Good morning EDU 2650 students,

Sometimes I will post our weekly announcements here in Edublogs and sometimes I will post in Canvas in Announcements but either way I will post something in Canvas Announcements every Wednesday so that you get an email reminder to read what’s new in our course. It is important that you read the weekly announcements to keep up to date with the course including changes or reminders from me that can impact your performance in this fully online course.

SO … as a reminder (because I already posted it and it was in your week one quiz) but you MUST watch the documentary each week and include it in your blog. Think of the documentary as the sort of lecture you would have if this was a traditional course. The documentaries take a significant amount of time to watch and then to analyze them, along with at least 2 articles from the module and one other article you find on your own, to then write your blog. The simple definition of blog, pulled from Oxford Languages in a Google Search, “a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style”.  We are blogging this semester for a specific purpose – to better understand the critical issues in education and how they will/may (or already do) impact you as a teacher. Because this is an online course and the only way I can assess that you are doing “the work” of the course – watching the videos, reading the articles, doing light research to find one additional article each week, and practicing citations and giving credit to others – you MUST demonstrate these things in your weekly blogs. So yes I want to hear your voice and your opinions and your ideas in a conversational style while at the same time demonstrating to me that you are doing the work of the course. Does that make sense? I added a checklist as an image below and to every blog assignment in Canvas. PLEASE post any questions, comments, thoughts as a comment on this blog (below).

This week for Blog #2, you will be looking at the critical issue of School Violence – a sad one for sure! So please watch the documentary, Bowling for Columbine, and read two of the articles in the module and once you do that come up with a thesis/ a main idea for your blog that you will want to argue/ explain to your public audience. Then look for one additional article to help you make your case to add (and cite) in your blog post. Add an image that represents your main idea, and be sure to have in-text citations and references. PLEASE READ MY FEEDBACK AND REVIEW THE RUBRIC on Blog Assignment #1 before writing Blog #2. I’m looking forward to reading your Blog #2s and seeing growth over the course of the semester.

[Edited: I control the commenting features – thanks Alba and Gabby for bringing it to my attention!]

Here’s to a great week of learning!

This is a blurry picture so click THIS LINK to read the blogging checklist