Ellison,+N.+&+Wu,+Y.+Blogging+in+the+Classroom

=Ellison, N. & Wu, Y. (2008). Blogging in the Classroom : A Preliminary Exploration of Student Attitudes and Impact on Comprehension.= Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 17(1), 99-122. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

=Abstract=

This study analyzes how blogging effects learning in the classroom. There were three kinds of blogging done in the study: writing an entry, reading other students' blogs, and reading other students' comments on one's blog. All of the blogs encompassed course material meant to be covered in the class, and the study had a side-objective of seeing which of the three kinds of blogging exercises had the most successful impact on student learning.

Data shows that reading other students' responses and thoughts on the material helped them the most in understanding the course material.

"Quantitative data analysis revealed that reading other students' blogs was believed to be most helpful for understanding course concepts. Analysis of the open-ended responses revealed a need for more guidance regarding the process of reviewing and critiquing the work of peers and appreciation for the way in which blogging exposed students to more diverse viewpoints from their peers. Pragmatic guidelines for instructors wishing to incorporate blogging into their classroom activities are discussed" (Wu 99)

=Argument=

The argument in this article is that there is a positive effect to teaching through online blogs. It is stated numerous times, throughout the article, that handing in assignments through blogs better allows students to give and receive peer reviews and feedback. Using the blogging technology is less intimidating than having to hand in a hard copy of an assignment and having a classmate read the assigned work right there in front of you. Blogging offers students a more comfortable environment, allowing them to show their personalities through their writing; however, there are some discrepancies. Universities seem to be having trouble with using blogging as a pedagogical tool and weaging blogging into the curriculum, without raising questions. = = =Key Passages= “Recent work in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) field supports the view that active learning experiences, are superior to passive models of instruction. For instance, Wickersham and Chambers (2006) concluded that learning is best facilitated in contexts that include hands-on, experiential opportunities and high levels of student participation, interaction with peers, and student-teacher communication. In that Internet-based communication, technologies allow students to create and share their writing, as opposed to merely consuming texts selected by the instructor, these tools are inherently well-suited to support these kinds of constructivist, peer-focused experiences. Although blogging is the most recent incarnation of these Internet-based writing environments, educational research has also examined two related technologies: electronic discussion boards (also called newsgroups) and electronic portfolios.” (101)

“After reporting on several instantiations of discussion board implementations in introductory computer programming, MBA, and MIS classes, Gill (2006) concluded that 'discussion groups can be extremely effective in enabling learning. The examples presented here demonstrate various ways in which these groups can contribute to student performance, self-efficacy and satisfaction" (p. 382). Other research suggests that integration of technology has the potential to increase student learning, although these claims must be considered in the context of the difficulties associated with this kind of research. For instance, Krentler and Willis-Flurry (2005) empirically examined whether technology enhanced actual student learning. In their study, they defined use of technology as students' participation in class discussions on an online threaded discussion board; student learning as the students' overall performance in the course represented by exam and project grades; and technology use as percentage of participation in online threaded discussion. They found that students' use of technology had a significant main effect on students' learning in that the more students participated in the discussion board, the higher their grades. They interpret these results to argue that "students using the technology ... benefited from that use through increased learning, as demonstrated by stronger course performance' (p. 319). However, it is worth noting that given the design of the study, causal claims should be treated with caution. Students who spend more time on a course-related discussion board may also spend more time on other course-related activities (such as attending class and reading), which clearly would contribute to higher grades.” (102)

“Because some of the technical characteristics of e-portfolios are shared by other related forms of online publishing, many of these potential benefits are shared as well. For instance, although blogs are typically limited to textual entries, many current blogging tools allow blog authors to include photographs, audio files, and other multimedia elements. This point becomes evident when examining the list of e-portfolio benefits outlined by Mc-Cowan, Harper, and Hauville (2005), many of which are features shared by blogging tools: accessibility; insight into the thinking processes of students; greater ownership of learning and self-empowerment; increase in the capacity for self-assessment and reflection; and greater access to a wider audience including employers. Other researchers have noted the similarities between blogs and earlier technologies such as e-portfolios. For example, Barrett (2004) examined the role of e-portfolios to promote deep learning and noted that blogging is well-suited to support learning portfolios.” (104)

“Students also commented on the fact that reading other students' work exposed them to different perspectives and that, they were surprised at the range of responses.” (106)

"All students were from the same university and were primarily telecommunication majors, who may have had more familiarity with Internet technologies than students in other majors. Therefore, our ability to generalize other educational contexts is limited." (Wu 119)

"Blogging can potentially provide students with a window into peers' perspectives, a doorway to a global audience, and a mirror through which to reflect on their own thinking and writing." (Wu 119) =Selected Works Cited= For a complete Works Cited, see pages 21-25.