INNOVATIVE THINKING FOR THE REAL WORLD Mirror, Mirror on the Wall? Blogging as Reflection Ruth A....

INNOVATIVE THINKINGFOR THE REAL WORLD

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall?Blogging as Reflection

Ruth A. Smith, Principal Lecturer


Learning Outcomes• By the end of this session, delegates will be able

to:• Describe ways in which blogging can be used

in assessment• Outline the benefits of blogging in assessment• Explain how to overcome potential issues in

using blogging as assessment


Why use Blogs in Assessment?

• ‘Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World’ (March 2009)

• Recognised impact and potential challenges of students’ widespread use of Web 2.0 technologies

• Web 2.0 is known as the ‘Social Web’where software is available through the Internet that supports group interaction (Shirky, 2003).


Web 2.0 Timeline

1999

MSN

Blogger.com

Facebook

2004

YouTube

2003

2002

2001

2000

Myspace

INNOVATIVE THINKINGFOR THE REAL WORLDINNOVATIVE THINKINGFOR THE REAL WORLD

Using Blogs

• A Blog or weblog is “a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser” (Winer, 2003).

• Blogs replace reflective notebooks for Work Placement Modules


Benefits of Blogging…

• “Provide a space for students to reflect and publish their thoughts and understandings” (Ferdig & Trammell, 2004)

• Makes people more thoughtful and articulate observers of their world (Blood, 2002)

• May develop reflective skills (Clyde, 2005) • Can promote reflection and deeper learning which can

be transferred to situations outside the classroom (Bouldin et al., 2006)


Barriers to Blogging…

• Students may be reticent about revealing their real feelings (Catalano, 2005, Lenhart and Fox, 2006)

• Reflective blogging may be more attractive to some groups than others (Herring et al, 2004)

• Creative individuals are more likely to enjoy blogging than others (Guadagno et al, 2008)

• Link


Case Study: Context

• Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Business Management (3 x 20 credit modules at Level 7)

• The course commenced with a 7 week block followed by a 6 month work placement.

• Blogging represents 15% of the final mark for the work placement module.


Blogging Preparation

• Short Presentation on how to reflect (essential)

• Structure of Posts: Where are you now? Where do you want to be? How are you going to get there? What does it feel like?


Evaluation

• Positive…

– “can look back in blog and see past ideas and learn from mistakes”

– “it was easy to be self-critical and reflect on group's mistakes”

– “helps you understand the module - think about your work”


Evaluation

• Negative…

– “don't know what to write”– “don't know what to write about and takes time that

could be spent in a way that feels more productive”– “I sometimes find it hard to get started”


Recommendations

• A Blogging ‘Code of Practice’ is essential• Explain what students should be blogging

about.• Explain how to ‘Do Reflection’.• Explain how to protect anonymity.• Encourage – give regular feedback.

INNOVATIVE THINKING FOR THE REAL WORLD Mirror, Mirror on the Wall? Blogging as Reflection Ruth A....

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