What do
you like / dislike about leaving comments? How did you feel when you received
your first comment? Why do you think commenting is so important in online
communities? What might this mean for students who share their writing online?
I enjoy leaving comments on blogs because it gives
me a sense of connection to a larger group of people. It also gives me a chance to leave positive
comments when I really agree with the blogger.
It is an affirming experience for me because I get to hear from other
educators who agree with my philosophy or help me to see things from a
different perspective. Sometimes it can
be difficult to compose a comment because of the limits of printed text. I find myself really analyzing my word choices
and the tone that I am using. I try to
review my comments from the bloggers point of view. It can be difficult to discern whether
comments will be taken in the way that I have intended. This process could be very powerful for
students. It is a “real world” way of
publishing work and receiving feedback.
It could cast the work or assignment in a more meaningful light and
increase the quality of the work that is presented by students.
I like that you recognize the importance of thinking about the perceptions your audience will pick up from your post. This is a more sophisticated form of writing that our students need to understand. For them, being online and connected is as vital as breathing air. Our writing curriculum needs to include opportunities for them to learn to write for a wider, public audience and to keep in mind what the audience will take away from their written message. It's a different forum that just writing a paper in class that only the teacher and possibly their grandma might read. Now they have a global audience and if they don't think critically before they post about what it is they want to communicate, they might miss the mark altogether and be thought of in a negative light. We don't want them to be afraid of becoming digital communicators, just to become more critical thinkers as writers and publishers online.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct about the vastness of the audience our students will encounter. They often haven't an inkling how their thoughts, words, pictures will carry out to others until the results of what they have posted are realized. It's a set of concepts that must be utilized as we use various technological constructs to steer these students in an ethical direction.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about blogs being a "real world" way of publishing and also the issues with conveying the proper tone in comments. Something meant to be nonchalant can be misconstrued as unkind. Students need to be aware of how to properly comment on blogs and how they can benefit from the comments they receive as well.
ReplyDelete