Will Richardson included on one of yesterday’s blog postings, quotes from two students, who were blogging in a summer class being taught by beginning edublogger, Pat Aroune. I thought that both quotes were especially telling about education and the potential impact that blogging can have as a learning technology. It’s giving voice to learners.
Here is the first quote:
I’ve learned in a way that tailors to my interests, what with using the internet to its fullest extent and writing about things that I am interested in. I would write about things like snowboarding, soccer, filmaking, eating, sleeping… whatever I wished, as long as I related it to economics. After doing this for a while, I started to realize that I was learning much faster than I would have normally by reading a boring (sorry, they almost always are) textbook. Not only could I write about things that I like and post them, but others could view those posts, as could I theirs, and consequently learn from their experiences and interests as well.
Now, what does this say to you?
This second quote is a bit less enthusiastic about blogging. However, I think that there is an important message here as well. What do you think it is?
To be quiet honest, I’ve become so accustomed to the “old skool†way of learning through the textbook and lectures, taking tests, and writing essays, that it’s just how I learn the easiest. It’s all I’ve known. How is this blogging thing gonna really help me? How am I even gonna know what to do? What does my teacher expect from me and how will I be able to meet those expectations? That was the main question right there. I’ve found that I learn in a way that requires a lot of structure. Someone tells me what to do and how they want it done, and like the mindless little nerd-monkey that I am, I do it.
Please post a comment with your insights about either or both of these student quotes.
This is a blog assignment for administrators I am working with in Ontario. However, anyone can participate in this discussion.
