I blog, therefore I : Using blogs to aid student and staff inquiry
Sabine LittleLearning Development & Research Associate (Networked Learning)Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences
www.shef.ac.uk/cilass
am
reflectcollaborate learn
teachdisseminate
personalise
IBL involves
• Students and/or tutors establishing question/problem etc
• Students pursuing lines of inquiry (often in groups)
• Drawing on existing knowledge• Identifying new learning and
information needs• Seeking information, evidence, e.g.
interacting with (digital) resources, datasets, archives
• Discussing, receiving feedback, synthesising information, constructing knowledge
• Analysing and communicating ideas and results
• Working with staff as partners, participating in a research community
Blogs for reflection• Can be kept private or public
• Layout of blog encourages narrative writing – ‘continuing the story’
• Easy to link to resources, attach other materials
• Searchable on various levels (time stamp, key words, phrases, sub-categories)
• …
I blog, therefore I … reflect.
Blogs for collaboration• Easily accessible (across countries/continents)
• Grouping possible through ‘pages’
• Processes, paths and reflections remain visible
• Easy to use
• ‘Product’ can be made visible to the world
• …
I blog, therefore I … collaborate.
Blogs for learning/teaching• Individuals can bring learning components
to the group, providing a ‘bigger picture’• Staff can model ‘good’ writing, reflexivity,
facilitation• Accessible (more easily than institutional
virtual learning environments (VLEs)?)• Personal (unlike institutional VLEs?)• …
I blog, therefore I … learn/teach.
The Soup Blog
I blog, therefore I … learn/teach.
Blogs for dissemination• Sharing good practice• Raising the profile of learning and teaching
in the institution• One-stop-shop for events announcements,
reports, and reflections• Comments function facilitates discussion• Notification/RSS Feeds• Creating a community of practice?
Blogs for dissemination
Blogs for personalisation• Choice of templates – customisation
• Inclusion of sound, video, images
• Links
• Blogroll
• …
I blog, therefore I … personalise.
I blog, therefore I …am• Personalisation
• Integrating podcasts, videos
• Self-publication
• Space for sharing reflections, work & CV
• Identification through blog?
I blog, therefore I…am.
Discussion• What can blogs do that other tools
can’t?
• What can’t they do?
• What are personalisation issues?
• What other uses might new technologies open up?