Using Blogs for Deepening Student Engagement

1. Using Blogs for Deepening Student Engagement Deborah Grange D.Grange@bbk.ac.uk Centre for Transformative Practice in Learning and Teaching

2. Today’s Agenda: • Blogs – Teaching Ideas, Case Studies, Assessment • Setting up a blog in Moodle and elsewhere Webpage supporting this talk: http://bit.ly/bbkblog http://bit.ly/bbkblog

3. Introducing Blogs (Web Logs) • Online diary • Blog owner posts regular entries • Entry has time/date attached • Other users post comments • Include pictures/video/audio • Links to other sites/blogs http://bit.ly/bbkblog

4. So what’s so special? • Easiest way to set up a website • Easy way to archive digital resources, links to websites • Like a diary, but with added conversation http://bit.ly/bbkblog

5. Teaching Ideas (1) • Record group progress on a project. • Tutor and/or students discuss shared classroom experiences. http://bit.ly/bbkblog

6. Teaching Ideas (2) • Organization of intensive seminars where students have to provide weekly summaries of the readings. http://bit.ly/bbkblog

7. Teaching Ideas (3) • Respond to questions posed in class • Support and mentor other students • Students teach students • Collection of online resources http://bit.ly/bbkblog

8. Case Studies: Class Blogs Glenn Baggot’s Final Year Biology Seminar http://bit.ly/bbkblog

9. Case Studies: Class Blogs (2) Mark Sample – Assoc Prof of English, George Mason U Postgrad module on postmodernism 500-word response to readings/week http://www.samplereality.com/2009/08/14/pedagogy-and-the-class-blog/ http://bit.ly/bbkblog

10. Case Studies: Class Blogs (3) Mark posts public comments twice a semester/student Also assigns grades (20%) Exemplary postings Midway through, “blog post on blogging” “pivotal moment” http://bit.ly/bbkblog

11. Case Studies: Individual Blogs Deborah Grange’s ICT module • Individual blogs • Tutor not given access http://bit.ly/bbkblog

12. Case Studies: Individual Blogs 2 Tressie McMillan Cottom, Emory 2nd year Sociology Blogs instead of essays 300 wds, min 2 attributions Video, audio, pictures encouraged http://tressiemc.com/2013/12/13/teaching-stratification-and-blogging-as-pedagogy/ http://bit.ly/bbkblog

13. Case Studies: Individual Blogs 3 Beatriz Arias, University of Bristol Medical students on hospital placements Short posts in Spanish Reflections on typical day/case study Used for report 2-3 months later http://www.bris.ac.uk/esu/e-learning/ideas/all/ex031.html http://bit.ly/bbkblog

14. Case Studies: Big groups Hub-and-spoke model ~7 students per group Post twice/week • Manageable reading load • All blogs read (not just popular ones) • Promotes camaraderie http://teleogistic.net/2009/08/hub-and-spoke-blogging-with-lots-of-students/ http://bit.ly/bbkblog

15. Assessing Blogs (1) • What did the blogger read before writing? • Both sides of the issue? • What do you know, believe, or want to do after reading the blog? • What else needs to be said/what has student learned/How will student find out more? http://bit.ly/bbkblog

16. Assessing Blogs (2) • Appropriate to the topic and the audience? • Did the author clearly state his case? • What sources? Correctly referenced? http://bit.ly/bbkblog

17. Assessing Blogs (3) • How is this entry unique? What experiences or insights? • How will students generate feedback from readers (if feedback required)? • Is student upfront about biases? http://bit.ly/bbkblog

18. Rubrics for blogs http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/ blogrubric.html http://www.samplereality.com/2009/08/14/pedagogy-and-the-class-blog/ http://timhorgan.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/blogging-rubric.pdf http://bit.ly/bbkblog

19. Setting up a blog: In Moodle • Pros – • Access, backup controlled • Cons – • Lecturer sets up • Not “owned” by student http://bit.ly/bbkblog

20. Setting up a blog: Outside Moodle • Pros: • Students or staff set up • Empowerment, ownership, skills for students • Cons: • If student set up, have to set permissions • Backup? http://bit.ly/bbkblog