using blogs in online education
DESCRIPTION
Invited online presentation for Alberta Distance Education and Training Association (ADETA) on some possible pedagogical uses of blogs, presented February 2005TRANSCRIPT
Blogging in Online Blogging in Online Education: Education:
Opportunities and ChallengesOpportunities and Challenges
Presentation for ADETAPresentation for ADETA
January 27, 2005January 27, 2005
Scott LeslieScott Leslie
OutlineOutlineWhat Blogging IsWhat Blogging Is
What Blogging Isn’tWhat Blogging Isn’t
Matrix of Blogging in EducationMatrix of Blogging in Education
ExamplesExamples
CautionsCautions
Discussion?Discussion?
Quick SurveyQuick Survey
How many of you have heard of blogs/blogging How many of you have heard of blogs/blogging before?before?
… … regularly read a blog?regularly read a blog?
… … write a blog?write a blog?
… … use one in your online classes?use one in your online classes?
… … use an RSS Reader/Aggregator?use an RSS Reader/Aggregator?
Blogs vs. BloggingBlogs vs. Blogging
‘‘Blogs’ as a thing – a personal, Blogs’ as a thing – a personal, chronologically ordered set of entries, chronologically ordered set of entries, each having a title, description and unique each having a title, description and unique URL, in a web-based ‘log’ or journal.URL, in a web-based ‘log’ or journal.
VS.VS.
‘‘Blogging’ as an activity - both a use of Blogging’ as an activity - both a use of technologies, but more importantly, a form technologies, but more importantly, a form of writing AND reading on the networkof writing AND reading on the network
So why all the fuss?So why all the fuss?
Blogs represent…Blogs represent…
first simple first simple personalpersonal web-based publishing tools web-based publishing tools to be widely adoptedto be widely adopted
first set of tools supporting first set of tools supporting simplesimple creation of creation of XML-based content (e.g. content separate from XML-based content (e.g. content separate from its presentation which can be displayed many its presentation which can be displayed many places)places)
creation of a set of creation of a set of practices and conventionspractices and conventions around a new form of around a new form of social ‘network writing’social ‘network writing’ that includes both the that includes both the reading and writingreading and writing
……simple personal publishing toolssimple personal publishing tools
First blogs (c. 1997) were HTML pages generated with First blogs (c. 1997) were HTML pages generated with whatever webpage editor that was at handwhatever webpage editor that was at hand
Emerged as a force with the advent of a number of web-Emerged as a force with the advent of a number of web-based services and applicationsbased services and applications
Blogger, LiveJournal, MoveableTypeBlogger, LiveJournal, MoveableType
Their explosion in late 2002/early 2003 coincided (and Their explosion in late 2002/early 2003 coincided (and partly brought on) a groundswell of interest in ‘social partly brought on) a groundswell of interest in ‘social software’ and services focused on individuals located software’ and services focused on individuals located within a networkwithin a network
……simplesimple creation of XML content creation of XML content
While you can read blogs with a web While you can read blogs with a web browser, many people do not access them browser, many people do not access them this waythis way
Instead they have the highlights of many Instead they have the highlights of many blogs pushed to them in the form of RSS blogs pushed to them in the form of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) an XML (Really Simple Syndication) an XML format for synopsizing latest changes to a format for synopsizing latest changes to a websitewebsite
RSS ContinuedRSS Continued
Reading RSS feeds in an ‘aggregator’ or ‘feed Reading RSS feeds in an ‘aggregator’ or ‘feed reader’ means that instead of having to visit reader’ means that instead of having to visit every website each day to see what has every website each day to see what has changed, you can visit one place and see only changed, you can visit one place and see only what has changed since you last visited what has changed since you last visited for all for all the blogs you read at once!the blogs you read at once!
This efficiency means people can monitor This efficiency means people can monitor hundreds of sources regularly without becoming hundreds of sources regularly without becoming overwhelmedoverwhelmed
Examples of Blogging Software Examples of Blogging Software OutputsOutputs
HTML/Blog
+ +
RSS/XML
?
