Blogging in Online Blogging in Online Education: Education:

Opportunities and ChallengesOpportunities and Challenges

Presentation for ADETAPresentation for ADETA

January 27, 2005January 27, 2005

Scott LeslieScott Leslie

OutlineOutlineWhat Blogging IsWhat Blogging Is

What Blogging Isn’tWhat Blogging Isn’t

Matrix of Blogging in EducationMatrix of Blogging in Education

ExamplesExamples

CautionsCautions

Discussion?Discussion?

Quick SurveyQuick Survey

How many of you have heard of blogs/blogging How many of you have heard of blogs/blogging before?before?

… … regularly read a blog?regularly read a blog?

… … write a blog?write a blog?

… … use one in your online classes?use one in your online classes?

… … use an RSS Reader/Aggregator?use an RSS Reader/Aggregator?

Blogs vs. BloggingBlogs vs. Blogging

‘‘Blogs’ as a thing – a personal, Blogs’ as a thing – a personal, chronologically ordered set of entries, chronologically ordered set of entries, each having a title, description and unique each having a title, description and unique URL, in a web-based ‘log’ or journal.URL, in a web-based ‘log’ or journal.

VS.VS.

‘‘Blogging’ as an activity - both a use of Blogging’ as an activity - both a use of technologies, but more importantly, a form technologies, but more importantly, a form of writing AND reading on the networkof writing AND reading on the network

So why all the fuss?So why all the fuss?

Blogs represent…Blogs represent…

first simple first simple personalpersonal web-based publishing tools web-based publishing tools to be widely adoptedto be widely adopted

first set of tools supporting first set of tools supporting simplesimple creation of creation of XML-based content (e.g. content separate from XML-based content (e.g. content separate from its presentation which can be displayed many its presentation which can be displayed many places)places)

creation of a set of creation of a set of practices and conventionspractices and conventions around a new form of around a new form of social ‘network writing’social ‘network writing’ that includes both the that includes both the reading and writingreading and writing

……simple personal publishing toolssimple personal publishing tools

First blogs (c. 1997) were HTML pages generated with First blogs (c. 1997) were HTML pages generated with whatever webpage editor that was at handwhatever webpage editor that was at hand

Emerged as a force with the advent of a number of web-Emerged as a force with the advent of a number of web-based services and applicationsbased services and applications

Blogger, LiveJournal, MoveableTypeBlogger, LiveJournal, MoveableType

Their explosion in late 2002/early 2003 coincided (and Their explosion in late 2002/early 2003 coincided (and partly brought on) a groundswell of interest in ‘social partly brought on) a groundswell of interest in ‘social software’ and services focused on individuals located software’ and services focused on individuals located within a networkwithin a network

……simplesimple creation of XML content creation of XML content

While you can read blogs with a web While you can read blogs with a web browser, many people do not access them browser, many people do not access them this waythis way

Instead they have the highlights of many Instead they have the highlights of many blogs pushed to them in the form of RSS blogs pushed to them in the form of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) an XML (Really Simple Syndication) an XML format for synopsizing latest changes to a format for synopsizing latest changes to a websitewebsite

RSS ContinuedRSS Continued

Reading RSS feeds in an ‘aggregator’ or ‘feed Reading RSS feeds in an ‘aggregator’ or ‘feed reader’ means that instead of having to visit reader’ means that instead of having to visit every website each day to see what has every website each day to see what has changed, you can visit one place and see only changed, you can visit one place and see only what has changed since you last visited what has changed since you last visited for all for all the blogs you read at once!the blogs you read at once!

This efficiency means people can monitor This efficiency means people can monitor hundreds of sources regularly without becoming hundreds of sources regularly without becoming overwhelmedoverwhelmed

Examples of Blogging Software Examples of Blogging Software OutputsOutputs

HTML/Blog

+ +

RSS/XML

?

Other Locations

……blogging practices and blogging practices and conventionsconventions

‘‘Blogrolls’ and references in posts as means to creating Blogrolls’ and references in posts as means to creating connections and virtual conversations, acknowledging connections and virtual conversations, acknowledging who you readwho you read

‘‘Trackbacks’ – automated means for notifying another Trackbacks’ – automated means for notifying another blog when you have referenced themblog when you have referenced them

As ‘web pages representing people’ blogs are As ‘web pages representing people’ blogs are googleablegoogleable

Advent of sites like Technorati, Feedster have helped Advent of sites like Technorati, Feedster have helped increase one’s sense of place within larger increase one’s sense of place within larger conversational spaceconversational space

