1. “Blogging phenomenology”: exploring students’ blog postings during teaching practice placements
Micheal M van Wyk
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
College of Education
University of South Africa
EASA conference
Legend Golf and Resort
13th January 2015

2. Web 2.0 (social media –blogs) - “blogagogy” as a social media e-learning strategy
Blogs serves as a social media tool only for communicative purposes.
Concept “blogagogy” served as a technology integrated e-learning facilitated teaching strategy to enhance and support economics education student teachers through school-based learning spaces (van Wyk, 2013)
Blogagogy is described as a portmanteau term in relation to the use of blogs and pedagogy in an open distance learning teaching learning context (Siemens, 2007).
During the teaching practice sessions student teachers’ intention was to explore blogs potential within and beyond blogging per se to draw out the range of learning and teaching activities.
Therefore within the context of this research, blogagogy has broader concerns regarding the use of blogs to develop pedagogical practices in learning and teaching.
Moreover, blogs as a Web 2.0 e-learning strategy is used to facilitate the formation of an online community of practice and in particular economics education student teachers (van Wyk, 2014).
Blogs is used in this study as a collaborative and community of practice e-learning strategy in an ODL context (Panda, 2010).

3. Conceptual frame- the use of blogs as an e-supportive tool during Teaching Practice placements
Connectivity
Mobile learning-Anderson (1998)
Internet connection-Siemens (2001)
ODL platform-myUnisa
Blogs, discussion forms, s, Onscreen marking-JRouter
Situated learning
Communities of Practice
Lave & Wenger (1992)
PGCE/Bed Snr FET
TP placements
Different schools settings
Mentors /subject teachers
Classroom settings
Unisa Academic visits
Peer learning
Social Interdependence
Johnson/Johnson (1996-CL)
Connect as blog for Economics education group
Reading blog postings
Respond to blog postings
Sharing TP milestones
PGCE/Bed Networking- s/mobiles (van Wyk,2013)
Social constructivism
Social cognitive (Piaget-1978)
Social learning (Vygotsky (1971)
Subject content knowledge
Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)
Pedagogical Technological Content knowledge (ICT)

4. Co-knowledge constructors Sharing of ideas Communication
e-supportive tool
Blog as
Problem-solving
Critical reflection
Co-knowledge constructors
Sharing of ideas
Communication
Interaction and collaboration
Creative and innovation

5. Context of study
College of Education (CoE), the Teaching Practice (TP) office, which is a division of the School for Teacher Education, is responsible for the placement of student teachers.
TP unit is responsible for organising and the supervision of student teachers in the teacher education programmes.
All students registered for the postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) and bachelor of education (BEd) programmes are expected to devote 25% of their time to teaching practice (for BEd students this is 12 weeks and for PGCE students 10 weeks per module; a module is a year in duration).
The CoE currently produces 55% of the teachers who enter the South African education system (Unisa 2012). At present, student teacher enrolment is approximately 22 000, and this poses an enormous challenge to the administration and learning management systems of the TP unit.
School visits for on-site assessment are arranged, but are insufficient, and other means must be developed to support students during their teaching practice.
For the purposes of the study, all registered PGCE and BEd (Senior and FET phase) economics and management science education (LADEMSJ) students were linked to the LADEMSJ subject didactics module on myUnisa during the ODL teaching practice placements.

6. Challenges faced by student teachers – need ODL support during their teaching practices sessions ( )
Major challenge to students (1753 (2014)- increase to 1902 (2015) students for LADEMSJ- course and other materials
myUnisa platform- tool use for peer interaction - discussion forums not effectively
Only small number of student teachers interact with other on the discussion forum (social media –Whatsup platform)
Lack of active participation of student teachers,
Only want “scope for exams” – learning to pass the course
No rigor discussions of issues related to module course- no real time for reflection, lack of sharing of ideas

7. myUnisa: Blog posting space

8. This paper explore the use of blogs as an e-learning tool in supporting Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) students, who were learning to teach EMS education in open distance learning (ODL) environments

9. Methodological considerations
Research paradigm and design: A phenomenological paradigm (qualitative in nature) was applied to this research- explores the use of blogs surveys by PGCE economics education (LADEMSJ-1753) students during ODL teaching practice placements.
 Sampling: PGCE (SF /FET) LADEMSJ students (N=457) completed five surveys which were linked to registered students per module on myUnisa.
 Every second week a question is formulated for student teachers to respond in relation to teaching practice placements environments
myUnisa counted total blog postings per week
Capturing each week student teachers’ blog postings
Data analysis of postings: A phenomenological approach (qualitative in nature) was applied to this research, which explores the use of blogs by PGCE students during ODL teaching practice (Prinsloo, Slade & Galpin, 2011; Akerlind, Bowden & Green, 2005).
Phenomenological collage (brockolage)- content /textual analysis
Ethical considerations: Before the researcher could begin with the study, consent from the students (n=457) and CEDU ethical clearance committee was obtained.

