Tuesday, July 14, 2009

blog Homework - the future?

Hi All - just had a great idea (my mind works overtime in the morning!)
What about using blogs in your class to get the dreaded homework done!!?? Each student sets up a blog and then they all link with one another and the teacher, who then posts 'homework' on their blog, which the students have to access, say, once a week, then they post their answers/discussion on their own blogs and those of their peers.......what a great way to get them engaged, get their homework done and using ICT's at the same time - from HOME!!!!!
What do you think???
Chenoa

8 comments:

Kellie said...

Hey Chenoa,

The blogger site actually said it would only take 5 minutes. Still trying to work out a few things, like why my picture won't download to my profile and says it is too large. I don't know how to shrink it and believe me I have tried. So am stuck with the kookaburra for now.

Good luck blogging.

Kellie

Melody Madin said...

Hey Chenoa,
This is exciting hey... Great idea.. The Year 7 class I was in last year had a virtual classroom with homework and extra activities for the brainiacs :) kids loved it totally got their homework done without fail. Annie Bailey our tutor from Science Term 1 uses Moodle with her grade 9/10 students. I am still getting used to blogging it feels a little putting myself way out there in cyber space...more so than Facebook I don't know why.....

Kelly Wilkins said...

Hi Chenoa,
Wow! What a great idea re: the Blog Homework. It's so good to see that we are all embracing this e-world and really putting it into exciting ideas of how to engage our students. I believe that the these blogs can also create a feeling of anonymity and therefore students might be more inclined to actually engage with eachother a bit more. I also think this could cut out a bit of the 'hierarchy' that comes with the different age groups. As much as cyber bullying is a very real and important issue, these blogs would obviously be monitored by the teachers and so students would be very bold to be actually doing this in black and white for all to see. I tend to think that cyper bullying may be such a big problem due to the 'authoritive figures' like teachers not being able to monitor these things because they don't understand them. Teachers getting more and more involved in the students 'e-world's' would have to be a step in the right direction wouldn't it?

Regards
Kelly

Melissa said...

Hi Chenoa,

Well done! This would incorporate both the English and ICT Essential Learnings. I wonder how you would actually make it happen in the classroom? Perhaps the use of alias for privacy reasons?

Fantastic idea!
Melissa.

Alice Stintman said...

Hey Chenoa,

I love the idea of students creating their homework using icts. I know the problem may arise as to who has the internet and computer at home, however i think that these days most people do so i don't think that this would be an issue.

I also agree with what kelly said about using it as a social networking tool amongst students and their peers. I know myself it is much easier to chat over the internet sometimes than in person.

I think this is a great tool and we as future educators should incorporate it into our classrooms as much as possible, both as an engagement tool for the kids and also for teachers to keep in touch with technology as it rapidly advances.

Great idea Chenoa would love to hear if anyone has seen this in action in a classroom

Alice

Alice Stintman said...

Hey again,

I just read your post about people born after you. Well i wasm much the same as you and thought i was pretty up there with technology, i was born in 1989 and have always had a computer at home. However it hasn't been until now that i have realised how left behind i am with technology and i have only been out of school for 3 years. I hope that makes you feel a bit better! Alice

Natalie said...

Hello Chenoa!
I think this is a great idea. It would help children using a variety of learning styles. Children can work together and share their ideas about the homework topics. It would also be a great way for the teacher to understand the children on a more personal level.

This is something we could all look into when we become teachers :)

- Natalie

amandaslearningblog said...

Hiya Chenoa,

I totally agree with. I am currently in a year 7 class and know that the students would be more engaged (and willing) if ICTs were incorporated into all the lessons. I would like the class to create their own blogs, but am concerned about cyberbullying. We have already had an incident this year with some girls setting up a fake blog under someone elses name, and posting wicked things about other students. I'm not going to give up though, as I know that the students, myself and the environment will reap the rewards.
After all, aren't we meant to be managing these students for their future?

:)Mandy