REFLECTIONS ON THE BLOG
Please post your reflections on the use of the blog in this class. What did you like about it? How did it help you in your learning process? What did it add to the class experience? Any suggestions on how to get more out of the blog?
30 Comments:
I felt that the blog was helpful in expanding the realm of not only the classroom, but also of our topics available to cover for class. I would have liked to hear back from Dr. Khan directly on some of the many postings that were up, just to get more of his point of view, or guidance on some of the topics (or devil's advocate?). Also, in the future, as we discussed in class about the large weight that the blog has on our grade, I would recommend fewer required postings, but minor extra credit, say, for those who complete 10 (to avoid extreme inflation of grades, say 10 is the max for extra credit possibility). I feel this, particuliarly because I had a hard time accessing the blog for probably the first month, so I immediately felt like I was behind. Also, since it was not always a present topic in class, I'd often forget to post blogs. But otherwise, I felt it was a helpful portion of the class.
Jacque DiMattia 12/6/05
I felt that the blogs were beneficial aspect to the course. It allowed me to integrate my knowledge from other disciplines. For example, I was able to apply my background in women's studies quite frequently, which most feel is a limited area of study. Also, it was interesting to read others take on both international and national policies. As a member of College Democrats, I usually only engage in discussion of these topics with my fellow liberals; however, the blog revealed perspectives from the entire political spectrum, particulary when discussing the US involvement in the Middle East and other policies set forth by the Bush administration. When overwhelmed by articles with topics that I had very little if any background on, I found it helpful to read others comments to better understand and then develop my own opinion.
I think that the blog was a helpful tool, but at the same time it was/is too much of a grade to be effective. As talked about in class there are students, myself included at some points, that just use and post on the blog to make sure they get their full credit for this part of the course. A lower percentage or less postings would be a better way to utilize the blog in the future. As for the content of the blog, I thought it was great. Using articles from newspapers and journals that we would rarely if ever see due to our geographic situation was helpful. It gave me a better understanding of how the rest of the world looked at issues, not just the American perspective. The blog is a useful tool for the course and should be part of future sections of this class.
Although I hated doing them, as I do all assigned reading (not going to lie) I felt like I got something out of doing these. The topics felt not only relevant to the class, but relevant to the world and what is going on. I think it's important to see things outside of the classroom, outside of the text books, and I think these blogs helped to link everything together. Also, even though our class wasn't really a class size able for discussion. I'm not the type of person to like to talk in class because I never seem to be able to make the point I want to. With the blog I feel like I can make a more comprehensive point and participate in class discussions. Overall- very helpful.
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I think the blog added a new dimension to a college class because it gives the opportunity for discussion outside of the classroom. Also the blog dealt with current events which relate to the student’s lives. I am a history education major and one thing that is always stressed to relate what the students are learning about to the current world and the blog did this. The blog helped me in the learning process because what was posted on the blog was usually related to what we were learning in class, therefore the blog gave me real world situations related to the theories we were learning about. I wish that more people would have responded to people’s posting instead of to the question Dr. Khan asked in the beginning of a post. I do not think that the blog should have had such a high percentage rate in the class because it made you post instead of just responding to an article you found interesting.
Stacey Closterman 12/7
In my opinion I thought that the blogs were a nice addition to the class. Prior to this class I have read several blogs but I have never taken part in discussing them with others. Being able to read the thoughts of other students from the class was a nice addition because it was something that we were not able to hear in class much. I think that in the future if might be a good idea if you also participated in the blogs as well raising questions that maybe we missed or just continuing to challenge us to think in different ways. Some of the responses at times could get a little redundant so maybe if you were able to jump in there and ask different questions it might have been able to keep some of the talks going and heading into new directions. If this was done it might have also eliminated one of the problems that you talked about in class about reading responses from people that looked like they didn’t even read the article. I think by just doing this it could bring a nice addition to the blogs and keep the talks fresh. Overall I found the blogs to be very helpful in seeing examples of some of the themes that we talked about in class and a good way for us to express some of our thoughts to the entire class.
kevin burke
dec 7, 2005
I think that blogs help because some people don't like to speak in large classes so this allows people to share their opinions and participate in what you could call class discussions. Although some people have commented that there was not very good dialogue because everyone was agreeing with everyone else, I still believe that the blogs were a useful tool for the class. I was motivated to read the articles because I knew I would be accountable for them through the blog. If I were just asked to read them for a large class without a test following them, I would be less inclined to do so. I liked the blog aspect of this class very much.
The blog is good in theory, and I believe it can be used as a tool for a better understanding of topics in class. Those unsure of lectures and readings may view what other students absorbed, and formulate their own ideas from a much broader base. Like Dr. Kahn Claimed, in a class the size of ours, its very hard to have everyone participate. Students tend to become timid which leads to a recessive approach to the class. Behind a computer screen and in the leisure of ones own time, students may participate.
