Unit 1: Weblogs:  what’s the use?

Situation: Teachers at all levels of education are in the challenging, but interesting, position of having to teach students skills they were not taught, and use tools that were not around when they were students.  Many teachers think that students need a new definition of literacy, and a new set of skills, to be successful and happy in the 21^st century.  Rather than start this course by trying to address the very big question of “what is the new literacy?” we will use some of the available definitions of “new literacy” and assume that new literacy skills and tools are needed. 

For this assignment, the whole class will test, read about, and make an evaluation of and recommendations for using (or not using) one possible tool for teaching and learning in the twenty-first century: the weblog. 

Audience and Purpose: Teachers are just beginning to explore the potential of weblogs in educational settings and will likely want to know some of the following things. 

This audience will want to know what you think, and I hope to be able to pass on what you say through some of my own writing about weblogging and teaching.  Don’t tell us what you think we want to hear; tell us what you think about weblogging.

The Product: Please draw on the material you read about web logs, your experience as a reader of web logs, and your experience as a writer of web logs to write an essay in which you a) evaluate the potential of weblogs for education, and b) recommend to me (a teacher interested in web logging) specific uses (or specific non-uses) for weblogging.  Evaluations and recommendations are familiar types of document that you will probably be asked to write again in your university careers—look for examples to guide you, and do some research on the genres themselves. 

Do not, however, limit your thinking to this particular class, or me as your only potential audience.  Try using your blog (or various blogs) for other classes, and consider the general potential for blogs in education.  Imagine future uses if possible.  Teachers really don’t know what to make of blogs yet—student perspectives on this issue will be valuable! 

Graded products:

Filtered weblogs: 5 points each, possible total of 50 points for the unit.  I hope to be able to just give most of you 5 points most of the time, but when you start blogging, I might have a few suggestions for you to develop and strengthen your entries.  In a perfect world, you would do 10 entries and get 50 points; if you have 10 entries and fewer than 50 points, keep going and you will keep getting points. 

I encourage you to keep personal weblogs as well as a means of experimenting with the form and sharing ideas, but I will not grade your personal weblogs.

Participation with weblog team:  30 points—counts towards participation grade.  Web log teams should read each other’s filter entries, share ideas throughout the unit, come to class prepared to report on readings and research, and provide a peer review of essays.  At the end of the unit, I will ask everyone in the class to assess their weblog team participation. 

Evaluation/proposal essay: 5-8 pages, double spaced, 150 pts. 

Consult the grading criteria included on the course syllabus for a description of expectations on each assignment.