Comments on: Thirty-One Days of May http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/ "Predicting the future is easy. It's trying to figure out what's going on now that's hard" (Dressler, 2005) Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Britt http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-170 Britt Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:08:10 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-170 In fairness to Sue and Ken, I had moderation turned on and Sue had changed her email, so her FIRST comment was sitting in the moderation bin when KEN posted FIRST on this site.....so that's howjoodoothat! In fairness to Sue and Ken, I had moderation turned on and Sue had changed her email, so her FIRST comment was sitting in the moderation bin when KEN posted FIRST on this site…..so that’s howjoodoothat!

]]> By: Ken Allan http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Ken Allan Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:57:02 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-169 Kia Ora Sue Howjoodoothat? Doggonit! Ah don' see no comment not never nohow when ah put mine on! Howjoodoothat? Ka kite Kia Ora Sue

Howjoodoothat? Doggonit! Ah don’ see no comment not never nohow when ah put mine on! Howjoodoothat?

Ka kite

]]> By: Sue Waters http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Sue Waters Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:00:07 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-167 Sorry Britt but have to point out to Ken that I was here first (LOL) :) Sorry Britt but have to point out to Ken that I was here first (LOL) :)

]]> By: Colin http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Colin Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:34:55 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-166 Britt, there's a couple of things I like about this post that I haven't seen elsewhere and would like to respond to them. They are the idea that we can look forward to the interactions we have via our blogging/commenting activity. There's nothing like that sense of anticipation [hmmm, Rocky Horror ;-) ] waiting to see what people will think/have to say about our posts. And then there is what happens when we all collaborate (the islands making up the archipelago) and and value we create in that the community through our input, can be larger than the sum of its parts! So, to me it's a lot about participation and like you say finding the balance were the investment provides some return. I'm looking forward to more interactions and wondering where they might take me. Britt, there’s a couple of things I like about this post that I haven’t seen elsewhere and would like to respond to them.

They are the idea that we can look forward to the interactions we have via our blogging/commenting activity. There’s nothing like that sense of anticipation [hmmm, Rocky Horror ;-) ] waiting to see what people will think/have to say about our posts.

And then there is what happens when we all collaborate (the islands making up the archipelago) and and value we create in that the community through our input, can be larger than the sum of its parts!

So, to me it’s a lot about participation and like you say finding the balance were the investment provides some return. I’m looking forward to more interactions and wondering where they might take me.

]]> By: Kimberly McCollum http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Kimberly McCollum Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:25:12 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-165 I want to piggy-back on what Ines said. While I agree that a required blog is not an authentic experience, I feel that students can't be expected to see blogging as anything other than a "waste" of their time until they are introduced to valuable blogs and bloggers. You might want to consider creating a class blog. In this blog, you could create short posts that ask students to reflect on high-quality blog posts (links included, of course). You could have students start as commenters and then begin inviting students as co-authors on the blog. The experience might help at least some students become more comfortable with the technology and/or see a greater value in blogging. I want to piggy-back on what Ines said. While I agree that a required blog is not an authentic experience, I feel that students can’t be expected to see blogging as anything other than a “waste” of their time until they are introduced to valuable blogs and bloggers. You might want to consider creating a class blog. In this blog, you could create short posts that ask students to reflect on high-quality blog posts (links included, of course). You could have students start as commenters and then begin inviting students as co-authors on the blog. The experience might help at least some students become more comfortable with the technology and/or see a greater value in blogging.

]]> By: Dr. Sanford Aranoff http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Dr. Sanford Aranoff Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:40:47 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-164 To be a great teacher, you need to know how students think. See the new book on amazon.com: "Teaching and Helping Students Think and Do Better". To be a great teacher, you need to know how students think. See the new book on amazon.com: “Teaching and Helping Students Think and Do Better”.

]]> By: inpi http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-163 inpi Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:53:02 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-163 Hi Britt, I understand you can't have all your 25 "students" starting blogs during your 15 weeks course; and I surely agree that authentic blogging must be a free activity. Than, as Sue says, these young teachers need to use this powerful tool for their own learning. So, I wonder if it would be possible to have those "students" starting just one or a very small number of blogs, where they would write posts and comment each other posts, during 10 of these 15 weeks, as an exercise, being part of the course, about subjects related to the course, in order to get minimally acquainted with blogging and commenting. I would like to add that after our Challenge, I will continue to visit and read your great posts. Ines Hi Britt,
I understand you can’t have all your 25 “students” starting blogs during your 15 weeks course; and I surely agree that authentic blogging must be a free activity.
Than, as Sue says, these young teachers need to use this powerful tool for their own learning.
So, I wonder if it would be possible to have those “students” starting just one or a very small number of blogs, where they would write posts and comment each other posts, during 10 of these 15 weeks, as an exercise, being part of the course, about subjects related to the course, in order to get minimally acquainted with blogging and commenting.
I would like to add that after our Challenge, I will continue to visit and read your great posts.
Ines

]]> By: Ken Allan http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-161 Ken Allan Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:54:00 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-161 Kia Ora Britt Another brilliant and compressed summary of how you view it so far. <a href="http://aquaculturepda.edublogs.org/about/" rel="nofollow">Sue Waters</a> will be pleased with this one too I've no doubt! (got here first Sue:-) ) Some good lessons on this post I see too. It's amazing what you learn just by doing (famous pedagogical quote!) :-) I'm runing out of smileys. Thanks for using the stacked logo. Sharing'as what it's (supposed to be) all about. Ka kite from Middle-earth Kia Ora Britt

Another brilliant and compressed summary of how you view it so far. Sue Waters will be pleased with this one too I’ve no doubt! (got here first Sue:-) )

Some good lessons on this post I see too. It’s amazing what you learn just by doing (famous pedagogical quote!) :-)

I’m runing out of smileys. Thanks for using the stacked logo. Sharing’as what it’s (supposed to be) all about.

Ka kite
from Middle-earth

]]> By: Sue Waters http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/thirty-one-days-of-may/comment-page-1/#comment-160 Sue Waters Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:27:45 +0000 http://bwatwood.edublogs.org/?p=176#comment-160 I really need to get some geek shirts :) . I like the idea of a WYSIWYG but would also like a Twitter shirt. One can but dream but it is embarrassing going to the blogger meet ups and being the only person not wearing a geeky shirt. I can totally understand why you don't want to make blogging part of your course for teacher training because it is a personal endeavour and does take time to realise how powerful blogging is for personal learning. However if our goals are to help teachers realise the potential for these tools we do need to model their use and the students need to use them as part of the course for their own learning. Can I suggest you check out how <a href="http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/" rel="nofollow">Alec Couros</a> has used them <a href="http://eci831.wikispaces.com/" rel="nofollow">with his teachers</a>. Thanks for being part of the Challenge -- forgot to mention the table looked really nice and waiting for mine to be delivered :) I really need to get some geek shirts :) . I like the idea of a WYSIWYG but would also like a Twitter shirt. One can but dream but it is embarrassing going to the blogger meet ups and being the only person not wearing a geeky shirt.

I can totally understand why you don’t want to make blogging part of your course for teacher training because it is a personal endeavour and does take time to realise how powerful blogging is for personal learning. However if our goals are to help teachers realise the potential for these tools we do need to model their use and the students need to use them as part of the course for their own learning. Can I suggest you check out how Alec Couros has used them with his teachers.

Thanks for being part of the Challenge — forgot to mention the table looked really nice and waiting for mine to be delivered :)

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