Armed only with a vague idea of what blogs can and cannot do, I went to Judith Beaudoin, Champlain's Education Advisor, to demystify blogs for me . My classes had already begun and my transition into the electronic realm was made over several weeks with sporadic one-on-one sessions. Familiarizing myself with Wordpress's organization of information using categories and tags, I got online as quickly as possible and gained experience as I experimented with the media. With Judith's help, I was almost ready to go after three weeks, and my sketchy understanding of how to administrate the blog led to a slightly shaky initiation.

Fortunately, my computer-savvy students registered, posted and then helped other students. Once The Speakers' Corner was operational, however, my initial relief soon gave way to a darkening premonition of oncoming doom. As I contemplated monitoring 70 individual postings, each 250 or more words plus comments, I changed the status of students on the blog, limiting student interactivity to comments on my posts in the name of self-survival until I could plan a more practical way to handle posts and comments.

An informal survey of students, conducted after midterm exams and essays, indicated the blog is a positive addition to the course. Several students told me that writing an informal response to a specific question and reading the comments of others helped them write their essay. A few even admitted to enjoying the activity. On the average, those that responded said that they read at least three other comments for each post. I found that comments were thoughtful and most went over the proscribed length.

Although my blog was up several weeks after classes had started, it was quickly integrated into class work. Students were quick to comment and their comments often oriented my next class. So far, I have used the posts to introduce concepts and ideas before class presentations and to continue the discussion of a reading after the class has ended. Reference to students' comments has served to begin class discussion and highlight key ideas. With the end of my session close at hand, my next goal will be to increase interactive exchanges by having students publish their own posts. Students will be able to write for and receive comments from other students. In the future, I see students using the blog as an open space for more creative class projects and as an alternative or complement to class presentations.

The verdict? My effort paid off; The Speaker's Corner promises to carry class discussions beyond the classroom.