seírbhísí tf ucducd it services evaluation of blogs as reflective learning tools niall watts...

Seírbhísí TF UCDUCD IT Services

Evaluation of Blogs as Reflective Learning Tools

Niall Watts

Educational Technology Officer

Learning Technology for the Social Network Generation

ALT-C, Nottingham, September 2007

What is Reflective Learning?

• Reflection describes the processes where learners explore their experiences to gain a better understanding and appreciation of their learning (Boud, 1985).

• Many students find reflective learning difficult and initially resist it… Properly implemented blogs can help bring about reflective learning(Bartlett-Bragg, 2003).

Research Aims & Methods

• Can blogs facilitate (reflective) learning?

• Blog Text Analysis • Heuristics – Reflection & Collaboration• Subjectivity

• Learning Style (Kolb)• Quantitative

• Active/Reflective & Individual/Collaborative

• In literature• Validity?

• How do I evaluate this?

Kolb’s Learning Styles

Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory– Accommodating: intuition, people– Assimilating: logic, theory– Converging: practice, technology– Diverging: imaginative, group work

Which would you expect to be reflective/collaborative ?

Reflection

• Assimilating

• Diverging

Collaboration

• Accommodating

• Diverging

Case Study

• Students using blogs for course work

• Multimedia & Communications

• Minimal scaffolding

• Develop critical writing and thinking skills

“Tool for creative thought perceived electronically”

Methods – Text Analysis

• Posts coded for reflection using heuristics– Writing categorised as reflective (or not):

Student Blogs

Student Blogs

Methods – Collaboration

• Count number of comments made/received by classmates

• Count classmates listed as ‘Yahoo! Friends’

• Online community?

Methods – Learning Style

• Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory– Statements match a phase in Kolb’s Learning Cycle– Results plotted on graph– Students scored themselves– Class discussion

Methods – Triangulation

• Kember’s Questionnaire on Reflection– Agree/disagree 16 questions on their learning

• Blogging habits questionnaire (10 questions)– Do you enjoy blogging?– Does it help you to learn?– Do you read/comment on your classmates blogs?– Do they/you appreciate the comments?

Results – Blog Analysis

• One third of posts reflective

• One third of comments reflective

• 1 comment for 3 posts suggests collaboration

• Yahoo! Friends suggests online community

BLOG POSTS COMMENTS MADE RECEIVED

Total

Total Refl. Total Refl. Total Refl.

6 92 33 31 12 69 14

Results – Learning Style

Converging dominant LS :– 4 keenest bloggers – 1 non-blogger

Conclusions

• Bloggers reflective & collaborative learners

• Unexpected Result – Converging Learning Style– Not associated with Reflection or Collaboration– Skills with Hypermedia (Kolb)– Practical, hands-on

• Sample bias?– Students existing community– Teaching & learning practices– Lecturer well-known blogger