First, do we need to protect students in some way?

Our school is very concerned with what we allow our students to see - blocking certain sites - and yet are we okay with them just putting their work "out there."  Perhaps it is okay.  I can't think of the harm it can do but my crystal ball is in the repair shop.  The second isssue is what about kids who don't want to publish beyond the fridge.  Some of my students are quite happy with no one seeing their work.  And there is no guarentee that if you do publish to a wider audience that anyone will see it any how.  I am for it just not sure what it will look like.  But I guess that is the point.  Thanks, Lynn

So, whereas it is a good idea to create with all these new tools to showcase our work in new ways, we have to help the kids take the first step of critically reviewing their work and the work of others. Then once they have learned how to be criticial at a higher order level, then the audience can be widened.

Yet the devil on my shoulder worries: that the students will shoot for the minimum and end up below mediocre; that a shy student (like me) would feel too exposed and play it safe; that web-publishing will only contribute the void between the 'haves' and 'have nots' (good, creative students getting more praise, and quieter students not).

Of course, we need to pursue the FAITH and HOPE approach. Yet, I feel the 'pubishing' as Rebeca writes about (making things public in a smaller community, during the process) is a nice middle ground. Not only to 'protect' my students, but for my own comfort. Or perhaps the truer question: "Can we pry the CONTROL out of Akesson's cold dead hands?" I'm working on it. :)

I happen to like the refrigerator door canvas for my firsties! I will need to do more research and see more proof. Yes, I know I can control audience. I also am well aware how very competitive our 1st grade typically can be. I am a bit hesitant to expose my kiddos.

On the other hand, what a great opportunity for our classroom outcomes to shine!

Rebeca - Did you miss the closer contact that you lost by not having them physically move toward you? I hear you Laura about the "control" thing!

As I said, I'm going to have to ponder this much more... ;)

They work hard to make sure their posts are well written and

make sense. I'm thankful that I am able to

filter their posts and make sure they post to safe sites. 

Bringing them along slowly and thoughtfully, teaching them

that the world may see their work, this is the way to guide

 them on this journey.  The web IS the fridge, just a bigger one that lots of folks may view. Laura, I feel your pain.  Older students might need to be reminded that they want to put their best on the web in case the college advisors are reading. Also, don't post anything that they wouldn't want their grandmothers to read. 

have a larger audience for their work, instead of

just the teacher or their peers. Their audience for

social media and what they post is so different than what

they are asked to do for school, and I think they recognize that

and are somewhat reluctant to publish for their peers in a classroom

setting. Somehow they open themselves up in a different way when they share

academic work with their peers as opposed to social, detached conversation. I also

agree with many of you about the risks that are involved. I just had an incident happen

in class today where we were sharing in GoogleDrive, and one student commented

on another student's work in a derogatory way--ended up in a discipline referral.

I like the overall idea of giving students the opportunity to share to a broader audience, but I think the audience needs to start small at the primary level and grow as the children get older. Perhaps in grades JK to 5 the audience could be the classroom or the building. In middle school it could be the whole campus, and in upper school, the world.

Publishing to the world, expecting and getting feedback gives some authenticity to the work students do. It is no longer busy work. It becomes real work.

Look at Lynn Z.'s reflection. Using Padlet, Lino, or Today's Meet would be a great way to share with a limited audience while getting the kids feet wet in the onine

we talk more about digital footprint it is  important that we make sure students are

publishing their best work.  This is one of the things that causes

me anxiety personally. What if, while it was never my intention, a student

publishes something that down the road haunts them.  I can't imagine that happening but

the "what if" still scares me!

My favorite statement on this topic is in A Horse and His Boy, by C. S. Lewis: “For in Calormen, story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you're taught, just as English boys and girls are taught essay-writing. The difference is that people want to hear the stories, whereas I never heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays.”