Other Locations
……blogging practices and blogging practices and conventionsconventions
‘‘Blogrolls’ and references in posts as means to creating Blogrolls’ and references in posts as means to creating connections and virtual conversations, acknowledging connections and virtual conversations, acknowledging who you readwho you read
‘‘Trackbacks’ – automated means for notifying another Trackbacks’ – automated means for notifying another blog when you have referenced themblog when you have referenced them
As ‘web pages representing people’ blogs are As ‘web pages representing people’ blogs are googleablegoogleable
Advent of sites like Technorati, Feedster have helped Advent of sites like Technorati, Feedster have helped increase one’s sense of place within larger increase one’s sense of place within larger conversational spaceconversational space
What Blogging Isn’tWhat Blogging Isn’t
While a virtual space of conversation While a virtual space of conversation ‘emerges’ from the collection of blogs, ‘emerges’ from the collection of blogs, blogging is NOT a replacement for blogging is NOT a replacement for threaded discussion or mailing liststhreaded discussion or mailing lists
They represent an improved means to They represent an improved means to establish personal ‘voice’ and identity on the establish personal ‘voice’ and identity on the network, but a diminished means of having a network, but a diminished means of having a focused ‘back and forth’ discussionfocused ‘back and forth’ discussion
What Blogging Isn’t (2)What Blogging Isn’t (2)
Blogs/Blogging are not a replacement for CMSBlogs/Blogging are not a replacement for CMS The purposely lack things lack assessment tools and The purposely lack things lack assessment tools and
user trackinguser tracking
They represent instead one lightweight tool that, They represent instead one lightweight tool that, alongside a myriad other lightweight tools, could alongside a myriad other lightweight tools, could provide an attractive alternative to ‘heavyweight’/ provide an attractive alternative to ‘heavyweight’/ ‘bundled’ CMS ‘bundled’ CMS
Matrix of Blog Uses in EducationMatrix of Blog Uses in Education
Originally developed for a BC-wide online Originally developed for a BC-wide online workshop on the uses of blogging in workshop on the uses of blogging in educationeducation
Looked at blogs from the perspective of both Looked at blogs from the perspective of both reading/aggregating them and writing themreading/aggregating them and writing them
Also from the perspective of Student as Also from the perspective of Student as author/audience and Instructor as author/audience and Instructor as author/audienceauthor/audience
INSTRUCTORSSTUDENTSAS
READER
AS
READER
AS
AUTHOR
AS
AUTHOR
PERSONAL FOCUS
‘CLASSROOM’ FOCUS
INTERNET-WIDE FOCUS
Instructors as Blog AuthorsInstructors as Blog Authors
Personal focusPersonal focus Personal Journal/KM ToolPersonal Journal/KM Tool
‘‘Classroom’ focusClassroom’ focus ‘‘Announcements’ blogAnnouncements’ blog Instructional Tips for StudentsInstructional Tips for Students Annotated Links for ClassAnnotated Links for Class
Internet-wide focusInternet-wide focus Discipline-specific blog as ‘professional practice,’ Discipline-specific blog as ‘professional practice,’
networking, online publishingnetworking, online publishing
Instructors as Blog ReadersInstructors as Blog Readers
Personal FocusPersonal Focus Personal Journal/KM ToolPersonal Journal/KM Tool
‘‘Classroom’ FocusClassroom’ Focus Student’s blogs as part of courseworkStudent’s blogs as part of coursework Institutional blogs/RSS feedsInstitutional blogs/RSS feeds
Internet-wide FocusInternet-wide Focus Ed tech/pedagogical blogs as part of professional Ed tech/pedagogical blogs as part of professional
practicepractice Discipline-specific Blogs to keep abreast of fieldDiscipline-specific Blogs to keep abreast of field RSS Feeds from LORs to gather new teaching RSS Feeds from LORs to gather new teaching
materialsmaterials
Students as Blog AuthorsStudents as Blog Authors
Personal FocusPersonal Focus Personal Journal / Knowledge Management ToolPersonal Journal / Knowledge Management Tool
‘‘Classroom’ FocusClassroom’ Focus Course-based Journals for AssessmentCourse-based Journals for Assessment As a group discussion toolAs a group discussion tool
Internet-wide FocusInternet-wide Focus As a ‘eportfolio’ tool for both institution-wide and As a ‘eportfolio’ tool for both institution-wide and
internet-wide publicationinternet-wide publication
Students as Blog ReadersStudents as Blog Readers
Personal FocusPersonal Focus Own Journal/KM ToolOwn Journal/KM Tool
‘‘Classroom’ FocusClassroom’ Focus Instructor’s Announcements or Content BlogInstructor’s Announcements or Content Blog Other Students’ blogs (both course and non-course Other Students’ blogs (both course and non-course
uses)uses)
Internet-wide FocusInternet-wide Focus Discipline-specific feeds as courseworkDiscipline-specific feeds as coursework
Instructor Blogs ExamplesInstructor Blogs Examples
‘‘Annotated Links’ blogAnnotated Links’ blog
Bruce Landon’s Cognitive Psychology links blogBruce Landon’s Cognitive Psychology links bloghttp://radio.weblogs.com/0101747/categories/cognitivhttp://radio.weblogs.com/0101747/categories/cognitivePsychology/ePsychology/
‘‘Administrative Announcements’ blogAdministrative Announcements’ blog Jim Sentence’s Economics 102C. 203 and 312/462 Jim Sentence’s Economics 102C. 203 and 312/462