10. Phenomenological collage (brocolage design) Content / Textual analysis
Idea start from what my wife needle work- quilt blanket for my mother-in-law birthday (picture 1 and 2)
Joe L. Kincheloe has used the term bricolage in educational research to denote the use of multiperspectival research methods.
In Kincheloe's conception of the research bricolage, diverse theoretical traditions are employed in a broader critical theoretical/critical pedagogical context to lay the foundation for a transformative mode of multimethodological inquiry.
Using these multiple frameworks and methodologies, researchers are empowered to produce more rigorous and praxiological insights into socio-political and educational phenomena

11. myUnisa- LADEMSJ blog postings
Weekly postings
# New blog
postings
# Replies on
blog postings
Average # of blog
postings per student
Week 1-2
102 70
3.2
Week 3-4
191
8.9
Week 5-6
189
133
11.5
Week 7-8
105
10.3
Week 9-10
255
190
14.2
Week 11-12
212
111
19.9
Week 13-14
205
160
14.8
Total # postings
1286
871
Average # postings
284
192
7.1

12. Theme 1 Building an effective and support learning community of practice
In summation, the blog as an e-learning and social network learning tool supported and enhanced an effective learning community by giving student teachers opportunities to share ideas; it also provided resources and gave students good opportunities for reflection during the ODL Teaching Practice placements (van Wyk, 2013). Participants stated they were able to build trust in the group, although some students still avoided making ‘deep’ comments and kept things very superficial.
Our blog space created a platform for sharing Teaching Practice ideas of good practice and challenges face during the ten weeks. We also had the opportunity to work together if you are placed with other students. I have learned so much in my life of multicultural classes because I was placed in a culturally diverse school. The whole placement was a great learning experience because my mentor teacher provided me with enabling environment by supporting and providing constant feedback on my lesson presentations in her classes. (PGCE student teacher A)
In relation to this statement, several scholars alluded to the advantages of blogs as tools that aided the construction of knowledge, and which created intense dialogues, interaction, and collaboration (Maag, 2005: 23–24; Yang, 2009: 449).
A few students felt that they had developed trust with each other throughout the course and that this naturally flowed into the group from its inception. However, most students acknowledged that trust took some time to develop in the blog group. This is consistent with group theory development and stages of growth.

13. Theme 2 Enhance critical reflective practice among student teachers
For some students, some of the blog postings were not relevant/applicable, whereas others viewed blogs as being very useful and as providing very good information. For example, there was one blog on managing big classes and how to work with individuals at different ability levels, and bloggers found this very helpful (Anderson, 2008). Student teachers’ reflect on their classroom practice daily (reflective journal in Assignment 50= PTEAC1Y). BEd (Senior and FET phase) student said:
“… it forced you to reflect… you had to make time to stop and think about your lesson presentations. I think it is very important for us to think about our teaching everyday. After I presented a lesson my mentor provided valuable feedback and I really appreciated the input from her. After my lesson presentation we reflect what was good about my lesson and how could I improved in next lesson presentation. I have learned so many things from staff meetings to dept circulars. I felt empowered and looking forward to start teaching next year. In our school we were placed and the two of us made time to reflect on each others’ lessons. I was struggling to teach business cycles and production possibility curve (PPC) but my fellow student help me to teach that part.”
The researcher contends that, in the particular Teaching Practice environments, as community of practices, providing student teachers opportunities to participate in ‘dialogical spaces’ to respond to issues on the ‘blogspace’. In these blogs, student teachers expressed applicable ideas relating to Teaching Practice and sharing best practice in a meaningful way on how to plan and present effective lessons. This is consistent with Wenger’s (1998) view of how knowledge is contextualized (which is influenced by context, actions and culture) in a particular community.

