Thing 2, part A
When people think you’re dying, they really listen. Instead of just… waiting for their turn to speak. — Fight Club
Some students sit quietly in class trying to make it through the entire day without having to talk. They don’t want to be the center of attention. Others thrive on the attention– they have to be heard and be right.
Blogging (especially anonymous blogging) puts everyone on equal footing. Students don’t hear that familiar voice from the front versus the quiet one from the back, they see the words, free of emotion. Often those words are not what would have come out in a classroom, the discussion has a completely different flow, and more people take part.
I’ve been a part of online communities that allow anonymity. You start as a nobody, an equal. Your voice is as loud as everyone elses, your text analyzed the same as anyone else. You create your own personality, and that personality can be completely different from the one you show IRL. There is no fear of criticism, somehow criticism in print is more constructive and objective. And it allows the students time to think. It has been proven that teachers who wait a few seconds before calling on a student will have greater participation from more students, and yet most still tend to call on the first person who raised their hand. That’s not the case with blogging. Everyone gets a say, no matter how long it takes them to say it!
October 26th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I really struggle with anonymous blogging. I think it gives students a false sense of security and absolves them of any responsibility for what they write. Yes, it does give them time to think and eliminates fear of criticism. Students do need to be taught about responsible journalism and how to comment on someone else’s writings.