your plate if you allow to give up some of the control. Darren Kuropatwa has his students do the blogging as a component of their grade. The great feature is that their peers will provide and demand quality assurances. Thus giving up a little control means less work in implementing this new technology, blogging, in the classroom. Innovation and new items doesn’t have to mean more work if you think about it objectively.
The article is trying to point out that blogging is not going away anytime soon. How well educators can embrace it will determine the long-term effect it will have on society. Communication tools have usually made the world a better place to exist blogging shouldn’t be any different. Now the question is how well can we move people from resistance to comfort?
3 responses so far ↓
You have some great insite arund apprehension and teachers. I agree totally. I think a lot of teachers feel that technology is only adding things to the plate and not taking any off. But it is taking things off if you us it right.
Ray
I agree with you thoughts on the need to provide students with appropriate models for blogging sites. I found it interesting how you brought it around to communication. Education is not about stifling communicatioln or ideas. An educational site should be a safe place for anyone of any age to explore ideas and express their thoughts.
In regards to the “more work”, Initially anything new that has value often addes more work. We need to remember that this is just initially. Ultimately, it becomes second nature and time can be saved. The idea of including everyone also spreads what some might see as additional work load. Really though - it souldn’t be about the work load. It shoujld be about what is good educational practice. What serves the population that we are trying to reach? How do we best help our students to learn the life long lesson of how to learn?
Deb
Good points Deb! Thank you