Thing Four: Student Blogging ITEC7430

With every work I give no matter how small or big I always get the question of "Is this for a grade?"  Once in a while I say it is not to see who really wants to do a certain task.  Regrettably since this is the first year that I was trying out blogs in my classroom through a school purchased program I really had no idea how to grade it.  I didn't have any format as to what I wanted my class to do with blogs.  Now that I have been going through this class, in such a short time, I have come to a realization and a better understanding of the importance of a good blog to make them count as a grade.  I will have the opportunity to use a new program at my school that has better blogging capabilities.  Unfortunately sometimes the only way to get them started on an engaging assignment is to assign it a grade.  Afterwards I get the comments I like to hear “I really enjoyed that assignment.  When are we going to another one?”

Criteria	Unacceptable	Acceptable	Target
Blog Posts by Students	The information appears to be disorganized and has little or nothing to do with the main topic.	Information is very organized with well-constructed and clearly relates to the main topic.	Information is relevant to the topic specified
Comments or Responses that students leave on other student blogs	No thoughtful reflection on colleagues work.	Evaluated how the blog can be improved in a coherent and resourceful commenting.  Reflected on colleague’s performance at engaging the topic.	Reflective and insightful commenting

The Chronicle "A Rubric for Evaluating Student Blogs"
Sample Reality "Pedagogy and the Class Blog"