The document summarizes research on using blogs as electronic portfolios (blogfolios) for student teachers. It finds that students are generally satisfied with using online blog building tools to create blogfolios, seeing benefits for customization, interaction and updating. A study was conducted of 153 student responses, finding students felt more knowledgeable using blogfolios and saw potential for discussion forums, videos and other elements to enhance teacher-student communication. Blogfolios allow for reducing technical barriers to portfolio creation while enabling publishing and sharing of content.

1. CITE Research Symposium 2010
Mike H.L. Chui
mikechui@ied.edu.hk
The Hong Kong Institute of Education

2.  Student-teachers (STs) generally perceive an e-
portfolio in form of a CD-ROM
 Static reflective statement/ Static content
 Instructors cannot provide instant feedback
corresponding to a specific items
 No interaction with other student-teachers
 Learning experience in teacher training has not been
associated probably
 No further e-portfolio development
 Environmental issue (dispose over 400 CD-ROMs each
academic year)

3.  IT provisions (previous practice):
 Briefing for the assessment items of e-portfolios
 Creating a Web site with commercial Web authoring
tools (hands-on) - academic years before 2008
 Computer-based training (CBT) related to Web
authoring (self-directed study + in-campus)

4.  Student-teachers (STs) are unable to update their e-
portfolios:
 Time limit for the trial version of the commercial Web
authoring tool
 Unable to master the basic HTML manipulation (with/
without the commercial Web authoring tool)
 Unable to master the FTP functions
 Unable to understand the server-side structures

5.  Not all student-teachers process the technical skills to
create e-portfolios (Montgomery & Wiley, 2004)
 Only a static Web-based e-portfolio is created (Yuen,
C.Y. & Yang, H., 2010)
 Viewers cannot leave feedback (Yang, 2008)

6.  By using blogs as e-portfolios
 Reduce the technical setbacks for content creation
(Martindale & Wiley, 2005)
 Allows publishing instantly to the Internet from any
Internet connection (Richardson, 2006)
 More features for interactions and updatability
 Share resources and ideas for reflection, interaction and
collaboration (Yuen & Yang, 2010)

7.  Abandon teaching commercial Web authoring tools
 Teaching hands-on with using free blog platform + build-in
blog features + embedding Web applications (Webapps)/
blog widgets/ Web 2.0 widgets for enhancing
communications
 Language support (English/ Simplified Chinese/ Traditional
Chinese)
 Blog posts
 Blogroll/ RSS
 Possible blog opportunities by using mobile devices
 Video instructions support by creating a YouTube channel
(for self-directed learning and revision)
 Distributing case studies of using blog in teaching and
learning

8.  Blogfolio = Blog + Portfolio (Yuen, C.Y. & Yang, H., 2010)
 Web-based portfolio for pre-service and in-service
teachers (Milman, 1999; Yates, Newsome, & Creighton, 1999; Pierson & Kumari,
2000; Avraamidou& Zembal-Saul, 2006; Campbell, Cignetti, Melenyzer, Nettles, &
Wyman, 2007) :
 Reorganize
 Re-evaluate
 Reflect
 Result in new insights

9.  An experimental study
 Population
 FT PGDE(S) – 2008-2009 (107 students)
 FT PGDE(S) – 2009-2010 (128 students)
 A questionnaire has been adopted and examined by a professional in a
discipline of assessment, and distributed to the population who have
received the IT provisions and need to submit e-portfolios.
 Students are randomly selected as their responses are optional.

10.  Totally 153 questionnaires have been received in two
academic years

12. How confident will you use today's Web site builder for blogfolio
construction in the future?
2%
20%
32%
Very confident
Confident
Fairly confident
Not confident
46%

13. How do you rate your knowledge/ concepts by using blogfolio in
learning and teaching after the IT provisions?
4%
0% 0%
More knowledgeable
No change
Confused
Very confused
96%

14. Which of the following element(s) in a blogfolio would
enhance teacher-students communication?
3% 1% 1% 17%
19% Weather forecasting
5%
Discussion forum/ Blog post
Background Music/ Music jukebox
Poll/ Voting/ Survey
4%
Embedded Instant messaging tool
Educational Game
13% Embedded Video
4%
Instant translation to other language
Calendar/ Scheduling tool
Photo album
Password-protected area
13% 6% Podcasting
14%

15.  How do you (as a teacher) apply blogfolio for
knowledge construction?
 I can also get more information in the fast developing world.
 By creating or adding YouTube on the blogfolio.
 Using blog as an interesting/ vivid platform for students and
teachers to exchange ideas after classes.
 It is very useful for students to keep track on their learning process,
especially if they were absent (the classes before). Students can
download PowerPoint or worksheet at any time.
 Teachers can collect feedback and amend their teaching content
and strategies.