What Blogging Isn’tWhat Blogging Isn’t

While a virtual space of conversation While a virtual space of conversation ‘emerges’ from the collection of blogs, ‘emerges’ from the collection of blogs, blogging is NOT a replacement for blogging is NOT a replacement for threaded discussion or mailing liststhreaded discussion or mailing lists

They represent an improved means to They represent an improved means to establish personal ‘voice’ and identity on the establish personal ‘voice’ and identity on the network, but a diminished means of having a network, but a diminished means of having a focused ‘back and forth’ discussionfocused ‘back and forth’ discussion

What Blogging Isn’t (2)What Blogging Isn’t (2)

Blogs/Blogging are not a replacement for CMSBlogs/Blogging are not a replacement for CMS The purposely lack things lack assessment tools and The purposely lack things lack assessment tools and

user trackinguser tracking

They represent instead one lightweight tool that, They represent instead one lightweight tool that, alongside a myriad other lightweight tools, could alongside a myriad other lightweight tools, could provide an attractive alternative to ‘heavyweight’/ provide an attractive alternative to ‘heavyweight’/ ‘bundled’ CMS ‘bundled’ CMS

Matrix of Blog Uses in EducationMatrix of Blog Uses in Education

Originally developed for a BC-wide online Originally developed for a BC-wide online workshop on the uses of blogging in workshop on the uses of blogging in educationeducation

Looked at blogs from the perspective of both Looked at blogs from the perspective of both reading/aggregating them and writing themreading/aggregating them and writing them

Also from the perspective of Student as Also from the perspective of Student as author/audience and Instructor as author/audience and Instructor as author/audienceauthor/audience

INSTRUCTORSSTUDENTSAS

READER

AS

READER

AS

AUTHOR

AS

AUTHOR

PERSONAL FOCUS

‘CLASSROOM’ FOCUS

INTERNET-WIDE FOCUS

Instructors as Blog AuthorsInstructors as Blog Authors

Personal focusPersonal focus Personal Journal/KM ToolPersonal Journal/KM Tool

‘‘Classroom’ focusClassroom’ focus ‘‘Announcements’ blogAnnouncements’ blog Instructional Tips for StudentsInstructional Tips for Students Annotated Links for ClassAnnotated Links for Class

Internet-wide focusInternet-wide focus Discipline-specific blog as ‘professional practice,’ Discipline-specific blog as ‘professional practice,’

networking, online publishingnetworking, online publishing

Instructors as Blog ReadersInstructors as Blog Readers

Personal FocusPersonal Focus Personal Journal/KM ToolPersonal Journal/KM Tool

‘‘Classroom’ FocusClassroom’ Focus Student’s blogs as part of courseworkStudent’s blogs as part of coursework Institutional blogs/RSS feedsInstitutional blogs/RSS feeds

Internet-wide FocusInternet-wide Focus Ed tech/pedagogical blogs as part of professional Ed tech/pedagogical blogs as part of professional

practicepractice Discipline-specific Blogs to keep abreast of fieldDiscipline-specific Blogs to keep abreast of field RSS Feeds from LORs to gather new teaching RSS Feeds from LORs to gather new teaching

materialsmaterials

Students as Blog AuthorsStudents as Blog Authors

Personal FocusPersonal Focus Personal Journal / Knowledge Management ToolPersonal Journal / Knowledge Management Tool

‘‘Classroom’ FocusClassroom’ Focus Course-based Journals for AssessmentCourse-based Journals for Assessment As a group discussion toolAs a group discussion tool

Internet-wide FocusInternet-wide Focus As a ‘eportfolio’ tool for both institution-wide and As a ‘eportfolio’ tool for both institution-wide and

internet-wide publicationinternet-wide publication

Students as Blog ReadersStudents as Blog Readers

Personal FocusPersonal Focus Own Journal/KM ToolOwn Journal/KM Tool

‘‘Classroom’ FocusClassroom’ Focus Instructor’s Announcements or Content BlogInstructor’s Announcements or Content Blog Other Students’ blogs (both course and non-course Other Students’ blogs (both course and non-course

uses)uses)

Internet-wide FocusInternet-wide Focus Discipline-specific feeds as courseworkDiscipline-specific feeds as coursework

Instructor Blogs ExamplesInstructor Blogs Examples

‘‘Annotated Links’ blogAnnotated Links’ blog

Bruce Landon’s Cognitive Psychology links blogBruce Landon’s Cognitive Psychology links bloghttp://radio.weblogs.com/0101747/categories/cognitivhttp://radio.weblogs.com/0101747/categories/cognitivePsychology/ePsychology/

‘‘Administrative Announcements’ blogAdministrative Announcements’ blog Jim Sentence’s Economics 102C. 203 and 312/462 Jim Sentence’s Economics 102C. 203 and 312/462

