Research and Blogging

One of the internet-based applications of interest to me, as a future middle school math and science teacher, is the use of blogging in the classroom. I believe that blogging may have the potential to positively impact science classrooms in particular. Collaboration and sharing is possible with blogging, which can add an important aspect of social interaction to the learning process. What does research say about the use of this tool? To answer this, I have read research articles related to use of blogging in the classroom; three are summarized below.

An article by Beldarrain (2006), focuses on the use of different online collaborative applications in distance learning situations. The article summarizes blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social software and discusses the use and benefits of each in distance learning classrooms. Although many applications are described by Beldarrain, I will focus on blogs, podcasts, and wikis.
Blogs can have many uses: exploring topics, honing writing skills, storing student work (similar to a portfolio), reflecting on learning, and storing classroom information. Beldarrain points out that blogs can be student- or instructor-managed. Podcasting is another emerging internet tool, which involves broadcasting audio or video files. This specific tool allows content to be delivered in unique ways and may uniquely engage distance learners. In some cases, it may also be appropriate for a distance learning instructor to require students to create their own podcasts.

Next, the author describes a wiki as “a collection of Web pages that are linked to each other, and reflect the collaborative works of many authors.” A wiki is different from a blog because it is not in chronological order and are usually more collaborative in nature; wikis also tend to be perceived as more formal and permanent in nature than blogs. Therefore, wikis are another distinct tool distance educators can use to enhance the learning experience of students. Beldarrain contends that blogs and wikis are both learning tools that allow increased learner control. Knowledge can be constructed in distance learning situations by allowing the students to use these tools.

After explaining the uses and advantages of these and other online learning tools, the author describes several considerations for implementing their use in the distance learning environment. Regardless of the specific application being used, technologies should enhance contact between students and faculty and cooperation among students. Active learning techniques are critical, as is prompt feedback for students. Other important guidelines for instructors are to emphasize time on task, communicate high expectations, and respect diverse ways of learning. Also required for success of technological changes are components of monetary support, comfort with the tools on the part of instructors, and appropriate leadership. Beldarrain also discusses how various learning theories are being affected by newly available online tools. The author concludes that the use of these various internet applications can serve to create a stronger learning community within a distance learning course.

The distance learning situations described by this article are quite different learning environments from most traditional classrooms. However, distance learning classrooms are likely to be the first to explore new technologies that might be of great use in other educational settings. Educators in traditional settings can take some specific points from this article and use them in designing instruction that uses technologies. The distance learning applications described can be used in traditional settings with similar purposes and, perhaps, similar outcomes. The creation of blogs and wikis in traditional classrooms can give students an effective way to collaborate with others in their own class. Collaboration can also occur with students from other classrooms across the nation or world. Using the internet can give students a broad audience for writings; compared with a teacher as the primary audience of work, this may prove to be motivating for students.

In addition to simply using the tools described in this article, instructors can use other ideas discussed by Beldarrain within a traditional classroom. The guidelines described in the article are applicable to any specific example of internet-based learning tool. If these tools are not used in effective ways (i.e. by utilizing active learning techniques, high expectations, prompt feedback, and respect), they are not likely to contribute to increased learning. If an instructor can, however, use the guidelines Beldarrain sets forth, the tools outlined in this article can become important parts of both distance learning and traditional classrooms.

Ellison and Wu (2008) conducted a study to examine student perceptions of blogging. Their research sheds light on some important questions related to use of blogging in the classroom. The researchers especially tried to determine what particular aspect(s) of blogging were the most useful for helping students understand course content. To gather data about student perceptions of blogging, fifty-two college students completed several writing assignments. Some of these were completed in traditional format; others were completed using online blogs (both with and without peer feedback). After these assignments were completed, students completed a survey to gather their perceptions of the blogging process.

The study showed that reading other students’ blogs was more useful for students than writing their own entries or reading comments of others on one’s own blog. Apparently, students found exposure to the perspectives of others one of the most important aspects of blogging. Another major finding of the study was that a great deal of guidance is needed from instructors in order for blogging to be part of a successful learning experience. Some students found that the interactive aspect of the assignments were enlightening, while others felt they were not worthwhile. In particular, students need guidance about how to review and critique the work of others. In this study, students were not given support about how to appropriately critique the work of others, making the process uncomfortable and/or frustrating for students.

Open-ended questions in the study’s survey generated some other interesting feedback about the use of blogging for educational use. Generally speaking, participants in the study approved of the medium of blogging, enjoying the convenience and relevance of the process. Another interesting idea reported in the survey was that blogging encouraged a less formal voice from the students than traditional writings require. Therefore blogging may potentially result in writings that are more authentic but potentially less thoughtful than assignments given in a traditional format.

