Portfolio: Writing to Learn Assignment

The Lab Notebook Blog

Purpose:

Traditionally, in the introductory labs that I teach, the only writing assignments are formal lab reports. We no longer require students to keep and turn in a lab notebook. As a way to integrate some exploratory writing into my course, I will require students to keep a blog in ‘lab notebook’ format.

I feel that this technological approach to the lab notebook will appeal to students and encourage collaboration among lab partners and lab group members. We do a lot of data sharing in our labs so this will be a convenient way for students to communicate and share data as an added benefit. Additionally, because we are not requiring every lab to be formally written up (see Learning to Write assignment), the blog will provide an opportunity for some writing and thinking about all of the labs. Students will still be required to learn the content of every lab, so having a blog assignment for every lab can help ensure students are properly exposed to and are actively thinking about said content.

The lab notebook blog will be a place for students to record:

1) their thoughts before they do the lab (upon reading the protocol)
2) what actually transpired in lab including their data
3) their reflections on what really happened and how it may differ from what they thought would happen

Justification

Instructors can peruse blog entries and look for general misunderstandings from the laboratory and/or concepts covered in labs. Instructors can glean key points and information and present them at the next lecture as way of clearing confusion and giving guidance/suggestions before student’s write an assignment based on the lab procedure and data collected.

Students will have an opportunity to collect data in a place where peers and instructors can easily view and comment. Students will be able to informally write out their thoughts and begin some analysis of the data. Students will collaborate and share observations by commenting on each other’s blogs.