Angelann Stephens' Advanced Placement English Language class is now participating in a school-sponsored, online rhetorical analysis blog session that gives students immediate and varied feedback on their evaluation of nonfiction readings.

Blogging could be described as quicker and faster e-mails presented on one never-ending page. The student posts entries and classmates respond in an interactive conversation, which exposes them to alternate opinions of their analysis.

In addition to their classmates and teachers, students from prior semesters have access to the session to insert their opinion as well, offering a more experienced view besides the professional and inexperienced view that came with the program. Through this process, the students slowly learn how to attack a topic from at least three perspectives.

Students are given heavy and complex readings and asked to write rhetorical analyses and post them in blogs for readers to comment on them. When someone comments, the students is sent an email and is also notified immediately when someone responds.

All transactions are sent to Stephens first, and she examines them to determine if they are worth publishing or not. Once published, anyone can read the comments. The responses are required to have some intellectual value. The teacher doesn't publish vague and silly responses.

“Blogging is a wonderful way of steering people back into communication through the written word,'' said Stephens. ``I use blogs for my AP English Language class, and the responses I see are unbelievable. All students don’t thrive on blogs, but a large majority of them do, taking risks with their writings that they normally would not try with pen and paper.''

Stephens said she also likes the immediacy of the blogs.

``I also like the idea of writing in `real time,''' the teacher said. ``Students very seldom see their writing as a publication. Blogging gives them a sense of publishing for a real audience rather than for just a teacher.”

Students see the new method as convenient for other reasons.

“I think it's cool because I can have Facebook in another window while I am also doing my homework,'' said student Kamarin Cook. ``I don't have to be confined to a notebook, paper, and a pencil.”

Students also like the flexibility of their time that the blogs allow.

“I like the fact that we can choose when we do it and don’t have a crucial deadline,” said Kamarin Cook.

The students are given a week to post a blog and comment on a minimum of one other post of their classmates. Not only does this give them a more flexible agenda and free time, it also gives them more self-control and individual responsibility. They must remember not to forget to blog by 12 a.m. Monday (midnight on Sunday).

Readings so far include George Orwell’s Criticism of Gandhi. After reviewing the subject thoroughly through blog sessions, students said they understand their tasks and know more than two ways to complete it.

“It truly helps you see two sides of view and what’s going to work on the AP exam,” said Devlynn Crane, senior.