I blog, therefore I : Using blogs to aid student and staff inquiry Sabine Little Learning Development & Research Associate (Networked Learning) Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences www.shef.ac.uk/cilass am reflect collaborate learn teach disseminate personalise

IBL involves Students and/or tutors establishing question/problem etc Students pursuing lines of inquiry (often in groups) Drawing on existing knowledge Identifying new learning and information needs Seeking information, evidence, e.g. interacting with (digital) resources, datasets, archives Discussing, receiving feedback, synthesising information, constructing knowledge Analysing and communicating ideas and results Working with staff as partners, participating in a research community

Students and/or tutors establishing question/problem etc

Students pursuing lines of inquiry (often in groups)

Drawing on existing knowledge

Identifying new learning and information needs

Seeking information, evidence, e.g. interacting with (digital) resources, datasets, archives

Discussing, receiving feedback, synthesising information, constructing knowledge

Analysing and communicating ideas and results

Working with staff as partners, participating in a research community

Blogs for reflection Can be kept private or public Layout of blog encourages narrative writing – ‘continuing the story’ Easy to link to resources, attach other materials Searchable on various levels (time stamp, key words, phrases, sub-categories) …

Can be kept private or public

Layout of blog encourages narrative writing – ‘continuing the story’

Easy to link to resources, attach other materials

Searchable on various levels (time stamp, key words, phrases, sub-categories)

…

I blog, therefore I … reflect.

Blogs for collaboration Easily accessible (across countries/continents) Grouping possible through ‘pages’ Processes, paths and reflections remain visible Easy to use ‘ Product’ can be made visible to the world …

Easily accessible (across countries/continents)

Grouping possible through ‘pages’

Processes, paths and reflections remain visible

Easy to use

‘ Product’ can be made visible to the world

…

I blog, therefore I … collaborate.

Blogs for learning/teaching Individuals can bring learning components to the group, providing a ‘bigger picture’ Staff can model ‘good’ writing, reflexivity, facilitation Accessible (more easily than institutional virtual learning environments (VLEs)?) Personal (unlike institutional VLEs?) …

Individuals can bring learning components to the group, providing a ‘bigger picture’

Staff can model ‘good’ writing, reflexivity, facilitation

Accessible (more easily than institutional virtual learning environments (VLEs)?)

Personal (unlike institutional VLEs?)

…

I blog, therefore I … learn/teach.

The Soup Blog

I blog, therefore I … learn/teach.

Blogs for dissemination Sharing good practice Raising the profile of learning and teaching in the institution One-stop-shop for events announcements, reports, and reflections Comments function facilitates discussion Notification/RSS Feeds Creating a community of practice?

Sharing good practice

Raising the profile of learning and teaching in the institution

One-stop-shop for events announcements, reports, and reflections

Comments function facilitates discussion

Notification/RSS Feeds

Creating a community of practice?

Blogs for dissemination

Blogs for personalisation Choice of templates – customisation Inclusion of sound, video, images Links Blogroll …

Choice of templates – customisation

Inclusion of sound, video, images

Links

Blogroll

…

I blog, therefore I … personalise.

I blog, therefore I …am Personalisation Integrating podcasts, videos Self-publication Space for sharing reflections, work & CV Identification through blog?

Personalisation

Integrating podcasts, videos

Self-publication

Space for sharing reflections, work & CV

Identification through blog?

I blog, therefore I…am.

Discussion What can blogs do that other tools can’t? What can’t they do? What are personalisation issues? What other uses might new technologies open up?

What can blogs do that other tools can’t?

What can’t they do?

What are personalisation issues?

What other uses might new technologies open up?