Comments on: Trying a course blog? Trying to get others to blog? http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/ Tips, tutorials, and commentary on pedagogy, productivity, and technology in higher education. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:14:48 -0500 hourly 1 By: Wordcamp 2009: See Ya There? « DURABLE PURPOSE http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-5495 Wordcamp 2009: See Ya There? « DURABLE PURPOSE Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:53:44 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-5495 <p>[...] to enliven and re-engage their teaching. (Read some selections from this on-going conversation here, here, here, and here.) Seeing the pedagogical potential of blogs in action sealed the deal: I was [...]</p> [...] to enliven and re-engage their teaching. (Read some selections from this on-going conversation here, here, here, and here.) Seeing the pedagogical potential of blogs in action sealed the deal: I was [...]

]]> By: Lessons from a First-Time Course Blogger : Teaching Blog at Baruch College http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-928 Lessons from a First-Time Course Blogger : Teaching Blog at Baruch College Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:39:23 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-928 <p>[...] on teaching with blogs by Hillary Miller, which has gotten a fair share of attention, including a couple of plugs on Prof. Hacker, a new, high-volume, high-profile blog on teaching and technology. [...]</p> [...] on teaching with blogs by Hillary Miller, which has gotten a fair share of attention, including a couple of plugs on Prof. Hacker, a new, high-volume, high-profile blog on teaching and technology. [...]

]]> By: William Patrick Wend http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-223 William Patrick Wend Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:37:13 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-223 <p>Thank you, Julie. I've been using WordPress on my own domain and other projects for a number of years. In recent years I have also used wordpress.com for projects so I am very comfortable using them. For now, as much as I'd like to try something new for content management I think I will have plenty of other concerns in my first semester so I will stick with what I already know.</p> Thank you, Julie. I’ve been using WordPress on my own domain and other projects for a number of years. In recent years I have also used wordpress.com for projects so I am very comfortable using them. For now, as much as I’d like to try something new for content management I think I will have plenty of other concerns in my first semester so I will stick with what I already know.

]]> By: The week in review: backing up, organizing, and other pre-semester activities http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-167 The week in review: backing up, organizing, and other pre-semester activities Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:35:55 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-167 <p>[...] Post of the week this time is Julie’s overview of introducing and integrating blogging into the classroom, which has also sparked helpful responses elsewhere by Mark Sample and Nate Kogan.  And if you’re thinking of blogging, or using any technology in class, then you’ll want to think about what role you’ll take up as a result, and learn from the experiences of other first-timers. [...]</p> [...] Post of the week this time is Julie’s overview of introducing and integrating blogging into the classroom, which has also sparked helpful responses elsewhere by Mark Sample and Nate Kogan.  And if you’re thinking of blogging, or using any technology in class, then you’ll want to think about what role you’ll take up as a result, and learn from the experiences of other first-timers. [...]

]]> By: Julie Meloni http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Julie Meloni Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:33:16 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-166 <p>Using WordPress as a content management system for yourself and your class is an excellent way to maintain control over your content and to build up an archive of your own work (depending on the organization of your sites). I recommend it quite a bit to people who do not necessarily have the skill or desire to create a standalone web site for themselves (not implying that's you); WordPress templates and the administrative interface is top-notch for most things. Good luck!</p> Using WordPress as a content management system for yourself and your class is an excellent way to maintain control over your content and to build up an archive of your own work (depending on the organization of your sites). I recommend it quite a bit to people who do not necessarily have the skill or desire to create a standalone web site for themselves (not implying that’s you); WordPress templates and the administrative interface is top-notch for most things. Good luck!

]]> By: William Patrick Wend http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-158 William Patrick Wend Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:28:16 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-158 <p>I am going to be a first time adjunct this fall. My plan is to create a wordpress.com weblog for both sections of my course in order to keep digital copies of the syllabus, course schedule, handouts, etc. I would like to be completely paper free, but I am not sure how much access my students have to computer labs/Internet at home quite yet so I will wade my toe in gently this first semester.</p> I am going to be a first time adjunct this fall. My plan is to create a wordpress.com weblog for both sections of my course in order to keep digital copies of the syllabus, course schedule, handouts, etc. I would like to be completely paper free, but I am not sure how much access my students have to computer labs/Internet at home quite yet so I will wade my toe in gently this first semester.

]]> By: Julie Meloni http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145 Julie Meloni Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:48:17 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-145 <p>Sheesh. I could have just linked to that guide instead of writing my own post! :)</p> Sheesh. I could have just linked to that guide instead of writing my own post! :)

]]> By: Hillary Miller http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-144 Hillary Miller Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:26:45 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-144 <p>Thanks for linking to the post, it's great to see that it's starting (/continuing) the conversation about course blogs, especially from an adjunct perspective. Interesting too to read in the comments that course blogs can facilitate further independence from the university on the part of the instructor in certain cases, rather than a tighter tethering...</p> <p>Also, I agree that it's a great tool for archival purposes, and holds much potential there. Building on past course blogs is somehow much more manageable and dynamic for this than the filing approach of blackboard!</p> Thanks for linking to the post, it’s great to see that it’s starting (/continuing) the conversation about course blogs, especially from an adjunct perspective. Interesting too to read in the comments that course blogs can facilitate further independence from the university on the part of the instructor in certain cases, rather than a tighter tethering…

Also, I agree that it’s a great tool for archival purposes, and holds much potential there. Building on past course blogs is somehow much more manageable and dynamic for this than the filing approach of blackboard!

