Blogging Research

Back a couple of months ago I posted up a thread about needed some help with some research that I am currently doing. When I posted it though, I made a few mistakes and came off saying that it was just for this graduate class that I'm currently working on, and re reading it, yeah wow, it was terrible.

The research I am currently working on is for the school district I work in. Currently there is a policy in place that bans the use of using any web 2.0 application within the classroom. They allow us to use power points, and smart boards and things like that, but when it comes to blogs, wikis and even podcasts, it's all taboo.

Last year, the school district sent us to a conference in which Will Richardson was the keynote speaker. Will Richardson is an advocate for using web 2.0 in the classroom, and to be honest I was excited when I left that conference because I wanted to use everything he spoke about in my classroom. When this current school year started, I started asking around to see if it was okay if I could start a blog for my class. I was told no. A social studies teacher and a math teacher were also refused use of a blog for their classrooms as well.

It was in October that I decided that I needed to look further into the uses of blogs and wikis within the classroom setting. My research goal is to see the advantages and disadvantages of using blogs or wikis within the classroom. I'm trying to look at all aspects of using these tools within the classroom from cooperative learning environments online, to security, to dealing with students that don't have internet access at home.

When I complete the research, I am going to be presenting it to the districts technology committee. I'm hoping to complete my research between April and May, so that I can present it, and maybe get something changed by next school year.

What I need is help with my research. I'm looking for middle school teachers that use blogs in their classroom. I am hoping to be able to look through the blogs/wikis to see student work, as well as to interview them, via e-mail about their thoughts of using the blog/wiki. I am also looking to interview some teachers about their uses of blogs/wikis in their classroom. I would love to have teachers from all different points of using a blog as well. I would love to see what teachers that are just starting to use the blog have to say, as well as those teachers that have been using it for a couple of years now.

I would really like to get the policy in my school district changed because I feel that they are limiting us on the use of technology. They push for us to use more and more technology in the classroom, but they deny us the use of web 2.0.

If you are interested in being a part of this, PLEASE get a hold of me as soon as possible. Drop me a message here or e-mail me. (mrfox1980[at]hotmail[dot]com) Also, if you would like to see a copy of the research proposal, let me know! I have no problems sharing that!

Thank you all very much for the support, and any feedback you all give me.