Blogging As Writing Assignment: Lessons Learned

1. Blogging As Writing Assignment:Lessons Learned Jane Robbins, PhD Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations

2. Two blogs, since 2008 • Leadership Theory and Behavior http://leadershiptheory3450. blogspot.com/ • Innovation and Advantage http://innovationandadvantage.blogspot.com/

3. Similarities and differences Similarities Differences Required, including commenting Graded Posts=short papers (20%) Comments=participation Scheduled post dates Open-ended as to topic, but criteria-driven Integrated into class discussion Number Leadership: 2 Innovation: 4 Length Leadership: 350-500 words Innovation: 250

4. Syllabus Descriptions Leadership Innovation Entries to Class Blog: 20% All students are required to subscribe to, follow, and post to the blog. You must post two 350-500-word (1 ½-2 page) discussions to the blog according to the schedule of dates drawn in class. Each post should discuss an example of leadership (or its absence) that you identify in your experience or the environment/news, and must be framed in a theoretical context and address 3 questions, plus any other points you think relevant. You will monitor your own posts and respond to comments as necessary. The questions you must address at a minimum are: What theoretical point(s) or frame(s) does this example bring to mind? Be sure to cite and elucidate one or more readings. Is this a positive or negative example of the theoretical point? Why is this example important—i.e., what are the potential consequences, implications, or ramifications of the observed behavior? On what basis do you claim this? Class Blog 20%: You are responsible for posting to the blog at least four times, 250 words each, per the schedule discussed in class. You will monitor and respond to student comments on your own work. Blog posts should: draw attention to articles or other media of interest related to your innovation project or to that of others in the class explicitly discuss the insight, lesson, or relevance to a theoretical or practical point on innovation as discussed in class or in the readings—i.e., they should make a substantive, supported contribution to class thinking.

5. Lessons/caveats • Somewhat longer format (350-500 v. 250 words) appears to be more successful; specificity? • Commenting must be required if blog is to be successful as a conversation • Make allowances in mechanics for informality of medium (mark up, but not down), but not for meeting criteria: medium can be seductive in the style v. substance balance • Some (but not too much) in-class discussion required so blog is not disembodied from the course • Require to register as both contributor and to receive blog automatically.

6. Some examples • http://leadershiptheory3450.blogspot.com/2009/10/superhero-leadership-part-1.html Super-Hero Leadership, Pt. 1 • http://leadershiptheory3450.blogspot.com/2009/11/richard-branson-ceo-and-founder-of-mega.html Richard Branson and the Virgin Group

7. Benefits Blogging: • provides useful practice in writing concise, coherent, purposeful documents while allowing creativity and choice • A more flexible format • Allows incorporation of other media, links • improves sense of community and engagement (per student assessment) • further stimulates/extends class discussion of course literature; may improve application-oriented understanding and integration of theoretical concepts