Instructional Blogging Best Practices and Case Studies
Learning Technologies Center, Learning Technologies Center.
Great resource on the myriad ways in which blogs can be used in the educational context. The site is divided into specific sections each dealing with a given use. The section as short, concise but provide enough detailing through illustrating by case study. I’ve listed the main uses below , but have only quoted particular (interesting) points rather than provide a summary. I would encourage interested readers to have a look themselves.
Extending Learning
Blogging and the ‘just in time’ teaching model. Students misunderstandings are addressed prior to class: “He replaced forums with blogs and discovered that more students participated and that the quality of their contributions improved markedly. He attributes this to students taking an increased ownership of their ideas and that with their own blogs, students cannot lurk as they can on forums.”
Discussing Course Readings
Using blogs to discuss course texts: “Spanish (300 level) conversation course The instructor explained that there are four skills emphasized in learning Spanish: listening and speaking which are accomplished in class; reading and writing for which the blog was used. The instructor structured use of the blog around having her students answer 3-4 questions that she prepared for them. Of interest to instructors and faculty considering blogs in this fashion, is that this instructor felt that her students took more ownership of what they wrote because their names appeared with their entries and comments. She described it as “learning by communicating.””
Addressing Course Issues
A great use this one. The tutor maintaining a blog to extend the course in terms of introducing additional material to that covered in class. In this example the tutor also relates course content to personal experience: ““I am maintaining a blog for this course as well. The sorts of things I expect to write about include: additional thoughts that relate to class material, thoughts I have that may delve more deeply into a particular topic, perhaps some recent experiences I have had that illustrate how IT is being used, and something interesting that I read.””
Community Building
Another great idea. This revolves around students commenting on case studies with suggested solutions. Primarily relates to the social community aspects of reflective practice: “In another online nursing course, the instructor used the blog to post case study assignments. He created the case studies and the students posted entries that comprised explanations of the course of treatment they prescribed. Classmates then add comments, suggest alternative courses of action, or ask questions. This instructor designed his use of the blog to promote critical thinking and asked students to make insightful comments. Where appropriate he asked them to include citations to substantiate an observation. For example, if a student questioned another’s use of a particular drug he wanted to see a reference to the scientific literature that supported use of a different drug. The instructor also used the blog to add his “expert” answer. He commented that he felt the blog experience helped the students feel part of an online community and more connected to each other.”
Blogging Techniques & Tactics
Not an example of use but practical tips peppered with examples. For instance encouraging participation: “Ways to engage students in writing on course blogs range from developing assignments that are written on a course or individual blog to requiring students to comment on other students entries. One way to realize this successfully is to specify in the syllabus that students are expected to make two or three comments to other students entries and that these comments should expand on our collective knowledge.”
Peer Review
Including students within the constructive and reflective feedback process: “What he has developed is an educational experience in which he comments on the students’ blog entries the first few weeks and then turns the commenting over to the students. After that he reads each student’s entries quickly, to get a sense of what they wrote and to identity any possible problems. Of course, in class he has taught students appropriate ways to critique another student’s entry and how to provide constructive feedback.”.
