The other is a cheaper thing, but the moths get into it.

Electricity is of two kinds, positive and negative.  The difference is, I presume, that one comes a little more expensive, but is more durable; the other is a cheaper thing, but the moths get into it.   Stephen Leacock

I have been thinking about how we can help students put powerful thinking into the comment boxes of their fellow student blog posts. 

I want them to think about the comments they make in more than "Blog commenting is of two kinds, positive and negative." terms. To avoid polarising their thinking about blog comments into "a little more expensive" comments versus “lets the moths get in” blog comments.

In my ever burgeoning bloglines account I enjoy reading bloggers who disallow comments altogether – but whilst I admire the purity of their motive, and their ability to write without needing the frottage effect of other blogger’s rubbing themselves up against the post with trembling cries of “great post”, “insightful”, “I agree” stuff, I just know it wouldn’t work for me.

The comments from others encourage me to blog post  just as much as all the ideas restlessly jostling in my mind

I love the feedback.  I need the attention that comments provide, and I need the challenge.  I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m not as discerning as I'd like to be when it comes to blog comment.  I don’t care whether it is valorising, condemnatory or tangential comment – it all belongs – it all builds texture around the original flawed thinking. I do love the new ideas and new thinking that challenging comments bring, but I keep them all.   –  Only the odd spam comment is denied permanent residence at Artichoke. 

I wondered if blogging really is “conversation”

For instance, Cluetrain Manifesto guru David Weinberger states that "blogs are not a new form of journalism nor do they primarily consist of teenagers whining about their teachers. Blogs are not even primarily a form of individual expression. They are better understood as conversations." Cited in Geert Lovink Blogging, the nihilist impulse

Then perhaps we could use a simple self assessment rubric based on communication to help student bloggers comment on other's posts.

I tried to combine Dr Janice Orrell’s Communication Skills Rubric with bits of Bonk and Kim’s 12 forms of electronic mentoring and assistance  aligned to Structure overview of learning outcomes SOLO Taxonomy -

I've come up wanting tonight ... but the rubric can only improve with time

Draft Rubric for Making Durable Blog Comments

SOLO Extended Abstract Level Blog Comment

Balances blog reading and responding.
Can synthesizes what has been read in the blog post and makes comments that evaluate or elaborate  to others ideas offering alternative perspectives

Includes encouraging Articulation/Dialogue Prompting/ Reflection
"I am interested in what you think is  the real problem here...?,""Can you justify this? "What do you predict might happen as a result” Can you imagine any other outcomes?” What if ...?  “Do you think it is possible  that ?  "Do you have an alternative to this situation?," "Can you give me three good reasons why...," "It still seems like something is missing here, ...?

SOLO Relational Blog Comment

Blog comments communicate most effectively and explain ideas clearly.
Can actively read the blog posts of others and respond appropriately, reflecting a personal understanding of the blogger  viewpoint expressed.

Includes Cognitive Elaborations/Explanations/  Push to Explore:
"Please clarify what you mean by...," " In contrast to this might be...," “What is similar to this” "What else do you think is  important here...? ," " "How is this related to...?," “What do you think led to this?” "You might want to  email  'XYZ' for...,"

SOLO Multistructural Level Comment

Blog comments communicate ideas and relates sensitively to others.
Can read blog posts respond to them.

Includes Questioning/ Modelling examples/
"What do you call this idea...?," "Another reason for this might be...?," "An example of this is...," I'm just not sure what you mean by...," "I think I solved this sort of problem once when I...,"

SOLO Unistructural Level Blog Comment

Limited blog reading and commenting skills.

Includes social and cognitive acknowledgement/ Simple feedback and praise
Hi...," "I agree with everything said so far...," "Wow, what a post…," "This post certainly has got people talking..," " " I'm impressed great writing...,"

SOLO Prestructural Level Blog Comment

Poor blog reading and commenting skills accompanied by a lack of self-awareness of impact of  comments on others.

“This writing sucks.” “Are you going to J’s place after school? “ “Why would anyone want to read this?” "Duh..."

UPDATE  6 September 2007

Thanks for all the ideas about this, and apologies for persevering with something that in the wrong hands may well turn out to be a joysucker BUT this version of the self assessment blog comment rubric may be a little less "mothy"

What is missing from this rubric thinking - and what may ultimately make it a pursuit of red herrings is that all levels of comment are important in conversation be it F2F or within a blog  - the texture of the initial post is enhanced by the collective comments offered so looking at them individually may be flawed.

Self Assessment Blog Commenting Rubric (Draft 2)

Dr Janice Orrell’s  (2003)Communication Skills Rubric framed as Blog Comment with explanation and example from SOLO Taxonomy

SOLO Extended Abstract Blog Comment

Blog comment balances blog reading and responding.
Can synthesize what has been read in the blog post and makes comments that evaluate or elaborate to others ideas offering alternative perspectives

E.g Blog comment includes taking linked ideas from the original post into other contexts through : generalisation, evaluation, analogy, prediction, imagine, judgement, speculation, if/then, hypothesise, forecast, idealise

SOLO Relational Level Blog Comment

Blog comments communicate most effectively and explain ideas clearly.
Can actively read the blog posts of others and respond appropriately, reflecting a personal understanding of the blogger viewpoint expressed.

E.g Blog comment links ideas from the original post through: sequencing, classification, comparison and contrast, causal explanation, analysis (part whole), clarification, inference, reason

SOLO Multistructural Level Blog Comment

Blog comments communicate ideas and relates sensitively to others.
Can read blog posts respond to them.

E.g Blog comment includes several ideas from the original post through: statements that define, describe, identify,

SOLO Unistructural Level Blog Comment

Limited blog reading and commenting skills.

E.g Blog comment includes one idea from the original post

SOLO Prestructural Level Blog Comment

Poor blog reading and commenting skills accompanied by a lack of self-awareness of impact of  comments on others.

E.g Blog comment makes no reference to the ideas in the original post

Download blog_commenting_rubric.pdf