This document summarizes a presentation about using blogs as an educational tool. The presenter chose a blog because it allows for knowledge sharing in a chronological format, engages learners through reflection and experimentation, and fosters collaboration. Blogs promote active and self-paced learning over traditional lectures. While blogs have limitations like technical skills requirements and privacy issues, they create opportunities for networking, sharing ideas and perspectives, and lifelong learning when used alongside other tools in an educational context. The presenter plans to incorporate blogging into their teaching to facilitate reflection, updates, research sharing and portfolio building.

1. Mid-Term Presentationby Evelyn Hungwe (98908) TOOL Chosen is a BLOG

2. Why did you chose this particular tool ? A Blog is a media tool with dated entries presented in chronological order . A blog propagates knowledge flow cycle. A blog is easy to use and has transformed and improved teaching and learning, learners discover on their own and also help others to discover. A sense of connectedness is thus created . Learners are actively engaged, promoting metacognition activities and experience. Lifelong education is enhanced as learners are given an opportunity for reflection. Critical reflection is essential in a world were knowledge is morphing from traditional trusted sources. Blogging has created a networked culture and society in important spheres of people’s lives , this includes social, political, business ,educational , research forums and circles.

3. What are the pros associated with use of this tool Blogging can be used for fun, creating rich social learning. Blogging promotes “active doing” which encourages active learning as opposed to traditional lecture based methodology. Learners are given an opportunity for experimentation and innovativeness with both content and resources. Participatory web technology were connection with others ,content ,context and experts is enhanced. Ideas are posted, propagated , enlarged, questioned and sharpened through blogging. The tool affords freedom for self-paced, self-guided , self-evaluation with support from peers and instructor. Blogs respects diverse talents and viewpoints. Promotes and fosters analogical, analytical, intuitive and critical thinking.

4. cons of tools continued Through blogging a spirit of owning and becoming part of knowledge information cycle is fostered. Blog can be used to upload files ,video and pictures. A platform for self-expression of ideas, views supported by reader comments, critiquing, promoting further reflection. Blog has multiple affordances , used for personal reflection, creation, interaction and presence. Learners have space to create pieces, take pieces ,edit pieces, add pieces, frame, re-frame, rethink, re-create and connect forming patterns rich in knowledge and ideas. Blog is a tool for collaboration, sharing and publishing information and ideas.

5. What are the pros associated with use of this tool ? High degree of restriction on editing content by others as compared to wikis. Security or privacy on content is limited. Text can be overused and abused. Blogs cannot be used in isolation( learning and teaching), needs to be complemented with other social media tools like skype, wikis and podcasts. Blogging needs high degree of technical proficiency and comfort on-line environments. This is a limiting factor in the African contexts due to connectivity and power outages. Digital footprints remain, even if the data or text is no longer relevant, stale and applicable.

6. What is the applicability of the tool to your context and support for future work/personal use /usage in your current work/personal environment? Will incorporate blog with other social media tools such as video and podcast in my learning, instruction/ training . Using blogs as filtering agent to manage and promote critical reflection on learners posted ideas. Will use blog to update my learners on course activities and resources. A platform for my students to share comments on journal articles and portifolio construction in counseling. Using blogs to design teaching activities like you tube . My students will use blogging to reflect and connect with others , in research work. Through blogging my organization will create a networked student, thus my role as a trainer will be limited to guiding and instructing.

7. applicability of blog continued Blogging will enable my students opening wider doors to learning ,reducing barriers to information access, therefore opportunities for learning from peers and colleagues is enhanced. Through aggregation action of blogs , experts and mediators will be created in my organization, African perspective context and setting. Blogging will promote metcognition experience, skills and activities also life long education in my students, moving away from the African context of regurgitating examinations. A tool for students and self to collaborate, create, share, disseminate and publish information. To conclude, the use of blog in my organization and the bigger picture African context, will favourable respond to global, social, political and technological changes, pressures and trends.