reflection over blogs, wiki and RSS

This week has been intense, but a great first week. After reading extensively reading on blogs, wikis and RSS, I am still trying to wrap my mind around how I will integrate it into each of my classes. I think that having an RSS feed will make blogs and wikis a manageable task in of classroom. Because I have over 150 students some semesters having over 150 blogs and or wikis quickly becomes unmanageable. Without a place to gather the information, there is no way I would be able to read/grade the assignments and reflections in a responsible time to make the information requested valuable to the student and the course content. I am striving use data more effectively to truly run a data driven classroom. This entails grading snip-its of work everyday or every other day. With the use of RSS, I can assign students to get on their phone and quickly blog by the end of the day, answering one of two questions to make sure they understand the content.

I also think pairing with a teacher in another state, with different resources (and produce) can add to the global content in my class and help students gain a larger interaction and understanding of the global community.

Also, professionally, I am in Nashville with a group of students and doing homework remotely. I am in the process of transitioning into a new job more responsibilities, bring a much more complex working environment. Although I am excited, I am a bit overwhelmed. I am saddened to be leaving my students and a community I think I could have made an impact on. I think I will always question my decision, but thus is life.

On a personal note, being that I am out of town, I miss my 3 year old. I have learned that I depend on my family for body heat through out the night as I froze in my bed. As I start an intensive year, my husband is at home with William for teh first time for longer then a few hours (yes! I am a controlling mother). It will be good for him to bond and take over some of the parenting daily duties. This will allow my husband and my son to develop a deeper relationship, but I will miss spending every minute with him. Again, hope this is the right choice, but... thus is life.

Happy Saturday.

Danielle