When thinking about blogging, each class approaches the implementation of it differently. For example, an English Language Arts class may utilize a blog for students to engage in reflections, journaling, literary discussions, etc. A science class may utilize blogging for conducting labs and reporting findings. A social studies class may utilize blogging for connecting past historical events with current ones or report and reflect upon current events. A foreign language class may utilize blogging to write and communicate with peers and another classroom utilizing the language of study. Finally, a math class may utilize blogging to discuss and reflect upon how to solve problems, strategies, or the creation of math word problems for peers or another class. While each of the above examples utilizes blogging in an effective way, the content areas remain separate from each other.
Thinking back upon my years as a teacher, as a team of grade level teachers, the creation and implementation of interdisciplinary units was imperative for student learning. By bringing all subjects together to work on a topic or unit of study, students are better able to make connections to learning and carry information over from one class to the next. The Edutopia video does not focus on interdisciplinary blogging, but the importance of bringing all content areas together...shouldn't blogging be approached the same way in the classroom?
Sounds exhausting, right? I mean how in the world could blogging become part of an interdisciplinary unit? Well, let's investigate. Instead of each class having their own separate student blog, perhaps students could be provided with the space upon the beginning of the school year (that could be done through the technology coordinator). Okay, so now that each student has his or her own blog that can be utilized in each class...now what?
At the middle school I taught at, part of the social studies curriculum is studying Greek Gods and Goddesses. How can interdisciplinary blogging occur? What is the point of it? Well, for one it would allow students to have one blog where all work is compiled from all classes and act as Richardson (2010) points out a file cabinet or e-portfolio. In addition, it creates a common language amongst students and teachers as far as procedures for navigating to the blog, logging in, composing a post, or posting a response. Furthermore T.H.E. Journal (2004, February) indicates, "Four benefits to student blogging: 1. The use of blogs helps students become subject-matter experts. 2. The use of blogs increases student interest and ownership in learning. 3. The use of blogs gives students legitimate chances to participate. 4. The use of blogs provides opportunities for diverse perspectives, both within and outside of the classroom." With all of these elements combined, interdisciplinary blogging does not appear to be such a far-fetched idea. Does it?
What encompasses an interdisciplinary blogging? Here are a few examples that I came up with regarding a Greek Gods and Goddesses social studies unit:
- Social Studies: Students can research and then information about their chosen God or Goddess. Students can then respond to one or more of their peers about something interesting they learned from reading a different post.
- Science: Students can research the symbols of their assigned God or Goddess and their composition. For example, one of Aphrodite's symbols is the scallop shell. Students can research how it forms, where it is located, etc. and post that information on the blog.
- Math: Students can research ancient mathematicians and formulas they created. The students can then use the formulas to create a problem. Students can post this information on the blog and peers can try to solve them.
- English Language Arts: Students can create a fictional story about their God or Goddess in modern day according to plot development and conflict. Students will post their story on the blog and peers will be able to post their reactions to the stories.
- Foreign Language: Students can create a poem about their God or Goddess utilizing their language of study. The poem can be posted on the blog and students can translate each other's poem to English as well as comment about each other's God or Goddess.
References
Content delivery in the 'blogosphere.' (2004, February). T.H.E. Journal. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2004/02/01/Content-Delivery-in-the-Blogosphere.aspx?p=1
Edutopia. (2010, August). Common sense: An overview of integrated studies [Video file]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdIVCuBR_NY
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Thirteen Ed Online. (2004). Interdisciplinary learning in your classroom. Retrieved from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/interdisciplinary/index.html
Edutopia. (2010, August). Common sense: An overview of integrated studies [Video file]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdIVCuBR_NY
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Thirteen Ed Online. (2004). Interdisciplinary learning in your classroom. Retrieved from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/interdisciplinary/index.html
The Edutopia video was interesting because it connected our current model of education to the age of the industrial economy. As the video points out, we are now in an informational economy, and need to look at education differently.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the interdisciplinary approach was talked about (and talked about) during my undergrad years in the early 1990's. A couple decades later, I haven't seen that much movement other than more talk. There are a few examples (like in this video) of project based learning environments (PBLs) that use interdisciplinary models, but it still seems stuck in the experimental stage rather than the rippling spread of change I would have expected by now.
I think there are reasons for this. I think you hit on a huge one when you point out, "Interdisciplinary blogging requires the work and collaboration of all grade level teachers." The more teachers that need to collaborate, the more difficult it becomes to reach your goal. It takes strong leadership from the administration as well.
But you are right that blogging could provide a vehicle for interdisciplinary learning. We language arts teachers have it easy when it comes to thinking about this because learning to write can also absorb almost any other subject matter. The trick, once again, is coordinating with other teachers. I think one of the hardest decisions to agree on would be the timeframe for a given unit of study. Using your mythology unit as an example, what happens when the social studies teacher wants to take more time with Ancient Greece, but the science teacher needs to move on from astronomy? Then you might end up back where you started: with separate subjects being taught at separate times.
These are not insurmountable obstacles, but just some things that would have to be worked out.
Hey, where's the visual art component.
ReplyDeleteAny "interdisciplinary" module that only includes one mode of presentation (writing) seems fundamentally insufficient to me.
Requiring students to provide some kind of visual representation will not only engage another learning style, but will give them experience in adding that kind of item to their blog, like you did with your video.