blogging in primary education (Shannon)
By now, you have all heard the podcast contributions of the fourth graders. Based on what you have heard and read in the COA section by Miles Berry, how do you envision blogs being used in the elementary art classroom? Which of the challenges outlined by Berry will be the most important to confront? Are the challenges greater or lesser for the art teacher at the elementary level? Is it feasible to even discuss blogging with 4th graders in the public schools of today?
Comments
Honestly, I still primarily think of podcasting with junior high and high schoolers. At least most of the thoughts inspired Miles Berry's blogging commentary in COA automatically applied to that age group. However, I could envision blogs being used in the elementary art classroom to respond to and analyze artwork collectively. Right now I am having my third graders write a myth which they will then make into a pop-up book, and they are really struggling to create stories which make sense and move in natural sequence. I'm wondering if having them blog their stories and making them note problems in the narrative or ask for more explanation from each other would help them understand what they're missing. As Berry notes, one of the major challenges would be the kids writing unkind, unproductive insults about each other's work. Also, that class's typing skills have a very broad range. I'm worried some kids feel overwhelmed. I'm afraid that most of my elementary kids wouldn't understand how to blog or be mature enough to really use this resource. 4th to 5th grade would probably be the youngest ages with which I'd try using blogs in class. I don't think most US 4th grade classrooms are ready for blogging. It may be feasible to discuss blogging with 4th graders in the public schools of today if those are students with lots of access to technology at home and at school so they'd be savvy enough to navigate, create, and contribute to blogs.
Posted by: shannon | April 4, 2007 5:28 PM
I think that elementary students could make group podcasts that would be compelling. Especially if the podcasts were interdisciplinary and they could work to incorporate the group's existing knowledge on a topic, then add to the podcast as they learn, and then have a wrap up podcast at the end where they recap what was covered and show how their ideas changed over the course of the term.
If students are overwhelmed by typing a blog, then can they be paired with other students who can type better. Or what if there could be something arranged with a local middle or high school where each younger child is paired with an older child and they work together to create a blog of some sort. That could be pretty interesting.
Posted by: katie | April 12, 2007 2:08 PM