B l o g g i n g i n R W S 1 0 0:

Assessment and Reflection

A m y A l l e n & M i c a h J e n d i a nFinalFinal pICTpICT PresentationsPresentations –– SanSan DiegoDiego StateState UniversityUniversity

January 10, 2006January 10, 2006

Teaching students to construct an

effective account of a complicated

argument

Intermediary GOALS via BLOGGING Increase Student Engagement Foster a Greater Sense of Community

Our Blog Assignments Were Designed To:

Pique student intellectual curiosity / interest in the texts with which we build the core course skills

Improve student habits of mind regarding critical reading, thinking, and writing

Cultivate students’ sense of value in the critical literacy skills at the center of course

1. The blog accounts were relatively easy to set up and to post entries on in response to given course assignments.

2. The blogs increased my level of engagement in the course—with the course theme, the readings, and writing assignments.

3. The blogs contributed to my sense of community in the classroom (I felt a part of a larger conversation and had a general interest in other students’ blogs and ideas related to the readings and course theme).

4. Would you recommend the use of blogs in future RWS 100 courses?

88%

59%

58%

64%

• The blogs were a tough to set up and more of a hassle than a helping tool.

• A good idea in theory, but in reality they did not really enrich my experience in the course.

5. Briefly describe your general perspective on blogging in RWS 100. What suggestions, if any, do you have for making blogs a more meaningful component of this course?

• It was okay.

• It was a different experience, but overall it did not enhance my view on the class or make it more interesting.

• The blogging increased my participation in the class and my interaction with the other students. I think we should’ve used the blogs a lot more during the semester.

• The blogs were a fun way to get to know the other students’ perspectives on the in-class material. They were not quite as academic, so it was an effective way to discuss the material without having the pressure of writing a perfect paper. However, not everyone participated in the blogs, so that was kind of a bummer.

• The blogs were a great way to communicate with other members of the class. Some people are better at expressing their thoughts in writing rather than in person. It was definitely a meaningful component and it should be used in the rws class each semester.

5. Briefly describe your general perspective on blogging in RWS 100. What suggestions, if any, do you have for making blogs a more meaningful component of this course?

Toward a More Successful Implementation

• Revisit often the purpose and value

• Address decreased investment as the semester progressed

• Increase student-to-student responses

• Provide more instructor feedback on student blogs

To Be Continued