- Break students into groups of around twenty. If the class is already in sections, those work perfectly for this.
- Assign each student two separate dates to add an original post to the group blog.
- Try to make them random, and that roughly the same number of students post each week.
- When they are expected to add an original blog post, students may either respond to the prompt for the week, or post on a course-relevant topic of their choosing.
- Each week, require students to reply at least twice with substantive posts to the original blogs of the week.
- Everyone is expected to reply twice a week – even the original blogger for the week.
- By default, the blogs should be private, especially if you intend to grade them.
- However, if all the students are in favor, they can be made public.
- Before the first students are expected to blog, model how to do so properly (both an original blog and how to comment).
- Text-only blogs can become boring to read week after week. Consider requiring students to add a visual component.
- Reiterate that students are writing these to their fellow students.
- While the professor is grading them, they are not the intended audience.
- If using a third-party or public blogging tool, check for FERPA compliance.*
Queen, R. (2012). Increasing Student Interaction in a Large Class via Blogging. Retrieved from: https://www.crlt.umich.edu/node/707
*For more information about FERPA compliance, check out the FERPA Toolkit.
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