Blogging as Pedagogic Blogging as Pedagogic Practice Across the Practice Across the

CurriculumCurriculum

Ken RonkowitzKen Ronkowitz

Bloomfield College Bloomfield College Faculty Technology ShowcaseFaculty Technology Showcase

January 2009January 2009

Most discussion and research on blogs Most discussion and research on blogs and teaching and learning in higher and teaching and learning in higher education focuses on them as another education focuses on them as another technological tool. technological tool.

This session looks at the use of This session looks at the use of blogging as a way to address blogging as a way to address traditional writing practices. traditional writing practices.

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW WHY use blogging?WHY use blogging? WHEN did this begin?WHEN did this begin? WHAT is it being used for in WHAT is it being used for in

education?education? HOW do you get started?HOW do you get started? WHO is doing this?WHO is doing this? WHERE can I get more information?WHERE can I get more information?

- Howard Rheingold, Participative Pedagogy for a Literacy of Literacies

If print culture shaped the environment in which the Enlightenment blossomed and set the scene for the Industrial Revolution, participatory media might similarly shape the cognitive and social environments in which twenty-first century life will take place (a shift in the way our culture operates). For this reason, participatory media literacy is not another subject to be shoehorned into the curriculum as job training for knowledge workers.

Educational BloggingEducational Blogging Using college-wide blogging tools or Using college-wide blogging tools or

free blogging services, instructors in free blogging services, instructors in varied disciplines are addressing:varied disciplines are addressing: e-portfoliose-portfolios Writing concepts (audience, voice…)Writing concepts (audience, voice…) PublishingPublishing copyright and plagiarismcopyright and plagiarism authentic writingauthentic writing writing in a digital agewriting in a digital age

Those of us striving to integrate Those of us striving to integrate participatory media literacy practices participatory media literacy practices into our classes often face resistance.  into our classes often face resistance.  Other faculty might argue that we are Other faculty might argue that we are turning away from the foundations of turning away from the foundations of print literacy, or worse, pandering to print literacy, or worse, pandering to our tech-obsessed students.  our tech-obsessed students. 

Meanwhile, students might resist too, Meanwhile, students might resist too, wondering why they have to learn to wondering why they have to learn to use a wiki in an anthropology class. use a wiki in an anthropology class.      

The surprising-to-most-people-fact is The surprising-to-most-people-fact is that that students would prefer less technology in the classroom - - especially participatory technologies especially participatory technologies that force them to do something other that force them to do something other than sit back and memorize material for than sit back and memorize material for a regurgitation exercise.  a regurgitation exercise. 

We use social media in the classroom We use social media in the classroom not because our students use it, but not because our students use it, but because we are afraid that social media because we are afraid that social media might be might be using themusing them - that they are - that they are using social media blindly, without using social media blindly, without recognition of the new challenges and recognition of the new challenges and opportunities they might create. opportunities they might create.

Michael Wesch, Michael Wesch, Participatory Media Literacy: Why it mattersParticipatory Media Literacy: Why it matters on his on his blog blog Digital EthnographyDigital Ethnography

WHEN WHEN

History History "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger in "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger in

1997 and the shortened "blog" Peter 1997 and the shortened "blog" Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase “we blog” on his weblog into the phrase “we blog” on his blog Peterme.com in 1999.blog Peterme.com in 1999.

Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb and devised the both a noun and verb and devised the term "blogger" in connection with their term "blogger" in connection with their Blogger product (acquired by Google).Blogger product (acquired by Google).

Precursors might include Usenet, online Precursors might include Usenet, online services such as Genie & CompuServe and services such as Genie & CompuServe and Bulletin Board Systems. In the 1990s, Bulletin Board Systems. In the 1990s, Internet forum software created running Internet forum software created running conversations with "threads" - topical conversations with "threads" - topical connections between messages on a connections between messages on a metaphorical "corkboard."metaphorical "corkboard."

Web + Log = blogWeb + Log = blog A web site, usually maintained by an A web site, usually maintained by an

individual with regular entries of individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or other material such as graphics or video. video.

Entries are commonly displayed in Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. reverse-chronological order. – personal “diary” orpersonal “diary” or– public forum on a topic (politics, hobby, public forum on a topic (politics, hobby,

research...)research...)– corporate and commercial blogscorporate and commercial blogs

http://technorati.com/pop/blogs/ http://technorati.com/pop/blogs/

Reading BlogsReading Blogs According to 2006 survey by the Pew According to 2006 survey by the Pew

Internet and American Life ProjectInternet and American Life Project– 39% of Internet users (57 million 39% of Internet users (57 million

American adults) said they read blogsAmerican adults) said they read blogs– An increase of 27% from 2004An increase of 27% from 2004

Universal McCann (March 2008) Universal McCann (March 2008) determined that there are 184 determined that there are 184 million blogs worldwide and 26.4 million blogs worldwide and 26.4 million are in the United States. million are in the United States. – Blog readers = 346 million worldwide Blog readers = 346 million worldwide

with 60.3 million being Americans. with 60.3 million being Americans. – 77% of active Internet users report that 77% of active Internet users report that

they read blogs. they read blogs.

