Introduction
The rapid development of technologies and their use in pedagogy enable individuals to interact within the educational domain in new ecologies of learning. New technologies, such as a blog or wiki, make new demands on learning and provide new supports to learning. If we agree that there are new literacies and new conceptualisations required to use these emerging technologies, then some care should be taken to think widely about the impacts and the influence of these technologies on the processes and practices of pedagogy. (Duffy and Bruns, 2006)
Theoretical Framework
Blogging has been located in several pedagogical perspectives. For example, Bloom’s taxonomy “which sees learning in a series of cumulative stages ranging from knowledge gathering through to synthesis and evaluation” (Dickinson, 2003 cited in O’Donnell 2006). Or, social constructivist framework (Farmer, 2004; Ferdig and Trammell, 2004, cited in O’Donnell). According to O’Donnell, “both these approaches point to blogging’s usefulness in encouraging higher order learning skills and place blogging within a broadly progressive model of teaching and learning” (p12).
O’Donnell (2006) suggests however, that Papert’s (a student of Piaget’s) ‘constructionism’ provides a good theoretical framework for blogging. Constructionism could be considered a method of learning based on constructivist learning theory (Guzdial, 1997). Constructionism shares the constructivist connotation of learning as “building knowledge structures” but also states that “learning occurs most felicitiously when constructing a public artefact” (Ackermann, 2001, O’Donnell, 2006; Guzdialm, 1997). Papert believes that students will be more deeply involved in their learning if they are constructing something that others will see, critique, and perhaps use. To this end, blogging does appear to fit neatly into this framework. Papert does “focus on digital media and computer-based technologies” (Ackermann, 2001 p 5).
Hurlburt (2008) suggests that the ability of Web 2.0 technologies to promote an interactive social learning space is not inherent in the technology or an instructor’s familiarity with it. Essentially, just because a blog has the potential to be interactive, doesn’t mean it will be in a classroom context. (p. 182) Hurlburt believes it takes effort and creativity to successfully implement a collaborative learning environment.
Hurlburt 2008
The rapid development of technologies and their use in pedagogy enable individuals to interact within the educational domain in new ecologies of learning. New technologies, such as a blog or wiki, make new demands on learning and provide new supports to learning. If we agree that there are new literacies and new conceptualisations required to use these emerging technologies, then some care should be taken to think widely about the impacts and the influence of these technologies on the processes and practices of pedagogy. (Duffy and Bruns, 2006)
Theoretical Framework
Blogging has been located in several pedagogical perspectives. For example, Bloom’s taxonomy “which sees learning in a series of cumulative stages ranging from knowledge gathering through to synthesis and evaluation” (Dickinson, 2003 cited in O’Donnell 2006). Or, social constructivist framework (Farmer, 2004; Ferdig and Trammell, 2004, cited in O’Donnell). According to O’Donnell, “both these approaches point to blogging’s usefulness in encouraging higher order learning skills and place blogging within a broadly progressive model of teaching and learning” (p12).
O’Donnell (2006) suggests however, that Papert’s (a student of Piaget’s) ‘constructionism’ provides a good theoretical framework for blogging. Constructionism could be considered a method of learning based on constructivist learning theory (Guzdial, 1997). Constructionism shares the constructivist connotation of learning as “building knowledge structures” but also states that “learning occurs most felicitiously when constructing a public artefact” (Ackermann, 2001, O’Donnell, 2006; Guzdialm, 1997). Papert believes that students will be more deeply involved in their learning if they are constructing something that others will see, critique, and perhaps use. To this end, blogging does appear to fit neatly into this framework. Papert does “focus on digital media and computer-based technologies” (Ackermann, 2001 p 5).
Implications for Blogging
Hurlburt (2008) suggests that the ability of Web 2.0 technologies to promote an interactive social learning space is not inherent in the technology or an instructor’s familiarity with it. Essentially, just because a blog has the potential to be interactive, doesn’t mean it will be in a classroom context. (p. 182) Hurlburt believes it takes effort and creativity to successfully implement a collaborative learning environment.
Hurlburt 2008
- Certain subject matter may have more potential for success in an online environment than others (e.g. literacy vs 17th century literature)
- Key to the success of a blog assignment is to dictate the level of student engagement (i.e. two posts per topic) as well as clearly defined grading rubrics.
- Be aware of the “1% rule” or the fact that the majority of visitors to an online collaborative environment will ‘lurk’ or read without posting comments (McConnell 2006 as cited in Hurlburt)
- Developing a successful blogosphere requires developing a sense of trust and safety within the e-learning community.
- Since the blog space is a ‘personal home’, created by the blogger to “express his or her opinions and personal voice” (Ducate & Lomicka, 2005 in Hurlburt, 2008), the more students can create an individualized blog space the more likely the blog will be a successful ‘social-environmental tool”
- Not all feedback is equal--instructor comments provide a model for how to engage with both the primary source material as well as fellow students.
- To be most effective, “the teacher must take on the role of a student in this [online] community”...and write about the material within the context and limitation of the assignment.
Ellison, N.B., and Wu, Y. (2008)
- Its important to consider ethical issues regarding students linked to a digital persona for many, many years, which students could be held accountable for years later. For this reason teachers may consider allowing students to use a pseudonym. (p. 117)
- Instructors should ensure that instructional blogging supports teaching of the content area in pedagogically and technically sound ways. (p. 117)
21st Century Pedagogy - A New DNA. Blogs are part of the new DNA
A Vision of 21st Century Students - the 'why' of what we do and need to do to meet their learning needs. Blogging is just one tool.
