Showcasing blogs as a tool Lin Armstrong

What is a blog? A web page that is like a diary on the internet. It allows people to post their thoughts, ideas, feelings, and photos onto the internet. Anyone can read a blog and make comments. “unedited, published voice of the people” (Winer, 2003) Winer, D. (2003). What makes a weblog a weblog?” Weblogs at Harvard Law. Retrieved September 5, 2006 from http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/whatMakesAWeblogAWeblog

My blog linarmstrong@blogspot.com My other blog at posperous.com

Tried www.blogger.com www.edublogs.com www.livejournal.com   www.edublogs.com www.livejournal.com warwickblogs.ac.uk Blogs on moodle

Blogging at NWHC First year students Blended classroom experiment co-worked with library Blogger.com free Module booklet alerted students to topics No set words No set styles Blogger award each term

Why use blogs? Students said.. It sets information into my own head and helps my memory .Every thing I have blogged I have remembered. Reflection on my findings and it gives structure to save the stuff I have seen It has made my learning concrete I liked doing it because I only did stuff I was interested in It is a good way to nick a load of stuff off other people’s blog

Why use blogs? I enjoy it for my own benefit it is private and I write how I speak I like to look back and reflect how I have gone through stress and transitions. I don’t look at others. It is good for knowledge on your own terms –dumbing it down.

Why use blogs? Autonomy Voices Comprehensible Input Bridge to context of the course Connectivity Vygotski & the ZPD Motivation Communicative Authenticity Lived Experience

Problems with blogging students said… Overwhelmingly it is time It is an added pressure to the coursework No one checks so there is no feedback No instant answers like face book Doesn’t enhance learning Does nothing for my learning style as I don’t like to type Privacy is a big issue for me ,I don’t know who is following me or reading what I write The tutor can snoop on me and find I am not very accademic Culture of tv watching not creating on computer, is not seen as leisure but is not seen as real course work either. Lack of connectivity-feeling someone is out there

Zoning in on the ZPD Learning is taking place in the Zone of Proximal Development which Vygotsky defines as: . . . the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers. (Mind in Society, page 86 – italics mine) Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Massachus Collaboration was better on other tools as these students considered the blog in terms of private voices and public voices audiences looking at you. the irony is facebook is the most open sharing of personal information.

Paulo Freire I have always insisted that words used in organizing a literacy program come from the world universe of the people who are learning, expressing the actual language, their anxieties, fears, demands, dreams. Words should be laden with the meaning of the people’s existential experience, and not of the teacher’s experience. Freire, Paulo. (1983). The importance of the act of reading. Journal of Education 165 (1): 5 – 11. Freire, Paulo. (1983). The importance of the act of reading. Journal of Education 165 (1): 5 – 11

What did they blog about? Some blogs from the class.

Blogging helped students

Students wanted blogs to continue Yes 7 No 5

Reactions to blogs I just say whatever I want, which is good.

Blogs: Questions & Comments?