Course Design for Using Weblogs

Course Design for Using Weblogs

An important dynamic of designing distance courses using online weblogs is that the medium allows for both individual and communal reflection and dialog.

This article focused on using weblogs in the university-level course design in support of: encouraging individual learning through reflection; and extending this reflection exercise by way of group discussion. After four semesters of applying the weblog approach, research suggests that weblogs or “learning journals” aid in both individual learning and transferring the learned material to the workforce. Since the idea of reflection can be explained as turning experience into learning, “some researchers argue that reflection is the highest level of individual learning (e.g., Baumgartner et al. 2004, Bartlett-Bragg 2003, Boud 2001).”

What is a weblog? It is a journal-like post on a website, in which others can usually post comments to, creating a string of dialog. Within the educational realm, the weblog has three roles including knowledge storage, reflection and discourse, all of which are ways of learning.

Designing an environment that students feel comfortable and confident weblogging within is important to the level of learning outcome achieved. The article states three dimensions that evaluate the quality of a weblog post: content, networking and technology. Content is what is written about; networking consists of resources, links, and conversations between learners; and technology speaks of the actual weblog layout, use of images, music, and the overall visual personality of the space.

Research found that many times motivation limited the quantity, quality and frequency of weblogs, but found that RSS feeds increased learners’ likelihood of weblogging on non-due-dates. In other words, if easy, real-time access was provided to learners without them having to search for the information, they were more inclined and committed to not only comment on others’ posts, but to write their own. This is probably one of the reasons Twitter has become so popular.

The article found that weblogs were great online design tools taking on a supporting and learning-enforcing role, but did not take the place of facilitation (lecture) on its own. This type of practice is known as blended learning (the academic is accompanied by forms of supporting learning materials).

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.distance-educator.com/Article16178.phtml