Alan November and Stephen Heppel
There guys are two people who have inspired me a great deal over the last few years. It therefore seemed the sensibel thing to do to subscribe to both their blogs when I set up an account with blogline. I was surprised to see just how differently each was using their blogs. Stephen was using it in perhaps the mode I was expecting. Using the blog as a means of sharing his ideas. This was the very reason that I subcribed to it. Alan on the otherhand, apears to be using it to post one line questions, almost as a way of getting the feel for what was happening in the classroom. This was an approach that I wasnt expecting, but can see the merit of such a use. It has caused me to reflect on how I too could use a blog where the primary post is a question rather than a reflection (I guess this works well for someone as well knows as Alan November, but what about me… does anyone actualy bother to read my stuff? Would the small group of people who perhaps do read it provide a wide enough cross section to allow me to see all sides of an argument… does it matter?)
Perhaps I too should pose a question then, and see what happens.
“To block bibo in schools or not block bibo? That is the Question”
Well, I read your stuff. I wrote a long post the other day about whether we should teach kids how to use their Bebo-type spaces more responsibly:
http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2006/03/blogging_safety.html
I would say, though, that I would continue to block it in schools until it is a safe environment. And that, I fear, is unlikely.
I have some huge problems with Bebo. Some pupils do not use it in a responsible way. Most schools get a lot of bad press through the site and in some cases it has become a ‘slagging’ ground of teachers, schools and other children. This has caused a great deal of up-set in some areas of the UK – although most school managers don’t seem to be aware of what is going on within this virtual world outside the school gates.
Unfortunately, I suspect that this will continue to be the case and that Bebo will always be associated with bad practice.
I like the idea of Bebo, but currently think it should remain banned from schools.
I like the idea of Bebo but from what I have seen, some pupils do not use it sensibly. There has been a case of racial abuse from comments posted on Bebo. It is blocked in the school and I would like it to stay that way until pupils use the net in a more responsible way. I would have to say that most teachers don’t know about it.
I think Bebo is just an example of a much bigger issue about the dilemna between protecting children from the evils of the world and teaching how to eal responsibly with the realities of the world.
In Scotland we want to block and protect but in many other countries (particuolarly in Scandinavia)they find our approach patronising and unrealistic.
I’m not sure what the point is of blocking Bebo in a school when the kids can just go home and abuse it. I think we need to find a better balance between protecion and education.
(What’s this ‘Abschicken’ after the comment?)
[...] Apparently “abschicken” is German for “Submit”. I have to assume that the person who developed the template I use for my Blog was German. Perhaps that’s by I have had so many comments from Ewan? [...]
First, thanks for the compliment(s).
I use my blog when I do workshops and I am guaranteed that people in the room will respond. It is a way to generate shared input without having to ask people to raise their hands. It is a wonderful community building tool. When folks return home from the workshop they can share the ideas with colleagues. Of course, the discussion can continue with people from around the world. But, if you check the dates of entry you will see that many are from the same initial date.
No!!!!i do not think bebo should bge banned!as it is a good way of socialising and something to do in my IT class!!!