Our blog is a third place only for the students that are currently enrolled in this class. However, if students do not own a computer, it makes this blog less accessible for them to get to on a regular basis. They would probably have to go to the library and post a blog, which could also require them waiting for a computer to open up. As long as students remain mindful of the other students when they post their blogs, I think this blog could stay a neutral third place. Depending on where the student is when blogging, they can probably feel at home (while sitting in a lounge chair) but it probably won't be a home away from home.
The benefits of this blog for students in this class is that it gives them an opportunity to express themselves using a different type of communication. However, if students hate technology or blogging, this third place could become more of a chore for them. I think that this blog will also benefit students by giving them a less informal way to talk and learn about their peers without the pressures of the classroom.
Video Reflection
14 years ago
the fact that students who don't own computers can still access blogs at all shows that it IS an effective third place in respect to accessibility. our college community works hard to make computers and technology available to all students, and it is very easy to get online even if you don't own a computer.
ReplyDeletealso: you talk about feeling at home with respect the the physical atmosphere which makes me curious as to whether a cyberspace blog can be considered a home away from home regardless of the fact that it is not an actual place in the most physical sense but rather a collective space accessible only through computer screens and an invitation...