Creating Interactive Audiences for Student Writers in Large Classes: Blogging on the NewsActivist Learning Network

Abstract

This article considers how instructors with larger classes can utilize Web 2.0 tools to help students develop as writers. Meeting the needs of readers defines strong writing, yet students need to interact with authentic audiences to learn to do this well. A growing body of educators is exploring how blogging can be used to enhance student learning. In this article, we describe how a blogging platform, NewsActivist, was used to create an interactive audience for student writers in a large sociology course. The article provides details on course and assignment design to meet major learning outcomes and support student growth as writers. Data from reflective essays and a user survey are presented that demonstrate the value of NewsActivist and its interactive audiences for student writers. The platform was found particularly useful to motivate students to care about their writing and to provide feedback to help students learn.

Pseudo-Blog Assignments With Discussion Make Undergraduates Better Users of Academic Research on Women and Gender

“…We typically began each session by having students exchange blogs with one another, rotating partners throughout the semester and thus exploiting the benefits of having an interactive audience. Alternatively, an instructor might have students actually post their blogs on a blogging platform like NewsActivist (Kaldor & Flacks, 2015). These initial one-on-one, as well as subsequent class-wide, discussions were well-informed and lively.…”