Blogging in the Classroom

So this is what I'm thinking of putting in my syllabus this term for Ethics 2 for the blogging requirement.

Any ideas?

Lab Requirement

As a group our major work this semester will be to make sense of the things we say, believe and do as people living Christian lives. Ethics is a process of reflecting on the flow of these lives. So much of Ethics seems focused on our actions, but in the more abstract reflection that is a part of ethics as a study in a classroom like this one we "do" a great deal more "saying" and "believing" than "acting" proper. We could argue against this by showing the ways in which we perform in our beliefs and testimony as well as in our actions. The creation of meaning that is a huge part of any understanding of ethics, morality or witness is also ethical in and of itself. So in order to practice our ethics this term we will each take on one of a variety of tasks. This virtual lab for the practice of Christian Ethics will involve significant collaboration from the class as a whole and from each student. Several weblogs will be at the centre of this project but the project as a whole will traverse the concrete and the virtual, the oral and the written, and the linear and the non-linear.

Four tasks are described below. They are very different representing the diversity of gifts in any group of people. Everyone in class will need to choose one of these tasks and perform the requisite responsibilities. These responsibilities will focus your participation, but by no means should they constrain your participation. For example, if you are a Writer, as long as you perform a Writer's responsibilities, feel free to comment or link or read as much as you want to.
Blogging Role Job Descriptions
Writers (at least 5)
These people are responsible for writing at least one post a week to one of three types of blogs. In general these posts should be about 400 words long and should carefully cover at least two significant ideas. People who choose this task should be comfortable with writing and with having others read their writing. These people will focus on how we are ethical in how we describe ideas, conversations and the world.

Official Blogs (at least 3)
Professor's Blog (only 1)
This blog is maintained by the professor.

Classroom Discussion (at least 1)
These people will write about our classroom discussions. They will focus on lifting out unresolved issues for further discussion or summarizing particularly meaningful exchanges.

About the Readings (at least 2)
Other people will write about the readings before each class session. These blogs will raise questions about the readings, analyze the readings, or summarize the salient arguments of each reading.

Personal Blogs (at least 2)
The blogs may be hosted on Seabury's server or they may be maintained off-site by class members. They will respond personally to anything that happens in a given week. These people will focus on how all ethics is personal.

Commenters (at least 5)
These people will comment on at least two posts or comments each week. The comments should extend the conversation by introducing at least one idea not mentioned in the post or comment. People who chose this task should be comfortable responding to other's ideas. These people will focus on how we are ethical in the conversations we choose to engage.

Linkers (at least 3)
These people are responsible for creating 15 hyperlinks a week. Most of these links will originate on one of the official blogs. People who choose this task need to feel comfortable with learning how to do this. These people will focus on how we are ethical in the connections we make between issues.

Readers (at least 6)
These people are responsible for reading the blogs and comments each week. People who choose this task should enjoy reading. They will focus on how our observations become ethical.

Reporters (no more than 3)
These people meet with at least two Readers each week and synthesize their own insights with the insights of the Readers. They are responsible for giving a brief (under 5 minute) report to the class each Thursday on the progress of this whole class project.