As the semester gets fully under way and we start posting more often to my Web log and the blogs we're starting in Communications 337, we will be commenting on each other's posts and reacting to each other's ideas. I hope we'll be using the technology to form virtual communities, one in COMM 150 and one in COMM 337.
"A virtual community, according to Wikipedia, "is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals. ... These virtual communities all encourage interaction, sometimes focusing around a particular interest, or sometimes just to communicate. Quality virtual communities do both. They allow users to interact over a shared passion, whether it be through message boards, chat rooms, social networking sites, or virtual worlds."
Adds Wikipedia, "Virtual communities resemble real life communities in the sense that they both provide support, information, friendship and acceptance between strangers." That's why we can call them communities.
I also try to maintain my classes as learning communities. That means, among other things, students can feel safe with each other. When I first began to move class discussion onto the internet 10 years ago, I developed a civility statement for a message board I used in my classes. I have revised it a little and posted it to the student blog directory on The Mackerel Wrapper. As revised, the civility reads as follows:
Web logs evaluated for course credit in my classes comprise a virtual community and an electronic extension of my classroom. In asking students to post to blogs, as in all of my classes, I encourage you to think for yourselves and try out new ideas; to do that safely, we have to respect and trust each other. Therefore, I must ask that we refrain from negative personal comments or "flame wars" on line. What sounds like friendly kidding when we're F2F (face-to-face) with each other can look hostile and intimidating in writing.It applies to students in COMM 150 and 337 alike.
Please also note: When I was adding the civility statement, I also revised the COMM 337 syllabus to bring its language closer to the statement in COMM 150 asking students to "please be considerate and respectful of one another" and turn off cell phones, among other things. New language in each syllabus is underlined.
7 comments:
Being in COMM 337, I think most of us are interested in the Communications field. Without an open mind, we can't communicate effectively! I hope every body is- in fact- respectful of others and learn to view new ideas from a different persepctive. I have learned a lot from my classmates over the last sevearl years!
Thanks for posting! When I get my student evaluations at the end of the semester, a lot of students say they really like posting to the blog and seeing what their classmates had to say. There's sort of a "gee, I hadn't thought of that" effect that really promotes learning. Don Murray calls it surprise.
Yes blogging is genius for the COMM classes. I feel it is a great use of technology at its best rather than having to buy an extra notebook to keep "journal enteries" Being able to just type is much faster and easier in my eyes
I completely agree. Being able to blog about what you got out of whatever we are doing, and then also see what other people got out of it brings new perspective. I like it!
i think that blogging has become a huge part of the communications field and im glad that we are incorporating blogging into this class
This is all new to me. I think I must have been living under a rock for the last 10 years. Hopefully the more I comment the easier it will get. I must say I do like seeing others prespective.
Blogging is a great way for students to connect with each other. Incorporating blogging into the class provides students with a platform to promote helpful and useful discussion.
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