Where are blogs headed?Where are blogs headed? Tumblelogs http://ronk.tumblr.com Tumblelogs http://ronk.tumblr.com Microblogging (short posts using Microblogging (short posts using

Twitter)Twitter) Moblog (via mobile phones) Moblog (via mobile phones)

It may already be too late to save It may already be too late to save blogging in education….blogging in education….

WHATWHAT

http://www.edtechpost.ca/gems/http://www.edtechpost.ca/gems/matrix2.gifmatrix2.gif

Blogs Offer Students & Blogs Offer Students & TeachersTeachers

online discussion through time-online discussion through time-stamped commentsstamped comments

video posting (vlog) video posting (vlog) podcastingpodcasting posting via email & cell phoneposting via email & cell phone free web space for class materials, free web space for class materials,

portfolios, projectsportfolios, projects minimal web design skills requiredminimal web design skills required

Blogs being used as...Blogs being used as... HypertextHypertext Journalism (politics) & convergence Journalism (politics) & convergence

journalism (NY Times)journalism (NY Times) Promotional tool – corporate, product Promotional tool – corporate, product

blogsblogs Community of interest – poets, Community of interest – poets,

software (non-corporate)software (non-corporate) Personal writing Personal writing Media delivery– Vlog (Video), Photolog, Media delivery– Vlog (Video), Photolog,

linklog, sketchlog (artist portfolio), linklog, sketchlog (artist portfolio), podcastingpodcasting

Early LessonsEarly Lessons Your blog should have a basic Your blog should have a basic

“mission statement” or “about” that “mission statement” or “about” that shows the shows the intentintent of the blog of the blog

Who is your Who is your audienceaudience? ? an ideal reader an ideal reader & your emerging audience needs& your emerging audience needs

Developing a Developing a voicevoice Conventions, formalityConventions, formality Citation, copyrightCitation, copyright

Blogosphere ConventionsBlogosphere Conventions Regular postingRegular posting Hyperlinks to additional materials & Hyperlinks to additional materials &

sourcessources References to other blogs via linksReferences to other blogs via links Less formal writing style?Less formal writing style? Allowing/encouraging comments, Allowing/encouraging comments,

interaction and sharing of contentinteraction and sharing of content

WRITERS AS READERSWRITERS AS READERSReading & Subscribing to Blogs Reading & Subscribing to Blogs

Using RSS and services that aggregate Using RSS and services that aggregate your subscriptions in one place. your subscriptions in one place. – Bloglines.com or Google Reader allow you Bloglines.com or Google Reader allow you

to pull blogs that you have subscribed to to pull blogs that you have subscribed to and show you unread entries in one placeand show you unread entries in one place

– You can browse their directories in You can browse their directories in different categories and see what is different categories and see what is popular. All it takes to add a site is a click.popular. All it takes to add a site is a click.

HOWHOW

Getting Started - Blog HostsGetting Started - Blog Hosts

FREE blogger.com (from Google) and FREE blogger.com (from Google) and livejournal.com, wordpress.comlivejournal.com, wordpress.com edublogs.org - edublogs.org - Create your own ad-free fully featured Create your own ad-free fully featured

WordPress blog including free assessment tool from the WordPress blog including free assessment tool from the

Chalkface Project and an ad-free wikispaceChalkface Project and an ad-free wikispace Students may be familiar with sites such as Students may be familiar with sites such as

MySpace.com, Vox.com which offer blogging.MySpace.com, Vox.com which offer blogging. And paid services such as typepad.comAnd paid services such as typepad.com

Many Styles & Templates Many Styles & Templates OfferedOffered

WHOWHO

Elements of Design - NJITElements of Design - NJIT Blog as writing portfolioBlog as writing portfolio Reflections on course modulesReflections on course modules A tool for web designA tool for web design

http://http://globonautenglish.blogspot.com/globonautenglish.blogspot.com/

http://walkmethru.blogspot.com/http://walkmethru.blogspot.com/ http://quirkitecture.blogspot.com/http://quirkitecture.blogspot.com/

BLOGGING FOR DOLLARS: AN ENGAGING STUDENT

ACTIVITY

by Jonathan Goodman, FDU

Premise: Online Advertising Premise: Online Advertising DollarsDollars

In 2006, advertisers spent $16.9 In 2006, advertisers spent $16.9 billion on-line, up steadily each year billion on-line, up steadily each year from $6 billion in 2002.from $6 billion in 2002.

