Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Issues regarding use of blogs with students
Some questions to think about when planning to use blogs with students:
- What is the purpose of the blog – make sure it is clear – is it linked to assessment? If it isn’t assessed will they bother to use it – probably not?
- Do you use a class group blog or individual blogs? Perhaps you only need one blog in wwhich you as tutor post the questions and assignments etc., and the students merely respond via comments.
- Will they have a choice which blog to use and whether or not to make it or bits of it public?
- What if they already have a blog and prefer to use the same blog, perhaps with a specific tag to make it easier for you and anyone else to read? otherwise they may end up with many blogs, e.g., for each class plus private ones – which is difficult to manage.
- If you specify what blog tool they use, will you use an internal blog provided by the institution or an external one, with all the disadvantages of hosting off-site?
- Do you insist they have a “professional” identity – do they need guidance in the tone and theme of the blog? Can they use a pseudonym or other less formal identity?
- Will the tutor be reading the blog or will everyone in the class be expected to read one another’s? Will students be expected to comment on one another’s posts?
Labels: academic blogs, blog network, blogging, blogs, collaborative working, reflective learning, writing
posted by Helen Whitehead 12:02 PM
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Discovery: topicality of e-learning materials
I love it when materials in a course turn out to be relevant and topical. In my Season of Inspiration writing course at the moment we are this week writing about caves and other underground spaces.
We already have great inspiration from some fabulous photographs from Nottingham's Papplewick Pumping Station Victorian underground reservoir on the day it opened to the public, and Aborigine cave art from my co-tutor's Australian property.
Today, the BBC reports on the discovery of what is thought to be the Lupercal, a mythical Roman cave, the long-lost underground grotto where ancient Romans believed a female wolf suckled the city's twin founders.
And here is the e-tivity which we have offered to our writing participants this week...
E-tivity 7.6: Discovery
Purpose: To write about the thrill of discovery.Task: Something marvellous is found in a cave or subterranean space, it could be rock art, engravings, smuggled treasure, prehistoric artefacts, a mummified animal or person. Describe your discovery and its significance to the local population. What will the discovery mean to those who found it? Will this important discovery end happily or will it end in conflict? Write a poem or story about this marvellous discovery.
Respond: Give a reasoned critique to at least two of the stories posted.
Labels: cave, discovery, e-learning, e-tivities, elearning, etivities, learning design, online writing courses, underground, writing
posted by Helen Whitehead 7:48 AM
Thursday, 13 September 2007
Spaces still available on Season of Inspiration online writing course
Season of Inspiration online writing course
There are still some spaces left on our latest online writing course
Season of Inspiration
9-week online writing course. Starts 8th October 2007 for 9 weeks.
Join us in making the most of seasonal colours and scents, metaphors of the season, place and time to provide inspiration for writing that'll see you through the rest of the year. We offer support, exercises and creative bolstering. You'll experiment with and collaborate in haiku walks, visual writing, meaningful journalling and capturing the sights and sounds of the season. Dip in and rediscover your creativity. Previous students will find all-new materials, and new students are very welcome.
info@newmediawriting.com
http://www.newmediawriting.com
The techie details - we'll be using Moodle :)Labels: online courses, online learning, season of inspiration, writing, writing courses
posted by Helen Whitehead 11:33 AM
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
BBC Online courses
The BBC still have available various short self-study online courses. They include several in creative writing. Of course, a "real" course like Season of Inspiration, with tutors and fellow students to feedback on the exercises and writing, is much more useful than self-study, but until we announce the next Season of Inspiration course, I guess it's what's available :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/onlinecourses/Labels: e-learning, season of inspiration, writing, writing courses
posted by Helen Whitehead 10:11 AM