Announcements Announcements http://weblogs.upei.ca/blog/124http://weblogs.upei.ca/blog/124
Instructor Blogs ExamplesInstructor Blogs ExamplesAs Discipline-Specific Professional PracticeAs Discipline-Specific Professional Practice
UBC Botanical Gardens Botany BlogUBC Botanical Gardens Botany Bloghttp://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/weblog/http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/weblog/
EconLogEconLoghttp://econlog.econlib.org/ http://econlog.econlib.org/
Elearnspace Elearnspace http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/
““Professors who blog” listProfessors who blog” listhttp://rhetorica.net/professors_who_blog.htm http://rhetorica.net/professors_who_blog.htm
Instructor Blog ExamplesInstructor Blog Examples
As full course delivery mechanismAs full course delivery mechanism
David Wiley’s David Wiley’s Understanding Online Understanding Online InteractionInteractionhttp://wiley.ed.usu.edu/courses/interaction-http://wiley.ed.usu.edu/courses/interaction-2004/ 2004/
see also student’s blogssee also student’s blogscf. http://mozson.blogspot.com/ cf. http://mozson.blogspot.com/
Student Blog ExamplesStudent Blog Examples
Blogs as Personal Journal and Student-to-Blogs as Personal Journal and Student-to-Student Communication SpaceStudent Communication Space Random Thoughts by JoeRandom Thoughts by Joe
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/piep0058/loverboy/http://blog.lib.umn.edu/piep0058/loverboy/
cf. his ‘list of other journals he reads’ to see the cf. his ‘list of other journals he reads’ to see the informal student ‘network’ he participates ininformal student ‘network’ he participates in
Michael’s Economics BlogMichael’s Economics Bloghttp://foranewliberty.com/econ/http://foranewliberty.com/econ/
Student Blog ExamplesStudent Blog Examples
as ePortfolioas ePortfolio http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/weblogs/mitch/ http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/weblogs/mitch/
Institution-wide Blogging Institution-wide Blogging ExamplesExamples
Weblogs@UBCWeblogs@UBC http://http://careo.elearning.ubc.cacareo.elearning.ubc.ca/weblogs/home//weblogs/home/
UPEIUPEI http://http://weblogs.upei.caweblogs.upei.ca//
U Minnesota LibrariesU Minnesota Libraries http://blog.lib.umn.edu/http://blog.lib.umn.edu/
University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick http://http://blogs.warwick.ac.ukblogs.warwick.ac.uk//
CautionsCautions
While there has been plenty of hype, there While there has been plenty of hype, there are still few are still few greatgreat examples of the use of examples of the use of blogs in online educationblogs in online education
May well be that, as they are very much May well be that, as they are very much involved with involved with writingwriting, they may well lend , they may well lend themselves better to certain disciplines themselves better to certain disciplines then othersthen others
Cautions (2)Cautions (2)
Blogs in their ‘pure’ form represent a challenge Blogs in their ‘pure’ form represent a challenge to the ‘closed’ model of the online classroomto the ‘closed’ model of the online classroom
This can be addressed by choosing to implement blog This can be addressed by choosing to implement blog hosting software on campus that provides an hosting software on campus that provides an authenticated environmentauthenticated environment
Downside of loosing the serendipitous connections Downside of loosing the serendipitous connections with others that blogs in the open promote; continues with others that blogs in the open promote; continues the quarantining of one’s the quarantining of one’s online online educationaleducational life life from one’s from one’s life onlinelife online
Cautions (3)Cautions (3)
Easy to confuse the technological manifestations Easy to confuse the technological manifestations with the important lessons they are revealingwith the important lessons they are revealing
The true power of blogs have been The true power of blogs have been to liberate to liberate personal personal publishing,publishing, to enable to enable indvidual voiceindvidual voice but but to do so in a to do so in a networked environmentnetworked environment in which the in which the
conversation ‘conversation ‘emergesemerges’ organically rather than being ’ organically rather than being confined by a confined by a pre-existing virtual spacepre-existing virtual space
to bring together one’s to bring together one’s personal, professional personal, professional and and classroomclassroom work around a work around a singlesingle set of technologies set of technologies
DiscussionDiscussion
Questions?Questions?
Potential topics for discussionPotential topics for discussion What do you think the major hurdle to using What do you think the major hurdle to using
blogs in your online practice is?blogs in your online practice is? How would you get started?How would you get started? What other uses for blogs can you imagine?What other uses for blogs can you imagine?
Thanks!Thanks!
Feel free to contact me with questions atFeel free to contact me with questions at
[email protected]@island.net
or at my home on the web EdTechPostor at my home on the web EdTechPost
http://www.edtechpost.ca/mt/ http://www.edtechpost.ca/mt/