Well, I’m getting things wrapped up. I just finished grading for the Fall 2005 semester (four sections of “Introduction to Computers,” so it was a bit busy). The last part of grading was to review the students’ blogs. I start them on blogging (using Google’s Blogspot, of course) in the first month of class, and have them blog on the topic of computers once a week for ten weeks. This semester, they learned how to use Blogspot’s image capacity, so that really jazzed things up. Go ahead and look at what they blogged on if you like (blog links are halfway down the page); they were given topics like “The Future of Computers,” “My History with Computers,” “What Computer Gifts Would I Buy Family and Friends,” and so on–as well as some free-topic weeks. They also came up with some creative stuff, including the names for their blogs–like “With Rabbits,” “Egg & Vinegar & Oil,” “Froggy’s Trash Can,” “Hand in My Pocket,” “Without Thinking,” “Hello! Hello? Hello!” “Blog 101,” and my personal favorite, “Don’t Read!” If some of the later entries seem effusive with praise for the class, keep in mind that I hadn’t given them grades yet…

I also just finished the main page for their web page projects, which I host on a domain which I otherwise don’t use but has lots of disk space and bandwidth. A few of them just do the minimal prerequisite, but some went to a great deal of trouble, and a few had designs so nice I almost thought they stole it from somewhere. They used a lot of graphics off the web (I warn them about lifting copyrighted material, but for the purposes of practice I give them leeway), but a lot of the design and content is pretty good, considering that few if any of them ever made a web page before they came to my class.

As you can see, they get pretty creative. The blog and web pages are two of three projects they do in the class–the third being a PowerPoint presentation. I intentionally do not show them how to use wizards or templates, and require them to start with a blank slide show–and they come out with some fantastic presentations.

It can be a fun class to teach.