According to the Internet Advertising According to the Internet Advertising Bureau In the first half of 2007, on-Bureau In the first half of 2007, on-line advertising reached nearly $10 line advertising reached nearly $10 billion, a nearly 27 percent increase billion, a nearly 27 percent increase over the first half of 2006. over the first half of 2006.

His Blog ProjectHis Blog Project Students built individual blogs.Students built individual blogs.

– Subjects chosen by students ranged from Subjects chosen by students ranged from horticulture to who is hotter.horticulture to who is hotter.

– Installed Google advertising applicationInstalled Google advertising application– Installed Google analytics programInstalled Google analytics program– Installed AddThis button for easy submission of Installed AddThis button for easy submission of

data to websites.data to websites.– Discussed Google Alerts.Discussed Google Alerts.

16 Students – 11 Seniors, 2 Juniors, 2 16 Students – 11 Seniors, 2 Juniors, 2 Sophomore, 1 Non-MatriculatedSophomore, 1 Non-Matriculated

Majority Majors: Entrepreneurial Majority Majors: Entrepreneurial Studies, Communication, Studies, Communication, ManagementManagement

No Previous Blog ExperienceNo Previous Blog Experience

Top PerformerTop Performer Posted 31 times throughout semesterPosted 31 times throughout semester Primary Focus – Hot or NotPrimary Focus – Hot or Not 257 Visitors257 Visitors 673 Page Views673 Page Views Average Time on Site: 3:46Average Time on Site: 3:46 Bounce Rate: 55.25% - Refers to the number of visitors Bounce Rate: 55.25% - Refers to the number of visitors

who only go to home page and then leave.who only go to home page and then leave. New Visitors: 36.19% - Momentum of interest by return New Visitors: 36.19% - Momentum of interest by return

viewers.viewers. $6.84 Advertising Revenue$6.84 Advertising Revenue Top Five Countries: United States, Israel, Australia, Top Five Countries: United States, Israel, Australia,

United Kingdom, CanadaUnited Kingdom, Canada Top US States: NJ, NY, PA, CA, VATop US States: NJ, NY, PA, CA, VA Top NJ Towns: South Orange, Short Hills, Livingston, Top NJ Towns: South Orange, Short Hills, Livingston,

Summit, East OrangeSummit, East Orange Traffic: Direct, Blogger, FacebookTraffic: Direct, Blogger, Facebook

WHEREWHERE

Colleges Blogging As MarketingColleges Blogging As Marketing

http://mylife.udayton.eduhttp://mylife.udayton.edu www.clarkson.edu/clarkson_experience/blogs www.clarkson.edu/clarkson_experience/blogs Ball State University Ball State University

http://www.bsu.edu/reallifehttp://www.bsu.edu/reallife St. Thomas (Minnesota) St. Thomas (Minnesota)

www.stthomas.edu/admis/undergraduate/blowww.stthomas.edu/admis/undergraduate/blogsgs//

University of Vermont University of Vermont http://http://adms.blog.uvm.eduadms.blog.uvm.edu

University of Sydney University of Sydney http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/sydneylife/http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/sydneylife/

http://http://archinect.comarchinect.com collects blogs by collects blogs by architecture students at schools all over the architecture students at schools all over the world.world.

Corporate BloggingCorporate Blogging

Google Google http://http://googleblog.blogspot.comgoogleblog.blogspot.com//

Sun Microsystem's offers blogs to "any Sun Microsystem's offers blogs to "any Sun employee to write about anything" Sun employee to write about anything" http://blogs.sun.com http://blogs.sun.com

Microsoft has several public product Microsoft has several public product blogs http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/ blogs http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/topnews/http://www.nytimes.com/ref/topnews/blog-index.html The blog-index.html The TimesTimes has many has many writers also blogging.writers also blogging.

Two of My Own BlogsTwo of My Own Blogs

http://dl.njit.edu/serendipity/ http://dl.njit.edu/serendipity/ – Serendipity35 on learning and technologySerendipity35 on learning and technology

http://poetsonline.blogspot.comhttp://poetsonline.blogspot.com – companion blog to a website for poetry at companion blog to a website for poetry at

poetsonline.org poetsonline.org

CONTACTCONTACT

Ken RonkowitzKen Ronkowitz

kronkowitz@pccc.edukronkowitz@pccc.edu