This Fall at BYU I’ve returned to teaching CS 404 (Computers and Society) after a one year hiatus. One new twist I’ve implemented is to require all students in the class to create a public blog and post their work for the world to see. My motivation is for the students to discover that broader audiences exist for writing than TAs and professors. From what I’ve seen so far, this simple twist alone has induced a dramatically higher quality of writing in the students than I’ve seen in semesters past.
So by way of introduction to my small but loyal readership, I hereby introduce you to a set of talented, up-and-coming writers and imminent Computer Science graduates, the Fall 2007 CS 404 students of Brigham Young University. You will find links to their 36 individual blogs in the blogroll in the right-hand column.
[Restrained but considerate applause please… Thank you.]
We are doing the same thing in CS462, and created an aggregator (http://classes.eclab.byu.edu/462/planet/) for the class feeds. This allows everyone to follow everyone else’s feeds without individually subscribing to each one. We are just getting started, and I hope it turns out as well as yours is.
I’m still amazed by the number of students that don’t know/don’t care what a blog is….
As an employee of a corporation that is frequently looking for new candidates from BYU, I find these blogs to be an excellent source which I can use to gauge potential candidates enthusiasm, dedication, and alalytical skills. All of these are important in the work that I do, and the written word here may be just as important as a resume to future employers.
I agree actually my youngest son does not only because he is interested in making money I guess.
However he is gradually coming around to my way of thinking and wonder of wonders I found him on facebook.
I do however go over his sites he makes as the spelling errors are bad at times, as you pointed out Blogging would help.
You could also use these blogs (and the comments here) as part of the lecture on Internet privacy.
The media is replete with stories of people who get fired or reprimanded or expelled, or whatever for things they posted on a blog or facebook.
I expect whatever I post on a blog (or a comment to a blog ;)) or a website to be read by any prospective employer. As both and interviewer and an interviewee, I regularly go check out what’s available online about someone.
BYU students, fortunately, have less to worry about on their blogs than students as a “party” school might. Still, they should expect that whatever they write will be read by future prospective employers.
The phrase used to be that “On the Internet, no one knows you’re a dog.” Not so much anymore.
On the Internet we all live in glass houses.