Journal #3 Keep them Chatting

Cole, Jeanie (2009,Feb). Keep them chatting. Learning and Leading, 36, Retrieved February 10, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200902

In this article, Jeanie Cole discusses some of the ways that educators can encourage students to go beyond the required answers to more meaningful and fun discussions on their blogs and wikis. Class blogs and wikis are fun, interactive ways for teachers to combine technology with classroom content knowledge. One issue that some teahcers have had with class blogs or online discussions is a lack of input or use by the students. They will post simply the required minumim. Cole discusses 4 ways to create posts that help get students' creative juices flowing. The 4 ways she suggests are high level open ended questions, the inquiry method, the discrepant event inquiry method, and illogical comparisons. Cole uses open ended question with high level thought process to promote student usage and encourage work that goes farther than cutting and pasting from Wikipedia. By using a blog or wiki for writing assignments versus just students creating individual papers, teachers can encourage collaboration between students. This allows the students to build upon each other's idea by adding comments or collaboratively creating work.

1. Does this have more implications in an elementary or high school setting?
I personally see this being utilized more in a high school setting where students are going to be more comfortable with the internet and higher level concepts. However, I think by 3th grade, students would be comfortable enough with the internet to be able to work on a wiki. Although, with the ease in which my 5 year old gets around on PBS. com, I suspect he might be ready to wiki earlier than 3rd grade.

2. How does peer evaluation aid in student learning?
Once students are comfortable with the standards that they should be writing to, a teacher can begin to institute peer evaluation. Peer evaluation is a great tool for students because it gives them a chance to read others' work and see other methods of writing or ideas that are presented. By commenting or evaluation, students become more familiar with the standards that they are working towards, so it will them in their own writing.