Final Thoughts on Teenager's in/and the Media

We really went out with a bang, didn't we?! I thought the projects that were presented on our final day of class were all thoughtful and very well done. I really had a great time this semester, and I am sure you all did as well.

The use of the blog was a useful tool for this course, and I really encourage other instructors to follow suit. While I am not a scholar, I have to assume that creating a mini-blogisphere for a class is a pedagogically sound endeavour. On an individual level, the blog serves as a personal space for reflection and expression - but when that blog is linked to others who are writing on similar topics, but have very different opinions on them, we expand our educational horizons through collaborative learning. Immediately after posting my blog, I'd open Jen's and Loretta's to see what they thought. Oftentimes, I would find things that they didn't, and vice versa. You cannot get that by writing response papers that get turned in exclusively to the instructor. That person, who likely knows all there is to know about the topic, is the only beneficiary to the work of the student. Blogging opens up the professor's briefcase and allows all the students to see how others see, think, and react.

I realize that there are privacy issues that could be an issue to starting a RIC bloggisphere, but I do think the benefits far outweigh the possible negatives. Let's explore the possibilities together.

As for the future of this blog, I do not know what will become of it. Hopefully, through time, it will continue to be an extension of my thoughts that I want to share with my friends, professors, co-workers, and any one else with an open mind and a few minutes :)