Well, I tried to make my action research reflection really exciting by splicing in pictures and media from the project. Alas, I failed miserably. This is a lesser version of what I was trying to accomplish. Enjoy!
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I can totally relate to your project because I also did the same sort of focus for my action research project, too! On the bright side, at least your students were talking…I had the deer in the head lights look from mine…just totally disengaged with English class.
Though I didn’t write my project about using the blog with my 12 General classes, I did incorporate a blog with them, and also found frustration with connection speeds (we had to blog in the lab because students didn’t have access at home). Students were ready to blog, and then would get side tracked when the school’s network would not allow them to act in that “now” factor.
I’m glad you had success with your blog as well. The idea of supplementing is key, too…not just adding a blog to blog, but having meaning there.
By: cb17 on May 4, 2009
at 5:44 pm
I can relate to having that one challenging class, as I’m sure most of us can. Channeling that “energy” is quite a daunting task, but when executed well, it’s extremely rewarding. I’d consider 1 day of quality discussion during the week to be a success. I still remember one day (a Friday) of a magical poetry discussion, and I came to school Monday hoping to continue with that energy, and of course it didn’t happen. The same students who always respond responded and the same students who put their head down on their desks put their heads down on their desks.
I did not try blogging with my class, but I plan on it next year. All technology issues aside, I think it is clearly an effective alternative to discussion. Although, like you said, there is no substitute for a quality in-class face-to-face discussion. I was a quiet student, and I would’ve responded much better to a blog. Like you said, it drowns out the other students and allows students to think before responding.
My concern with my class this past semester would be a lack of technology resources and lack of access to the blog. I know some students I taught didn’t have access to the internet, so I’m not sure what I’d do there…
By: Dallas on May 6, 2009
at 2:14 am
I am so glad to hear your blogging experience went so well! I incorporated blogs in both my 11th grade classes too and found it literally amazing how discussion came so easy through this technology versus open classroom discussion – especially for those students who rarely participated in class.
Although, I did find later on down the road, after students had become accustomed to using the blog, it was more of a journal your thoughts here before saying them out loud type of tool. The blog really helped students gather their thoughts first in one location, share and respond to each others, and then share them out loud with the rest of the class. Did the blog help in that way for your classroom as well?
By: poolie07 on May 8, 2009
at 6:46 pm
I OBJECT!
You did not fail. Trust me, I’m familiar with what failure looks like haha.
1. I couldn’t help but laugh when I heard you say WHY you picked the class you did because it’s the exact opposite reasons of why I picked the class I did for my action research. Of course I have one of THOSE classes. My 5th/6th hour (it’s one class) is almost completely made up of boys, most of which have some sort of IEP or 504. I’m glad they participated!
Oooooh server issues. We came across that SO often because all of Roanoke County schools are somehow attached and it was a nightmare a great deal of the time. But look, you prevailed
By: liz on May 8, 2009
at 8:14 pm
Andy:
I like how you choose your sixth period for your blogging verses class discussion action research project. Even though they were your “biggest, most difficult, and energetic” class I love that you are challenged to channel that energy! Bravo!
When you talked about the challenges of having a meaningful discussion with your sixth period (getting off track, inappropriate interjections, spending so much time keeping them on track that your not getting where you need them to be) I thought you had somehow entered into my own seventh period! I had the same issues. I also found that these students did well when they had something to do. I could never have “down time” with them.
It made me smile when you acknowledged that although these students “were good at working independently” but you also know that class discussion is important. Way to not give up! Sometimes you have to adapt to the class at hand but I agree that there are some things that are worth fighting for- like meaningful class discussions.
The children’s book you mention in your post is incredible. Where did you find it? Did someone recommend it to you or was it already in your library? Bringing in the book was a very clever way to show the “ripple effect” of war you wanted to get across. I want to expose my students to things they would not necessarily think of or experiences they may never have exposure to. Not in a controversial way at all, but just to gain knowledge of cultures, diversity, etc. I tried to give my students different perspectives with our novel study of To Kill A Mockingbird.
I like how you weighed the pro’s and con’s to both blogging and traditional class discussion. In the classroom you can look each other in the eyes and reacting to each other. However, with the online blog, students aren’t overshadowed by their peers and can voice their opinions without hesitation. They also have time to think about what they want to say. There does seem to be a comfort with communicating electronically. Did you find a lot of “texting” language?
One thing I’m still confused about was your participation specification in the blog? Was there a specification with the in-class discussion? That’s what I feel is hard to evaluate. Even sometimes in undergrad I remember professors saying “good class participation might mean simply being alert, not necessarily commenting in class.” In this context they don’t want comments just to comment. This is something you will get online and in a classroom if you give them requirements. So, I guess where I am going with this is: Which is better: Have a student make an irrelevant comment or not comment at all? I’m not sure what I believe…
By: cfratter on May 9, 2009
at 4:25 am