Thinking about blogging

As I was putting together the course outline and website this past few days, I am once again hopeful that blogs will become a compelling example and exemplar of the free speech and responsibility focus of the course. For not only do they give students a chance to express themselves to a given audience (potentially any blog reader!) they also have to think about how that process will happen. This semester, I am going to spend more time with the how part. In particular, I have incorporated Rebecca Blood's ethical framework as a starting place and assessment item. I have always been struck by the power of these suggestions for what it means to be an ethical blogger, and I have suggested students consider them, but this time we really are going to engage them most directly.

Blogging, for me, is also a perfect opportunity for students to get out there and participate in a wider dialogue, share links to resources that shape their thinking on a given issue, and break out of the "this is school" kind of assignments. What I hope is that students take the suggestion to heart that their blogs become their own "free speech space," or for an old fashioned metaphor, like an electronic soapbox were we really get to know them, their ideas about issues they care about, and have a chance to comment on those ideas. In the past, some students have really taken to blogging, while others have been more reticent. Since such electronic communication is not about to go away soon, I am hopeful students will embrace this opportunity to blog thoughtfully, with a community of bloggers, and being able to do so with a critical eye (both in terms of what it means for free speech and ethical communication).

In the meantime, I have a few more small changes to make to the course outline and will be good to go. I'm excited about the course, as usual, and hopeful for a wonderful term.