Blog Evaluation 2

1. How easy has it been to set up your Independent Study blog and to get used to posting things on it? Were you given enough support in doing it? What other help would have been useful?
The whole blog experience has been very staightforward and easy to understand. The support of the blog was enormous in helping with information from other students and easy access to the rest of the web.
2. How did the blog help with your research? Did the blog motivate you to do more and better research? How? Why?
The blog's easy internet access gave me the motivation to do research as already being on the net saves time in providing relevant information. Also with the support of my fellow classmates providing useful information when possible and and communicating throughout gives us encouragement.

3. Is it useful having all the Independent Study/blog tasks posted on the Macguffin blog? Does it make it more likely that you will get them done?
I think it does mean we'll get them done because there's really no excuse not to get them done. I think it helps us in other ways because it stops us from being lazy at this crucial time and forces us to fix up.

4. How often (honestly!) do you check the Macguffin blog? (Remember, it should be at least twice/week).
I check the macguffin blog everytime I go on the internet, which is roughly everyday.

5. Has it been useful being able to see and access everyone else’s research and planning through their blogs?
It is very helpful having access to other blogs so that we can see the standard we must be at in terms of the rest of the class. In a way it keeps us from falling behind and possibly failing.

6. How do you feel about the fact that your teacher can keep a close check on your progress through accessing your blog? Is it too intrusive and controlling or is it encouraging and supportive?
I think this is encouraging and supportive to know that we have dedicated teachers who care about our progress throughout the course. With lives of their own to live, especially Mr.Bush it's a great boost to know someone cares about how we're doing and providing good feedback on what we can do to improve. THANK YOU

7. How useful have the comments been that you received from…
a. Macguffin- Excellant, they point out the crucial mistakes possibly being made and tell us what we can do to make things better. The good thing is actually having a professional giving us advice so we know we're in good hands.

b. other students- Supportive and informative as by spotting each others mistakes we can then take a look at our own to make better. Also the response from your peers means having those on your own level understand where you're coming from so can relate.

8. How has the blog helped with your essay planning? How useful was the blog when it came to writing the essay? Do you think your first draft is better because you have used a blog?
I liked the idea of putting my essay plan up there as it gave me support when writing my essay, so I could refer to it when I forgot what to write next. Having the blog did help because all the reasearch we've done of the course was up there for us to refer to quick and easy without papers etc.
9. How would you evaluate the quality of your blog? What could you have done better?
I think my blog is quite good, not the best, but as long as it's up the standard I feel is acceptable I'm happy.
10. Do you think you will get a better final grade for your independent study through having used a blog?
Yes.
11. Which are the best three blogs? Why?
Manjoth- her blog puts the rest of ours to shame. So much work done on it, very detailed with the clear focus noted.
Harbinder- his blog is also very detailed with acceptional effort in his essay plan that I admire.
Mine- I can't do the best 3 without mentioning my own blog, which is BAD!
12. Do you think next year’s Year 13s would benefit from setting up an Independent Study blog?
Yes, without a doubt.
13. Are there any negative aspects to preparing for an Independent Study using a blog?
Not really because it has so many encouraging aspects to it that are meant to benefit us at the end of the day.
14. What could be done to improve teaching and/or learning in future through blogs?
I think by adding postingson the crucial infromation from certain lessons so that it can be refered to when students are revising and can't find their notes.
15. Overall, are you pleased that we used blogs? Has it been interesting and enjoyable? Why? Why not?
Every aspect of the blogs are very useful. I've enjoyed doing somethings, however other things I don't think are relevant to the study but some busy work that won't really benefit our final grade if I'm being honest e.g. disney assignments.