The first panel I attended at NJCEA was the Teaching With Technology one early in the day. Julie Cassidy was the first speaker. Cassidy spoke about requiring students to creat commonplace blogs for her classes. This is an idea I am going to try and implement into my courses this fall. Right now, I am thinking of using Tumblr for this. ()

  • According to Cassidy, blogs allow conversation to begin before class.
  • Students are required to pull three quotes for each story/novel/etc
  • An example of Dr. Cassidy’s classes.
  • Blogs are low stakes, informal, writing, so lots of room for reflection.
  • Cassidy has students use WordPress for the assignment. I’m leaning towards using Tumblr.
  • The required quotes can be worked into prep for paper writing.
Next, Geoff Klock spoke about pacing and technology in the classroom.
  • Klock uses film clips in class to break up discussion.
  • Klock used to use Youtube in class, but he found the clips were too low quality. He now uses DVDShrink, which I have used in Windows before, and MPEGClipStream to pull clips. Is there a Linux version? DVDShrink doesn’t work too well in WINE.
  • Klock also incorporates mp3′s of poems into discussion. I am going to start doing that later this summer.
  • Klock argues that clips bring back interest. Clips refresh class discussion and bring full attention back.
Finally, Megan Titus spoke about student perceptions and blogging.
  • Titus has used edublogs in the past, but they have spammed students.
  • Blogs help teach ethical responsibility and community.
  • Professional writing is increasingly online.
  • Blogging increases opportunity to practice argumentation, citation, and ethics.
  • Titus requires proposals, which are peer reviewed by students and Titus.

Related posts:

  1. Technology In The Classroom
  2. NJCEA Presentation: The Gaping Garments of Electronic Literature
  3. Crowdsourcing My Grammar Exam
  4. Spring Symposium
  5. Teaching Borges