learning-centred blogs

Learning-centred blogs

Dr Paula HodgsonContact: etpaula@huk.hk

Faculty of EducationUniversity of Hong Kong

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Web log

“A [we]blog is a frequently updated website, organized in a diary form with individual [reverse] chronologically ordered entries or posts.”

Tosh and Werdmuller 2004

Blog for social networking

Potential uses of blogs

• Social networking

• Entertainment

• Learning-focused logs–Course-based blogs

–Community-based blogs

Learning activities

Lectures / tutorialsPlacement

Online activities in LMS and blogs

Source: Dora Wong (PolyU, English)

Coursed-based Learning Tasks in Blogs

Based on the intended outcomes of the course, students can be organized to

• Read/report/comment real cases through RSS feeds

• Do writing exercise• Reflect on critical incidents in the

workplace• Discuss some hot topics

• …

Source: Dora Wong (PolyU, English)

Reading real cases through RSS feeds

Source: Dr Pamela Kwok (HKCC, Marketing)

Reporting/commenting onreal cases

Source: Dora Wong (PolyU, English)

Writing exercise

Reflecting on critical incidents in the workplace

Source: Kitty Chan (PolyU, Sch of Nursing)

Source: Dr Pamela Kwok (HKCC, Marketing)

Topical discussion

Coursed-based Learning Tasks in Blogs

• Read/report/comment real cases through RSS feeds

• Do writing exercise

• Reflect on critical incidents in the workplace

• Discuss some hot topics

Community-based Blogs

Reflection through blogging community

Source: Paul Penfold, Creamy Kong (PolyU, SHTM)

Individual blog in the community-based blog

Source: Paul Penfold, Creamy Kong (PolyU, SHTM)

Peer feedback through blogs

Variety of community-based blogs

• Type 1: One-stop / All-in-one blog

(open year-round for a programme)

• Type 2: Course-based + group blogs [open/private]

(course-bound)

• Type 3: Course-based + individual private blogs [open/private]

(course-bound; year-round for individuals)

• Type 4: Teacher blog + blog exemplars

Implementing blogs for L&T

• Blog orientation on technical aspect– In-class demonstration– Online demonstration

• Learning tasks to acquire the intended learning outcomes – when, what, how

• Assessment tasks– Assessment criteria– Self-/peer- assessment

Learning opportunitiesin blogs

• Archived postings / comments– Self-learning: current cohort read

archived activities

– Learning tasks: current cohort reviewed some archived activities

• Current RSS feeds

• ‘Up-to-the-minute posts’

Conclusion

Educators need to:

1. plan thoughtfully how to maximize the features and potential that blogs can offer;

2. set clear guideline and instructions on how learners can contribute constructively and how their work is to be assessed;

3. create a supportive learning culture that facilitates learning between peers and with educators in the learning community; and

4. reflect on the learning experience of the course and across courses.

THANK YOU

Dr Paula Hodgson

Contact: etpaula@huk.hk

Faculty of Education

University of Hong Kong