Allright, I'm going to begin by saying I really did think that using blogger was a great teaching tool. It pushed the students to be independent and research topics that they hadn't ever before. It was fun being able to post on other students' blogs and seeing what they had to say back. I liked reading other students opinion paragraphs very much to see what they actually thought about a certain subject. I enjoyed that none of the topics were too difficult, but pushed us enough to have to research them. I believe that the most interesting topic was when we wrote about the Big Bang Theory, because I enjoyed what others had to say about where our universe came from and their thoughts on God. I honestly enjoyed this a lot more than studying out of a book.
But here's the thing. In the midst of this great experience of being able to work on our own, being treated like adults, where was our teacher? I felt I had no guidance. Even our teacher's blog wasn't much of a help because deadlines, rules and regulations changed so often they even contradicted what our teacher was telling us to do.
Where was the teacher-student relationship? How were we supposed to learn when the one who is supposed to be teaching isn't even present? Not just literally in the classroom, but there to ask for help, for some support for some god foresaken answers. I didn't understand. Why should I have been motivated to put 110% into my physics work when I honestly do not know what these topics have to do with physics? You know, that's great that all these topics may be in our physics book and are related to physics, but how the hell am I supposed to know that? Now I am curious how the ocean deals with physics, how planets deal with physics. Honestly, how? I'm not just looking for an arguement, I just want to know. I never didn't want to do 'Blogger' I just wanted more of a reason too, I suppose.
Allright, now here's what I would keep the same if I were the teacher:
I would have posted all assignments on my own blog. It was great if we wanted to do our blog at home or in another class because it was right there.
I would have also still let the students keep some independence. It was nice not having a teacher look over your shoulder every five minutes.
Now, here's what I would have changed:
I would have developed more of a relationship with my students and provided them with information.
If a student had a question, I'd answer them in person, not over 'my blog.'
I would have used blogger, maybe every other week or so. Then using the topics that they wrote about I would teach them how they are related to physics because they are obviously in a physics class the learn what physics is (that's the point of taking a class about something, you know, to learn about it.)
When it came to the grading system, I would have made it a little more reasonable. I didn't like how the comments were worth more than the actual post
You know, overall blogger's great. But when substitutes come in and ask what were doing in this class and we reply with "nothing really." That's a shame. I wanted to learn about physics, it interested me. Yeah, I'll admit I complained about it, not the blogging, but the teacher. I'd say most of you who didn't complain was so you could still sit in that classroom doing nothing, learning nothing and maybe play a few games here and there. I'm just guessing. Heck yeah I like to sit and screw off in class sometimes, but after a whole semester I'd like to do something for once. Now, sadly, and I hate to admit it but Biology II sounds like a class worth my while.
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