My experience
regarding both Blogging and Twittering has been limited. I have on occasion
followed blogs of personal interest. Twitter seems to have a place in every
news item from Occupy Wall Street to the Kardashian wedding. Neither has been
utilized in classes I’ve taken or taught. After exploring the information
provided, I can see how both can be very valuable. A common theme throughout
the Horizon Reports is the trend toward collaborative learning. Blogging and
Twittering provide a range of opportunities for innovative teaching.
I was encouraged to read that even a tech expert like David
Pogue had initial doubts about the value of Twitter. My first instinct was,
“Who cares what I’m doing?” The idea of
Twitter being used to create a network or community outside of the classroom
caught my attention. The brevity of postings encourages participation without
requiring much of time commitment outside of class. The notion of metacognition
mentioned in the Tweets for Education video would reinforce concepts covered in
class. Students often struggle with writing in the target language and knowing
their response is limited to 140 characters would not seem too daunting.
The opportunity to establish a blog dedicated to a specific
theme creates an online community of people who share concerns or interests.
These people would likely not be able to connect without blogging. A classroom
blog is a no-cost supplement to teaching; this is especially important when
schools face severe budget constraints. Researching cultural topics and
blogging about them is one example of how blogging could support foreign
language learning. Teachers recognize that learning about the food, history and
customs of native speakers is essential. Often, the material for culture is
found online through YouTube, government or tourism Web sites, just to name a
few. Students are already accustomed to using the Internet to do their
research. A classroom blog would be a logical place for them to share their
information.
The videos and articles about Blogging and Twittering
provided an exciting introduction to their use. I’m looking forward to learning
more about each and putting fresh ideas into practice. On Twitter, I have
chosen to follow ACTFL, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages. This organization provides professional development, establishes
standards and other services to language teachers. I am also following NPR, my
preferred news source. What’s next? I may even join Facebook.
Kristi,
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point, that using twitter would encourage participation with little effort. I know most students cringe when they are forced to write a couple paragraphs! Using twitter they are limited to 140 characters so maybe they would find it a bit more enjoyable.
I also, like you, mentioned in my blog that collaborative environments are budget friendly. We can add something to the classroom with virtually no cost and students would probably enjoy it. I also like your idea about using blogging to support foreign language learning. It would definitely make it more interesting for students. It's also funny that you do not have a Facebook account because I do not either, I thought I was the only one!
Good post!
Kristy Smith
Thanks! Maybe a few of us should start a blog about using/not using Facebook!
DeleteI have limited exposure to twitter and blogging. On twitter, I did sign up for Science Friday on NPR. I like it, but there hasn't been much information posted. I found a URL that was interesting, but that was about it. I like the idea of creating a story using tweets to collaborate. That actually sounds like great fun. If you ever teach spanish online!! I think that would be a great way to learn, maybe along with a video or skype session every week. BTW, I too do not have facebook anymore.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rea. I would love to try teaching Spanish online. With so many interactive tools, seems like it could interesting. I keep debating about FB use; I'm curious why you gave it up.
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