Skip to main content

Poet Posts...

By
I have several blogs, some public and some not-so-public. This blog is specifically for ramblings on "digital writing" and how we might use new technologies to improve the writing skills of students. My other blogs range from photos of my cats to updates on life in Minnesota so my friends can share in my adventures. In some ways, these are the same uses students have: vanity sites (who else cares about my cats?) and keeping in touch with friends. The question we need to ask is if using these technologies can improve writing in ways other tools might not. Or, are we merely entertaining students with new toys, deceiving ourselves into thinking what is more exciting must result in more learning.

I am a skeptic, having been a business owner, corporate executive, and college administrator. Technology might not only do little good, it might encourage bad habits and mistaken notions of what is acceptable when writing later in life.

My first required posts will be this weekend. I've never bothered with YouTube or online videos because video tends to hurt my eyes and cause literal physical discomfort. I have seen YouTube videos on television and wonder why people would seek out such things. Let us hope the video blogs I view are somewhat more appealing. Just seeing what is listed as "most popular" on YouTube and MySpace should scare any social critic.

I'm not sure asking students to frequent sites best known for videos of profane comedy and stupid stunts ending badly is wise. Maybe I can be convinced otherwise, but I am a skeptic.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Digital Writing Ideas

By
Online composition and participation are always a requirement in the courses I teach. When I began teaching at Fresno State as a graduate student in 2004, I was one of the few instructors who required students use Blackboard on a weekly basis. I believe there are several reasons to use tools like Blackboard / WebVista: Students can read and respond to the thoughts of their classmates. I have a record of how writing (and thinking) improve during a semester Peer editing can occur online, in small groups. Students less vocal in class discussions tend to participate more online. Normally, I post a " Weekly Response Question/Topic " based on class discussions during the week. Students can then extend the in-class discussion online. Those who were unable to speak up during the class have time to reflect and post their thoughts, too. By requiring every student to post at least 50 to 100 words a week, they soon engage each other in discussion. I always use threaded discussions...
Post a Comment
Read more

Human Readers for Tests

By
As readers of my blogs know, I'm never opposed to using technology when it is an effective tool. I am opposed to the blind embrace of the latest trends without critical examination of the potential side effects. Computer-assisted grading, I can endorse to some extent because I use software to help me analyze student papers — and my own writings. But, I cannot and will not endorse any system that gives weight to the computer-based scoring. If you're a teacher, consider this petition: http://humanreaders.org/petition/index.php Now, I also want to add a critical comment on human graders. If the graders of standardized tests are using rigid scoring rubrics, they are little better than software algorithms. Bad grading is bad grading. Inflexible = bad. Again, I am not opposed to using a computer for fact checking, some plagiarism verification, and as formatting aids. Computers can and do help many of us write more effectively. But, I don't use computers to grade pape...
Post a Comment
Read more

Podcasts and Internet Radio

By
You must read Podcasting News if you are interested in podcasts! The New York Times has NYTimes Podcasts covering almost every area of interest. For anyone and everyone, podcast.net is a directory of professional and amateur podcasts. Unfortunately, many podcasts come and go too quickly and the directory links to some ghost sites. For October 30, 2007, we were instructed: In your blog: listen to some podcasts and analyze different aspects of the production quality of these podcasts; then, reflect on ways that you could use writing to create podcasts or coursecasts; brainstorm some ideas for creating your own podcast: an interview, presentation... I am a fan of Internet Radio, podcasting, and pretty much all things resembling "radio" in any form. For November 6, we have been asked to create a podcast of some form, and I certainly don't see a problem creating a theatrical production of some sort. Podcasting has the convenience that most Web tools lack. A podcast ...
Post a Comment
Read more