This study was conducted amongst college students, so its results may not be generalizable to use of blogging for younger students. In addition, the article focused on student perceptions, not on measureable learning outcomes. Despite these limitations, the article does contain important ideas that instructors could use while incorporating blogging into any type of classroom use. Since the students in this study reported highest learning taking place from reading the blogs of others, instructors should be sure that this is an aspect of any blogging process in the classroom. Students are likely to gain some benefit from writing the blog itself, although perhaps its benefits would be similar to traditional writings. However, if students are collaborating with others, new perspectives can be gained. Teachers should not get so tied up in the writing process that students are deprived the chance of reading one another’s work.

One other major point this article provides educators is that students require support to make use of internet tools. Students need to know exactly what “voice” is required by the assignment. This clearly could vary based upon the learning objective under consideration. For a science blog, for instance, a teacher would need to make scientific writing procedures known to students before expecting them to incorporate this specific style of writing into a blogging situation. Additionally, the social aspect of blogging can only be used effectively if expectations and appropriate behavior are clearly delineated for students. Students of all ages struggle with giving constructive feedback to others. Specifically, instructors must teach the “difference between constructive criticism that focuses on the content of the work as opposed to attacks on character.” (Ellison & Wu, 2008). By requiring students to read the work of others and by giving strong support for the collaborative process undertaken, instructors can use the research reported in this article to make blogging a potential classroom success.

Chung et.al (2007) conducted a different study, focusing on the uses and perceptions of blogs. This research illuminated some other aspects of blogging. This study was specifically geared toward blogging amongst journalism educators and professionals. Specifically, the authors sought to compare the frequency, perception, and use of blogging between educators and professionals within the journalism field. Surveys were conducted of both educators and professionals, in order to obtain a picture of the role blogging currently and ideally should play in the education of journalism students.

The study showed that professionals in the field of journalism use blogs far more frequently than educators do. Journalism professions particularly took part in the following specific blogging activities more frequently than educators: posting entries on blogs, reading blogs posted by others, and posting comments on the blogs of others. Perceptions of blogging were also studied. Both professionals and educators had similar perceptions about the credibility, quality, future role, and usefulness of blogging in the field of journalism. Educators, however, tended to have more apprehension about the threat blogging poses to their future job security. The educators, as a whole, tended to have similar perceptions of blogging. The professionals in the study had more varied views on the topic, based upon their specific job descriptions. Although perceptions had some variation among the groups studied, the authors conclude that the field of journalism as a whole is recognizing the emerging significance of blogging.

The scope of this article was even more limited than the first article discussed, as the focus was solely on the profession of journalism. Despite this, instructors can apply the research findings of Chung et.al to various blogging projects within the classroom. First of all, the research contends that many individuals within the field of journalism concur that blogging is of rising significance. This gives research support to the use of blogging for journalistic purposes. Though more research is needed, professionals and educators in other fields may share these views; this means blogging has the potential to be an important educational tool in various settings. One other specific idea an educator can take from this article is to strive to connect any online collaborative process to the authentic processes that occur in the real world. If there is a major disconnect between the classroom and real-world experiences, the significance of the blogging process is greatly diminished.

Another implication from this article is that educators who use blogging or other collaborative online processes in the classroom should carefully define the purpose of the activity; such purpose should be made clearly known to students. For example, a science teacher may require students to keep a blog of results of experiments, in order to compile data to share with students in another classroom. Or a science teacher may require students to complete formal write-ups of experiments to publish on a class blog or wiki to share with the general public. These two processes would be greatly different and students should understand what is expected and the specific purpose of a blog before being asked to use it.

These three articles give a respectable research basis for use of blogging and other collaborative tools in the classroom. More research is needed within the specific realms of my personal interest, but myself and other educators can certainly benefit from the ideas summarized within this paper.

References:
Ellison, N., & Wu, Y. (2008). Blogging in the Classroom: A Preliminary Exploration of Student Attitudes and Impact on Comprehension. Journal of Educational Multimedia & Hypermedia, 17(1), 99-122. Retrieved December 14, 2007, from Education Research Complete database.
Chung, D., Kim, E., Trammell, K., & Porter, L. (2007, Autumn). Uses and Perceptions of Blogs: A Report on Professional Journalists and Journalism Educators. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 62(3), 305-322. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Academic Search Complete database.
Beldarrain, Y. (2006, August). Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Academic Search Complete database.