BLOGGING IN THIS CLASS

Q: What is a blog?

A blog is short for a web-log. A blog is an on-line journal or diary. In recent years, blogs have become an important form of internet publication that people use to make friends, or intervene in public debates. Some blogs have become so influential that they have shaped and impacted the national news media by breaking rumors, news stories and keeping a political discussion going long enough for it to be noticed nationally.

Q: How is a blog different from a webpage?

A blog is a kind of webpage, but the blogger does not have to know any special computer code to publish on his or her blog. Your professor used to have a personal webpage etc., but he has switched to a personal blog because he doesn't want to hassle with the technical requirements of accesing a server or anything of that nature. Secondly, blogs are designed to be interactive. Bloggers post their writings on their blogs and then other bloggers who read them may leave comments on the original blog. Imagine that a blog is a bulletin board where you post your thoughts, and that people are walking by and posting little notes under your note, responding to what you said.

Q: Are blogs free?

Some blogging programs are free, others are not. www.blogger.com prvides free blogs with a variety of attractive designs. www.typepad.com provides blogs at a cost, but they have extra features.

Q: How hard is it to blog?

The whole point of a blog is to facilitate internet publication. www.blogger.com will walk you through the sign up process. Just write down your logon (which may be your name or a nickname, for example) and your password so you don't forget it. You will be asked to select a template or a design for your blog (please note how all of my course blogs have a different design and color, etc.) Then you can be begin posting. It may take some playing around but you will figure out quite quickly. And if you mess it up, you can always delete what you've published. Once you are familiar with some settings on blogger, it can become even easier: you can send emails to your blog and have them published on your blog automatically (we can discuss that feature later.)

Q: How many blogs can I have in blogger.com?

As many as you like! If you decide that you hate blogging, at the end of the semester you can delete your blog and never blog again. If you love it, you can keep it and start as many blogs as you like, about anything you want. If you want readers, however, you need to do more than just write. You have to read other people's blogs and leave comments. That way, they will become curious about you and read your blog and become your "blog-friend."

Q: What do you expect from me and my blog?

I expect you to start a blog account and send me the address to it so that I can put a link on the central coursepage (the address of my personal blog is http://christopherconway.blogspot.com, your address should be sent to me in this form. You will use your blog to post 1) thoughtful arguments about assigned themes; 2) surf the web for more information about certain topics and then evaluate those websites or blogs; 3) read blogs by some of your classmates every week and leave them comments, questions or feedback; 4) post any extra thoughts or ideas that you have that do not fall under the purview of the assigned themes of the week. You are not to use your blog for anything other than course related material (if you wish to start a personal blog to talk about your obsession with shoes every week, please use another blog for it.) You are to post to your blog at least once a week, by Monday's class, and I also expect you to read and post comments to the blogs of your classmates at least once a week.

Q: Who can see my blog?

Blogging is public writing. By posting on your blog, you are putting your ideas on the internet. If the blog is in your name (Juanfulano.blogspot.com) then people in China will know what you think about the subjects you are blogging about. Therefore, always conduct yourself with respect and kindness. You are speaking publicly. And because this is an academic assignment, there are some ground rules: no inappropriate comments will be permitted. You are only to use this blog to talk about the course material. Not abiding by this rule will result in a deduction of 15 points from your final course grade, unless the offending posts are removed.

Q: When must I post in Spanish and will my spelling count?

Spelling and grammar are important. The care with which you write will either validate or invalidate your voice. The blog themes I assign must be blogged about in well-written Spanish, but any extra blogging on the subject of the class may be done in English if you prefer. And your comments to other people's blogs may be in English or in Spanish. You need to treat the assigned blog-themes as formal assignments as far as the writing is concerned.

Q: How will you evaluate my blog?

I will monitor your blogs to determine the substance of your posts on the assigned themes, and the quality of your written Spanish. I will also monitor whether or not you dialogue with your classmates on their blogs. On a weekly basis, I will give each student either 2 points (excellent), 1.5 points (good), 1 (average) or .5 for poor.

Q: Besides meeting your requirements, professor, how can this blog help me in this course?

Besides the assigned themes that I will be expecting from you, you are free to use your blog and your connection to fellow coursebloggers to exchange information and help each other regarding other assignments and the final exam preparation. Blogging can help you create a community of learners who help each other with the course material.

Q: How do I start?

Your first assignment is to go to www.blogger.com and sign up. You may name your blog after yourself or after a nickname, but if you use a nickname, I require you to let me and your classmates know who you are. Please write down your password and logon for future reference so that you don't get locked out of the program. After you sign up, write your first post, introducing yourself to me and your classmates.

Q: There are some cool things I want to learn how to do. Can you teach us some extra features, such as how to make italics, post our photograph and create active links within our posts and comments?

I can help and cover some of this ground in class with you.

Q: Why are you doing this? I don't think I like it.

Blogs afford teachers and students with more oportunities to communicate outside of class in a qualitative way. Not only will I be able to dialogue with you on a weekly basis with your blog, but you will be dialoguing with your classmates. Because blogs can amplify communication during a semester, I believe it will enhance your learning, my teaching and our overall experience in this class.