The biggest problem to this approach of learning is similar to the argument of class size. The amount of postings, sometimes two per person makes dialogue and arguments difficult. Often times I was unable to get on the blog until 3-4 days after the initial post was made. By the time I was ready to post there would be 40 post already made. This post consisted of fragmented dialogues and random reflections of an article. This discouraged me to get involved because of delayed timing. The best solution I feel is creating two blog sites, one specifically for dialogue and one simply for reflections. If that is too much of a hassle maybe split the class up alphabetically and create two blog sites to reduce the sheer numbers of posts.
The blog was helpful in that it provided a means for students to be aware of current events, some that would not make it into our American media system. I was also able to get some fresh insight into how my peers around me felt about some substantial issues.
The blog was helpful in that it provided a means for students to be aware of current events, some that would not make it into our American media system. I was also able to get some fresh insight into how my peers around me felt about some substantial issues.
I thought the blogs were very helpful, in that it covered a variety of controversial topics. Also, it was interesting for me to read some of the comments of my classfellows and I got an American point of view on some Islamic issues. Plus, I thought that it was a good way to expand our realm of knowledge about the rest of the world. However, I must say that, most of the topics were South Asian related, and if the articles could have covered a larger realm of issues (not just in South Asia) but Africa, Europe, etc, it would have been benefitial. Oh, and not to forget, It made me do something productive rather than playing Harmonium.
I agree with what Dr. Khan said in class about the blog "forcing you to read" and reflect on issues you might not have thought twice about otherwise. Overall, I felt the blog was a useful learning tool and benefited me by expanding my knowledge on various issues in different countries. I agree with others when they say the overall content of the blog was sometimes lacking due to the quickness of people to write something simply to get the points for the grade. But at the same time I also think the grade is important because it keeps you engaged with the class so I'm not really sure what a good solution to that problem would be. One suggestion for the future, is that I would have liked to discuss some of the blog topics more frequently in class because I think many of the articles were good for debate. In a classroom discussion, students would have been able to support their responses on the blog and this would also give more incentive to stay updated.
Michael Donahue
The use of the blog really allows for a much more free and well thought out and developed discussion. The fact that people had time to think through the points they proceeded to make allows for less studdering and confusion. The only thing i did not so much lke is the blogs did not center around the readings for class very often. I know that the other readings each had something, or many things in some cases, to offer, but the book readings could be incorporated more i think. Possibly, an article could be cross examined with a reading from the book. Another thing i think should be incorporated is the use of more questions. I know that Dr. Khan mentioned in class that the asking of questions could be as meaningful as a paragraph, but i did not see students doing it so much. The types of dialogue that can be started with a question would enhance the effectiveness of the blog.
11/6/05 Matt Linder
I feel that the blog was a very interesting way to get us to read. I would agree with other that the articles and websites we visited through this semester were interesting. I would probably have not had the opportunity to visit them if it were not for this class. Although I may not have commented on everything I read, I always tried to visit the sites and read the articles. Our class was large and so during class lectures it was difficult to have extended conversations on the topics covered. You learned people’s different points of view and could form new opinions of the topics discussed. Having a requirement about how many we had to post did sometimes take away from the quality of posting. I sometimes was more concerned about at least posting something. With other classes and assignments I sometimes found it hard to get to the blog right away and as Andrew commented there would be lots of posts already. I think if I could do this again I would have maybe suggested other sites and articles the class could visit. Overall I felt the blog was an effective learning tool.
-Laura Coogan 12/7 9:51pm
When i finally DID get over my fear of engaging the block, I found it strangely comfortable to voice opinions that I otherwise felt uncomfortable expressing in front of 80 of my fellow students. One thing I noticed was the relative calm and tranquility of the topics posted. The blog would have been more engaging if the topics were more controversial; for example i was fasinated with the 377 class and its blog discussions about a plethera of controversial topics. I blog i followed the closest and most intently of either classes' blogs was the article about the shooting death of a palistinean girl by a Israeli soldier. The blog discussions needless to say became a little more lively- a little more emotional than the standard topic discussed on the POSC311 blog.
For the longest time, i couldnt figure out how the blog worked. I think an explaination of how to use the blog would be helpful in the begining days of classes. But when i was finally able to post comments, it was infomitive to see how many others in the class viewed things. It forced me to think ouside the box on different issues. But sometimes I had no clue what the article was talking about until I looked at what other people's comments were. overall, I thought the blog was ok.
12/8/05
I was not a huge fan of the blog requirement, though that is more for personal reasons than educational ones. I am an adult, part-time student, employed full-time with a family. Though a good deal of my focus is on finishing my college education, it is not, a cannot be, my only focus, or even my primary one at times. Unfortunately, I do not have the same amount of time as many other (full-time, unemployed, living on campus) students to complete time-intensive assignments outside of class. It was, however, my choice to take this class, and I was aware of the requirements. I am also not the most computer-literate person, and I have never used a blog before, so it was a little confusing and intimidating to me.
For educational purposes, however, I felt the blog was an interesting companion to class lectures, though I would consider including materials directly related to in-class material in the future.
