Teaching and Learning in Digital Dialogue

"I think that with few Athenians, so as not to say the only one, I attempt the political art truly and I alone of those now living do political things ..."

• Socrates, Gorgias 521d6-7

A "social environment ... is truly educative in its effect in the degree to which an individual shares or participates in some conjoint activity."

• John Dewey, "Democracy and Education," 26.

"... the learning that is most personally transformative turns out to be the learning that involves membership in ... communities of practice."

• Etienne Wenger, "Communities of Practice," 6.

Ongoing, Substantive Writing on the Blog

Assessment 4x per semester, privately

Weekly Round-up Podcasts

Final Research Paper Old School Style

Cultivate Habit of Blogging

No Assignments Dictated

http://www.cplong.org/website/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Blogging-Scoring-Rubric.pdf

Rubric

Continuous Reflection in writing, in public

No Number of posts

With this blog ... and with the class in general, we don't just go to class, we ARE the class -- we are active participants.

• Pam Dorian, Student, Fall 2009

Objectives

Pedagogical

Educational

Empower Engagement

Practice

Principles

The blog combines the best aspects of both the writing and speaking mediums: it allows us to formulate our thoughts in the clear, well-structured, and concise manner intrinsic to writing ... and yet it also allows us to respond to each other individually ...

• Tony Arnold, Student, Fall 2009

Shared

Excellences of Dialogue

• Comfort with Ambiguity
• Openness to Difference
• Articulate Own Voice
• Civil Debate

Reliquish Control

Community

Conjoint

Activities

Excellences of Writing

• Clarity & Precision
• Organized toward a Thesis
• Analysis
• Conceptual Sophistication
• Striking Formulations

Teaching and Learning

in Digital Dialogue

• Amplify to Emphasize
• Weave posts into Classroom
• Call on the Reticent
• Competition

Presented by Christopher P. Long

Dean, College of Arts and Letters

Professor of Philosophy

Michigan State University

@cplong | @deancplong

Engaging Students through Technology

Dialogue

Working and

"What happened on the blog shaped and directed what we spoke about, with relevant comments being brought up and showcased to everyone..."

• Jordan Sanford, Student, Fall 2009

"...I know a few students (myself included) who would vie for their post to be shown."

• Jordan Sanford

"But isn't it a lot of work?"

"The communal aspect of this class was something incredibly unique. "

• Daniel Mininger, Student, Fall 2009

Cultivating

Learning

Assessment

• Students are Familiar
• Reviewing what was Read
• Confirming Impressions
• Reinforce Strong Work

A Different Kind of Work

• Teacher as Learner
• Always Reading Everywhere

The Blog

• A Living Document
• Site of Community
• Co-authored
• Dialogical

http://tinyurl.com/LongBlogAPA

Course

Structure

Philosophy 200, Penn State

In-Class

Ancient Greek Philosophy, Fall 2009

• Marina McCoy, professor at BC
• BC Students Comment
• PSU Students Welcome
• Exposure to different Perspectives

Outside Class

Course Blog

Time

Semester

Life

Blurring

Boundaries

• Diversity of Perspectives
• Disruptive Forces
• Habits of Response
• Anonymity & Responsibility

Of Openness

Limits and Possibilities