14. Theme 3 Exchanging ideas and information on teaching practice
Student postings reflected that it was an excellent tool exchanging insights and ideas about teaching practice a (Panda, 2010).
The following posting depicted sharing of information: It was a huge learning experience on how we shared teaching practice information regarding on how to teach big classes. I appreciate how my fellow students shared ideas on strategies on how to teach indiscipline learners. We felt so empowered (PGCE student teacher D).
Students felt that it was useful to share their own experiences with others and to compare these with the experiences of same subject didactics students.
On the “blogspace” we exchanging ideas in this case teaching Sport clubs (Accounting subject methodology) to the grade 11 learners (thank you to those who share and even posted notes on the blog on this topic)
The information regarding completion of tasks for Assignment 50 (student portfolio) on teaching practice was very helpful because I registered late on the blog platform (highly appreciated to you my community)

15. Theme 4 Opportunities to socialise interact and enter into dialogical spaces
Students indicated that the “blogspace” was an effective social connection to other classmates, especially if you are alone placed at a school.
Anderson (2009) conducted a similar study, findings revealed that students believed that blogs was particularly valuable and reduced the sense of isolation during their studies.
One student responded: I was connected with other PGCE students who I did not knew before. We started even after the blogspace, we connect on Facebook and Whatsup. It is an excellence way for haring good ideas during our practicals. Yes, I like the way we chat using blogs in the classroom. I think idea is brilliant and I will experiment in my economics class.
Students also felt that they could enter the dialogical space that they would not normally discuss at school level. They also appreciated the relatively quick feedback from the lecturer‘s postings. The whole idea of getting peer feedback was a novel concept for some students and they found this very beneficial.

16. Theme 5 Challenges faced during teaching practice placements
Some students said that accessibility to the Internet at teaching practice ecologies was for some of them a challenged to respond to certain topics for discussion on the blog. One student remarked: I was placed in a rural school and no connectivity was available to blog or sometimes the reception was not good. I could only respond five hours after arriving at my home. This reduced opportunities for social co-construction to develop professionally. One female student replied: We were not aware and some of my other classmates registered late for this course and missed the first round of reflections. Some students reported that they heard from other subject didactics students that there was an Economics education blog for teaching practice. Some students only entered their blogs towards the end of their placement, which meant there was a flurry of activity at the end. This again diminished the learning value because there was not enough time to build up a stream of ideas, get feedback and implement suggestions. They posted their blogs towards the end of their placement. One male student was really upset and felt it was unfair not to be informed: I did not received the s nor any SMSs announcement which informed me that there will be an Economics blog... I did not have any access to the Internet... my Black Berry phone was in for repairs... Internet data is very expensive...sometimes there is no money to buy “internet data”.

17. Discussion of findings
Student teachers during teaching practices collaborated by peer learning, starting dialogical spaces, sharing personal experiences and relationship amongst them.
Students stated that blogs provide a useful platform for reflecting and communicating with each other.
Student teacher reflections posted on blogs have positive influence on the growth of professional knowledge and capacity.
Students said that the blog was particularly valuable and reduced the sense of isolation during their teaching practice period.
For example, pre-service teachers that undergo teaching practices in schools could be networked via blogs to discuss their experiences and in implementing curriculum.
One particular blog posting reflected that some students placed brilliant ideas on how they could strengthen their placements, which supported the idea to empower students throughout the teaching practice learning experience.
The blog experience was able to support students through the range of teaching practice sessions, as well as creating opportunities to explore evidence based practices in the school setting.

18. Concluding of findings
Previous research indicated and confirmed that students tend to use the Internet to communicate with other students more so than to actually complete their coursework.
Student teachers using social media tools to interact with their classmates outside of class to prepare assignments rather than using these same tools to discuss or complete assignments.
There was a correlation between the frequency of social media use and the nature of the relationship teacher candidates had with their peers.
Using blog as a supportive tool to interact with their peers (PGCE student teachers) provide students with greater opportunities to get to know their peers and in turn develop a positive relationship with them and their praxis.
The blog platform created a supportive environment to foster a positive relationship with their peers to engage in meaningful learning (communities of practice)
Creating learning communities- social networks with one another so that they may work collaboratively, freely share opinions and respond constructively to the ideas of their fellow students.
Blog support between student teacher-lecturer interaction as one of the key contributors to high student engagement during the teaching practice sessions
Using blog as a means to strengthening student-lecturer/mentor relationships and enhance reflective teaching practices as positive educational consequences
Rethinking of the module (2015 Tutorial letters and parts of the study guide)
Wayforward: Alternative assessment tools – ePortfolios (Economics subject methodology)