]]> By: Integrating, Evaluating, and Managing Blogging in the Classroom http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Integrating, Evaluating, and Managing Blogging in the Classroom Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:44:37 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-109 <p>[...] a previous Prof. Hacker post, Jason Jones linked to Hillary Miller’s “Lessons from a First-Time Course [...]</p> [...] a previous Prof. Hacker post, Jason Jones linked to Hillary Miller’s “Lessons from a First-Time Course [...]

]]> By: G. Michael Guy http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-89 G. Michael Guy Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:03:31 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-89 <p>One more thing to note...</p> <p>I host my own blog (and website!) at my own (tax deductible?) expense. This rids me of the need to deal with the IT department of whatever institution I'm working for. Hence my blog is my constant platform, no matter where my position takes me... And it's as flexible as I make it...</p> One more thing to note…

I host my own blog (and website!) at my own (tax deductible?) expense. This rids me of the need to deal with the IT department of whatever institution I’m working for. Hence my blog is my constant platform, no matter where my position takes me… And it’s as flexible as I make it…

]]> By: G. Michael Guy http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-88 G. Michael Guy Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:54:11 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-88 <p>As a full-time assistant prof of mathematics AND an adjunct (who not so long ago transitioned from being a grad student TA), I make heavy use of class blogs. I've been doing this for the last few years, actually. I have found the success of them varies a lot depending on the population of students. I find it very helpful to disseminate information via a blog so that I don't have to repeat info for those who are absent, absent minded or otherwise unaware of classroom events. Some students are motivated to go to the blog and find the answers to their questions before asking. Others ask, only to be redirected to the blog. The question I hate the most is, "where do I find the blog?" half way through the term. Clearly those students have missed out on ALL the assignments and other resources posted there. Just this last year, I started handing out "business cards" to each student in lieu of a paper syllabus. On the postcard sized, self printed card, I clearly post the web address, my email, links to other useful parts of my website, and other important class info. This seems to have changed the question from, "where do I find the blog?" to "can I get another one of those cards?" I guess that's progress...</p> <p>Biggest advantage of blogs: blogs are public!! This means there is no crazy login, password, weird interface or whatever to deal with when accessing them. This makes them perfectly suited for viewing on a variety of browsers and phones that students and I use to view content. What's so secretive about what homework problems I assigned anyway? Why hide them away?</p> <p>I keep blog archives for each course and these serve as a digital record of my last time teaching a course. It guides me as I teach the course again and thereby minimizing my need to rethink through every aspect of a class. I post those publicly as well. I have no idea if students ever reference them, but I certainly do!</p> <p>A bit more on the adjunct side of things... One of the reasons I started a blog was for the transient aspects of my adjunct position. I didn't want to be bothered by learning a new system at each new place. I didn't want to have to figure out the "Blackboard" equivalent at new places over and over again. All I needed to figure out was how to post the single link to my blog, and then move on to a familiar format. Also, as an adjunct, I wanted to minimize my outside of classroom student interaction (should I be embarrassed to say this? irresponsible? no to both!), so posting things on the blog was a "one stop shop" for me and then I was done.</p> <p>I expect my blog use to evolve to adapt to the many communication needs of my students and myself...</p> As a full-time assistant prof of mathematics AND an adjunct (who not so long ago transitioned from being a grad student TA), I make heavy use of class blogs. I’ve been doing this for the last few years, actually. I have found the success of them varies a lot depending on the population of students. I find it very helpful to disseminate information via a blog so that I don’t have to repeat info for those who are absent, absent minded or otherwise unaware of classroom events. Some students are motivated to go to the blog and find the answers to their questions before asking. Others ask, only to be redirected to the blog. The question I hate the most is, “where do I find the blog?” half way through the term. Clearly those students have missed out on ALL the assignments and other resources posted there. Just this last year, I started handing out “business cards” to each student in lieu of a paper syllabus. On the postcard sized, self printed card, I clearly post the web address, my email, links to other useful parts of my website, and other important class info. This seems to have changed the question from, “where do I find the blog?” to “can I get another one of those cards?” I guess that’s progress…

Biggest advantage of blogs: blogs are public!! This means there is no crazy login, password, weird interface or whatever to deal with when accessing them. This makes them perfectly suited for viewing on a variety of browsers and phones that students and I use to view content. What’s so secretive about what homework problems I assigned anyway? Why hide them away?

I keep blog archives for each course and these serve as a digital record of my last time teaching a course. It guides me as I teach the course again and thereby minimizing my need to rethink through every aspect of a class. I post those publicly as well. I have no idea if students ever reference them, but I certainly do!

A bit more on the adjunct side of things… One of the reasons I started a blog was for the transient aspects of my adjunct position. I didn’t want to be bothered by learning a new system at each new place. I didn’t want to have to figure out the “Blackboard” equivalent at new places over and over again. All I needed to figure out was how to post the single link to my blog, and then move on to a familiar format. Also, as an adjunct, I wanted to minimize my outside of classroom student interaction (should I be embarrassed to say this? irresponsible? no to both!), so posting things on the blog was a “one stop shop” for me and then I was done.

I expect my blog use to evolve to adapt to the many communication needs of my students and myself…

]]> By: John Jones http://www.profhacker.com/2009/08/11/trying-a-course-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-82 John Jones Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:27:38 +0000 http://www.profhacker.com/?p=333#comment-82 <p>In this vein, the CWRL at UT-Austin recently published a <a href="http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/node/1374" rel="nofollow">guide with tips for instructors using blogs</a> in their classes. Some of the information is specific to UT courses, but most of the information is generalizable to blogging in any course.</p> In this vein, the CWRL at UT-Austin recently published a guide with tips for instructors using blogs in their classes. Some of the information is specific to UT courses, but most of the information is generalizable to blogging in any course.

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