In a perfect world, ten entries over the course of the semester seems reasonable, however, since it is not a perfect world, I would reduce that number to six. I would also consider requiring that at least two be completed by the end of the first month of the semester, two by the second, and two by the third (in this case, September, October, and November), in order to keep the postings more consistent throughout the course.
Matthew Shalk
12/08/2005
I really liked the blog. The articles I read I thought were fascinating. I liked how we were informed of current events that we probably would not have read without the blog. This was much easier then reading an article then actually having to hand in a paper in class. The online aspect of the blog was very convient. I felt that the blogs were very helpful and gave me a better understanding of so many current issues. The only issue I had with the blog was that I felt that ten blogs was sort of a lot. I felt intimidated by the blogs in the begining of the year and did not get involved with them until later in the semster. This hindered my ability to reach the goal of ten blogs. Maybe for next semester have some differnt due dates during the semester to have so many done by a certain point, this way no one falls behind.
12/8
The blog was a very useful tool to engage with such a large class. The articles were interesting, but I expected more diversified opinions to be posted. In the beginning, people argued their points which was always more interesting to read. Overall the blog gave me a chance to read many articles I would not have had the chance to read and respond.
For future classes, I would suggest requiring more thoughtful blogs, but fewer. 10 entries does not sound like a lot, but it was difficult to keep up. The paper, in my opinion, was one of the most important things we did all year. I chose domestic violence in India, and it was an amazing subject. The sheer amount of research that went into our presentations then this paper has opened my eyes to a world I never knew before.
I agree with other posts that the blog was a direct tool to class lectures/topics. As stated by Professor Khan, the blog opens classroom discussions to people worldwide - a step closer to globalization. At the same time however, the blog proved to be more of a hassel then a learning tool. Too much focus was given to blog entries in the grading scale and there was not enough varity in the blogs. I felt students would be forced to comment on an article that already had 20+ comments just for the grade. I know personally, by not having any hard copy of the articles, I easily forgot to post weekly blog entries. Overall, I would not recommend the blog for future classes. And if the blog was to be used, use written assignments due biweekly to supplement lectures. This way, students can research their own topics and present their comments to classmates; allowing for more diverse discussions.
Sarabeth Nicholson
Dec 8, 2005
I enjoyed the blogs. This is the first class that i had to do anything like this before. This was very different for me, but it got me to read things that i would probably never have read. I felt in the beginning that 10 blog entries would be a lot of work and difficult to do. But it wasn't. Dr. Khan posted many different articles which allowed me to respond to articles i felt comfortable or strong about. I enjoyed doing the blogs rather then just reading text books or novels. It allowed me to read about current issues in the world dealing with many issues. I am not much of a reader but some how these blogs got me reading. Well at least reading the articles.I liked how we talked about certain articles in class also. I was able to hear what other people thought about certain articles and how Dr. Khan felt about them. We were able to discuss the articles more in depth in class then i would have been able to do on the blog. The blogs were very helpful in my learning experience for this class and I feel Dr. Khan should continue using the blogs.
Mallori Wright
December 9, 2005
The blogs were an interesting supplement to the class. Personally, I would have never been exposed to the issues you raised in the blogs.
I felt that ten postings was adequate; it worked out to about one posting a week, which is not too much too much to ask. Also, the articles were interesting, so it didin't feel like "homework."
If I could offer any suggestions, I would agree with Jacque Dimattia, in that more responses would have made the class more receptive to participate/write more creative responses.
Overall, I felt it rounded the class discussions well, keep it up.
I feel that the blogs were an incredibly productive attribute of the class. I am not a person who would participate in a large class, because I prefer not to speak in front of large groups of people, but the blog allowed me to convey my thoughts and opinions to the class, without having to do so in the class. I think the blog worked very effectively.
Josh Kalish
12/12/05
I believe that the blogs were very useful both as a grading tool and a different, yet engaging, way to learn the material in class. I wouldn't recommend any changes to the blog system.
- mitch masucci 12/15/05
I enjoyed the blog. I have never used one before, and at first I was a little nervous on how it would work. Once getting used to it though, I felt that it was enjoyable. I often went back to read other's post even when I didn’t post anything. It was defiantly beneficial to the course as it let people express their opinions more clearly and effectively.
The idea of the Blog was pretty interesting and also new to me. I liked the fact that the Blogs relate to current events that actually interest me. They all dealt with topics that are very opinionated and it was nice to share what I thought about the topic. I think that's one advantage of this tool, it gave us a chance to express our individual opinion on topics that also were related to what we were discussing in class. To be quite honest, however, I did become lazy with them and forgot about it many times. I felt that was a very common outcome. I think the idea was good, but how it correlated with the grading scale could have been a bit better. Again, the idea of Blogs was neat but it was very easy to forget about. Definately should be continued on in the future, but maybe with fewer required postings due on specific dates?
I like the idea of the blog, it is a way of making course material more engaging. But with this number of students getting a post up before it would be trite can prove to be quite difficult. Also the blog is often lead into a series of repeated posts from one person railing against another person they perceive as closed minded’ which is more a matter of intellectual vendetta than actually engaging the material. A limit to 2 posts for a subject might help out future classes.
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