The Use of Blogs in Learning and Teaching

E-Learning ConferenceEast London International Convention Centre

31 October – 1 November 2011

Mmampho Gogela

Presentation

Outline

• Introduction

• Definition of terms

• Why use blogs as a learning and teaching tool?

• Special characteristics of blogs

• Examples of blogs in Life Skills

• Educational benefits of blogs

• Disadvantages of using blogs

• Recommendations/Conclusion

Introduction• The world-wide implementation of e-learning in higher education

institutions has seen blogs become an emerging writing tool.

• Blogs are internet-based. They are a way of integrating technology with learning and teaching inside and outside the classroom. They have proven to be relatively easy to use.

• This presentation highlights the benefits of using blogs as a learning

and teaching tool. It also looks at the disadvantages of blogging.

• Experiences of using blogs will be shared and recommendations will be made on how the potential benefits of blogging can be exploited in a quest to enhance learning and teaching at WSU.

Definition of TermsBlog: The term is a shortened version of web log. It is a

personal online publishing system which allows

individuals to write and publish their opinions, thoughts

and feelings on the internet on any subject they fancy.

Blog posts: These are individual articles posted on a blog. They are also simply known as ‘posts’ or ‘entries’.

Blogging: The act of writing a blog, maintaining it or adding an

article to an existing blog.

Blogger: A person who posts entries on a blog.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

Blogs as a Learning and Teaching Tool

• Blogging is motivated by the possibility to share knowledge with others, without necessarily being in the same space.

• For learners blogs can offer convenience in that they (blogs) can be accessed not only on campus but also from home or other facilities outside the university.

• Blogs can be a useful platform for instructors in that they allow them space and opportunity to interact with their students, as well as collaborate with their fellow academics or other professionals they may wish to share information with.

Special Characteristics of BlogsUser-friendliness No technical knowledge is

required to write a blog

Interactivity Readers can read and respond

to posts

Organisation/structure Each post is automatically

placed correctly

Real time distribution Latest information is published both instantly and automatically

Internal/external links Blogs thrive by links and reference to other articles/sites

Examples of Blogs

Educational Benefits of BlogsBlogs offer the following potential benefits:

• They are a combination of solitary and social interaction • They enable students with various personalities to participate in a

discussion, especially those who do not participate actively in class • Students get into the habit of reading and writing, which improves

their reading and writing skills• They give space for collaboration• They promote critical and analytical thinking• They are powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning

• They give lecturers the opportunity to explore how students feel about the quality of learning and teaching, and help in finding ways

of addressing the identified problems.

Disadvantages of Blogs

• Blogging requires a considerable amount of time to update and post entries

• Blogging may not be a feasible option for students who have limited or no access to a computer and the internet

• There is no confidentiality as blogs are a public forum• Since blogs are internet-based, students gain access to

a whole world of information as soon as they log in, and this may divert their attention away from the discussion

Recommendations

• Give clear instructions and outcomes of the exercise• Set clear expectations/guidelines regarding language

use (tone), respect and consequences of not adhering• Allow students adequate time to post and edit entries• Give encouraging feedback as students continually work

on their blogs• Rubrics should be developed for grading purposes and

communicated to students from the onset so they know how the blogs will be evaluated

• Instructors should be reasonable

Conclusion

Although blogging is a new and unfamiliar experience for

my students, on the whole they seem to be enjoying it

thoroughly!

Since the majority of our students at WSU need assistance

with reading and writing skills, I suggest that lecturers

consider using blogs as this would be a good way of

enhancing the afore-mentioned skills. Instructors should be reasonable

Happy Blogging!