16.  How do you (as a teacher) apply blogfolio for
knowledge construction?
 Share knowledge like PowerPoint and video with students.
 Teachers can upload learning materials for students to download which
facilitate revision.
 Teachers can upload extra materials (e.g. video clips/ news clips) for
students’ self-directed learning.
 Remind students the key learning areas (especially for long vacation)
 More opportunities to communicate with students about teaching and
learning
 Embed different media

17.  Why the selected element(s) could
enhance teacher-students
communication?
 Discussion forum/ Blog post/ Poll/ Voting/ Survey
 Can gather information/ comments from students
 Students can post private or public messages
 Teachers can better understand student's favourite, mood
and opinion
 Understand students' needs
 Important notes can be posted

18.  Why the selected element(s) could
enhance teacher-students
communication?
 Embedding instant messaging tool
 Instant feedback can be received
 Photo album
 Can help students to know more about the teacher
 Visualise the life of each others
 Share happiness with each other

19.  Why the selected element(s) could
enhance teacher-students
communication?
 Educational game
 Can enhance students' interest in learning (about
motivation)
 Enable interactions between students and teachers
 Embedding video
 Learning by video is more effective than learning by text

20.  Why the selected element(s) could
enhance teacher-students
communication?
 Others
 Teacher and student can share the information or teaching
materials at the same time
 Interactivity
 Students can raise ideas
 Supplementary notes
 As a medium for students expressing themselves

21.  Student-teachers (STs) are basically satisfied with the user-friendliness
of the online Web site builder (i.e. Viviti.com) even though some of the
respondents are the first-time bloggers
 STs also have the tendency to continue building up their knowledge as
well as using the builder for learning and teaching activities in the
future
 STs enjoyed customisation of their own blogfolios with the introduced
Webapps which agreed with the founding by Tapscott (2009) in his
book about the habits of young people (i.e. the Net Gener). JISC (2008)
also highlighted that being able to customise is crucial for e-portfolio
construction
 JISC (2008) also suggested that a customisable interface of an e-
portfolio system would enable learners to explore their identity. A
blogfolio is somewhat of a display of personalisation, with a certain
extent of customisation, enables learners to explore one’s identities.

22.  Avraamidou, L. & Zembal-Saul, C. (2006) Exploring the influence of Web-based portfolio
development on learning to teach elementary science. AACE Journal, 14(2), 178-205.
 Campbell, D. M., Cignetti, P. B., Melenyzer, B. J., Nettles, D. H. & Wyman, R. M. (2007)
How to develop a professional portfolio: A manual for teachers (4th Ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
 JISC (2008) Effective Practice with e-Portfolios – Supporting 21st century learning. [online]
Available from:
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/effectivepracticeeportfolios.pdf
[Accessed 12 May 2009]
 Martindale, T. & Wiley, D. A. (2005) Using Weblogs in scholarship and teaching.
TechTrends, 49(2), 55-61. doi:10.1007/BF02773972
 Milman, N. (1999) Web-based electronic teaching portfolios for preservice teachers.
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Information Technology and
Teacher Education, San Antonio, TX.

23.  Pierson, M. E. & Kumari, S. (2000) Web-based student portfolios in a graduate instructional
technology program. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Information
Technology and Teacher Education, San Diego, CA.
 Richardson, W. (2006) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful Web tools for classroom. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
 Tapscott. D. (2009) Grown up digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World. New York:
McGrawHill.
 Yang, H. (2008) Blogfolios for student-centered reflection and communication. In M. Iskander (Ed.).
Innovative Techniques in Instruction Technology, E-Learning, E-Assessment and Education. Berlin:
Springer.
 Yates, B., Newsome, J. & Creighton, T. (1999) Standards based technology competencies: Electronic
portfolios in preservice education. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for
Information Technology and Teacher Education, San Antonio, TX.
 Yuen, S.C.Y., & Yang, H. (2010) Using blogfolios to enhance interaction in e-learning courses. In Yang,
H. & Yuen, S. (Eds.). Handbook of research on practices and outcomes in e-learning: Issues and trends
(pp. 455-470). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

24. Thank you very much for your
participation