Yes, Kristin, and now with Twitter and texting, students have even more ways of communicating with each other and publishing and networking ideas. Therefore, it is a question of which tool is most accessible to the students and which supports the learning outcome best. There may be even more than one tool used in a course for these purposes. My sense is that current students don't mind the variety of tools but what has not changed is the need for intentionaly and purpose in their use.
I have found that be teaching someone else a topic, I am forced to be more knowledgable about the topic and therefore feel I know more about it. I see wikis and blogs as being ways for students to see themselves as "teaching" others about the topic they are writing about and therefore learning it better. With wikis, the ability for others to participate in your learning enhances their learning and the groups understanding of the topic.
Wikis and Blogs can also help students find their individual "voice" in learning, Marilu. That is because the environments are immediate and based on continual publication of ideas and thoughts. These can be used not only to help students learn how to collaborate with others but also to find and develop their own individuality within the learning community. Great tools!
Wikis and Blogs enable students to become authors and share information and experiences. Generation Y's love facebook for this reason, the ability to share an interact virtually with anyone.
Indeed, CL and differentiated learning strategies would benefit instructors attempting to distribute the learning process. Using Wikis and Blogs do require facilitation by the instructor but also well-designed projects and relevant outcomes to keep students focused and progressing. Have you used either in your own teaching, Virginia?
In my experience, this is the technological version of Cooperative Learning (CL). I was introduced to CL in the early 1990s. http://www.intime.uni.edu/coop_learning/ch3/history.htm
This cyber version offers the same advantages:
Pasted from site above
snip......
"Kurt Koffka: Groups are dynamic wholes featuring member interdependence"
"1960sDavid and Roger Johnson:Impact of social interdependence on achievement, relationships, psychological health and social development, mediating variables (positive interdependence, individual accountability, promotive interaction, social skills, group processing)
1970s Dean Tjosvold: Research in business and industry setting
Assumptions of social interdependence theory:
1.Cooperative efforts are based on intrinsic motivation generated by interpersonal factors in working together and joint aspirations to achieve a significant goal "
And I imagine the same limitations present themselves. Some students may dominate, others do not do their part, and so forth. I wonder if a really good facilitator wouldn't benefit from CL training? Its very specific and addresses the pitfalls.
Great points, Christina. Often those students who might find F2F interactions as somewhat intimidating will find the online interactions easier to manage.
I believe they give students a venue to express themselves about beliefs/ideas that is "safer" than that face to face interaction. I have often observed that things discussed on my discussion boards leads to further discussion in the classroom. I do believe that without that initial conversation on the discussion board I would not see as much interaction between students.
Excellent points, Carissa. In my experience, blogs really help students to find their own "voice" in their own learning process.
Wikis and blogs both give the student the opportunity for publication and peer review. This is in contrast to a traditional assignment where the student shows knowledge and does not necessarily produce it and where only the instructor gives feedback.
Good ideas, Salena. Again, the importance is in using the tool that best meets the learning outcomes of the course.
Use of wikis and blogs can act as a tool of empowerment for the student. The student has the opportunity to present their own areas of discussion on course content and outcomes.
Wikis and blogs are great tools for group projects. For example, a wiki could be used by students when they are discussing the details of the group project with their group members. This is extremely helpful in online classes where the students may not even be located in the same state! On the other hand, a blog could be used by the group to present their finished project to the class. Wikis and blogs can be very useful in the workplace as well and some employers might like to have an employee who is comfortable using wikis and blogs.
Yes, Jack, just because students enjoy texting and communicating thoughts and ideas to each other does not mean that they have developing literacy skills - these still must be taught.
The generation that we teach really doesn't have a problem talking about their life experiences but they do have problems writing it down in a form that others can understand. Some basic English counseling and keeping the Student focused on the subject they are writing about would help them represent themselves well with others and give validity to what they are writing about
Andrea, I would encourage you to search and read something of these tools as each one can truly benefit students in the learning process. Blogs help students find individual voice so well and wikis help to build knowledge bases and resources collaboratively.
I am not really sure how these can be used. I don't know much about them, and think I would like to learn more.
Great point, Jamie. Teachers must constantly check for understanding and having students re-tell or explain in their own words is a great way to do this. These new tools simply make the process more accessible and also "captured" for others to read/observe.
By using the wiki or blog as an instruction device requires the students to really think through the information they are providing. The true test of ones knowledge is the ability to explain a concept to someone else.
So Ben, you have raised a few important points here - peer tutoring / self publication / reinforcement of content / real world application / new knowledge development. Which specifically can be supported by the use of Wikis and Blogs and what other technology can you use with students to provide some of these learning opportunities?