Announcements Announcements http://weblogs.upei.ca/blog/124http://weblogs.upei.ca/blog/124

Instructor Blogs ExamplesInstructor Blogs ExamplesAs Discipline-Specific Professional PracticeAs Discipline-Specific Professional Practice

UBC Botanical Gardens Botany BlogUBC Botanical Gardens Botany Bloghttp://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/weblog/http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/weblog/

EconLogEconLoghttp://econlog.econlib.org/ http://econlog.econlib.org/

Elearnspace Elearnspace http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/

““Professors who blog” listProfessors who blog” listhttp://rhetorica.net/professors_who_blog.htm http://rhetorica.net/professors_who_blog.htm

Instructor Blog ExamplesInstructor Blog Examples

As full course delivery mechanismAs full course delivery mechanism

David Wiley’s David Wiley’s Understanding Online Understanding Online InteractionInteractionhttp://wiley.ed.usu.edu/courses/interaction-http://wiley.ed.usu.edu/courses/interaction-2004/ 2004/

see also student’s blogssee also student’s blogscf. http://mozson.blogspot.com/ cf. http://mozson.blogspot.com/

Student Blog ExamplesStudent Blog Examples

Blogs as Personal Journal and Student-to-Blogs as Personal Journal and Student-to-Student Communication SpaceStudent Communication Space Random Thoughts by JoeRandom Thoughts by Joe

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/piep0058/loverboy/http://blog.lib.umn.edu/piep0058/loverboy/

cf. his ‘list of other journals he reads’ to see the cf. his ‘list of other journals he reads’ to see the informal student ‘network’ he participates ininformal student ‘network’ he participates in

Michael’s Economics BlogMichael’s Economics Bloghttp://foranewliberty.com/econ/http://foranewliberty.com/econ/

Student Blog ExamplesStudent Blog Examples

as ePortfolioas ePortfolio http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/weblogs/mitch/ http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/weblogs/mitch/

Institution-wide Blogging Institution-wide Blogging ExamplesExamples

Weblogs@UBCWeblogs@UBC http://http://careo.elearning.ubc.cacareo.elearning.ubc.ca/weblogs/home//weblogs/home/

UPEIUPEI http://http://weblogs.upei.caweblogs.upei.ca//

U Minnesota LibrariesU Minnesota Libraries http://blog.lib.umn.edu/http://blog.lib.umn.edu/

University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick http://http://blogs.warwick.ac.ukblogs.warwick.ac.uk//

CautionsCautions

While there has been plenty of hype, there While there has been plenty of hype, there are still few are still few greatgreat examples of the use of examples of the use of blogs in online educationblogs in online education

May well be that, as they are very much May well be that, as they are very much involved with involved with writingwriting, they may well lend , they may well lend themselves better to certain disciplines themselves better to certain disciplines then othersthen others

Cautions (2)Cautions (2)

Blogs in their ‘pure’ form represent a challenge Blogs in their ‘pure’ form represent a challenge to the ‘closed’ model of the online classroomto the ‘closed’ model of the online classroom

This can be addressed by choosing to implement blog This can be addressed by choosing to implement blog hosting software on campus that provides an hosting software on campus that provides an authenticated environmentauthenticated environment

Downside of loosing the serendipitous connections Downside of loosing the serendipitous connections with others that blogs in the open promote; continues with others that blogs in the open promote; continues the quarantining of one’s the quarantining of one’s online online educationaleducational life life from one’s from one’s life onlinelife online

Cautions (3)Cautions (3)

Easy to confuse the technological manifestations Easy to confuse the technological manifestations with the important lessons they are revealingwith the important lessons they are revealing

The true power of blogs have been The true power of blogs have been to liberate to liberate personal personal publishing,publishing, to enable to enable indvidual voiceindvidual voice but but to do so in a to do so in a networked environmentnetworked environment in which the in which the

conversation ‘conversation ‘emergesemerges’ organically rather than being ’ organically rather than being confined by a confined by a pre-existing virtual spacepre-existing virtual space

to bring together one’s to bring together one’s personal, professional personal, professional and and classroomclassroom work around a work around a singlesingle set of technologies set of technologies

DiscussionDiscussion

Questions?Questions?

Potential topics for discussionPotential topics for discussion What do you think the major hurdle to using What do you think the major hurdle to using

blogs in your online practice is?blogs in your online practice is? How would you get started?How would you get started? What other uses for blogs can you imagine?What other uses for blogs can you imagine?

Thanks!Thanks!

Feel free to contact me with questions atFeel free to contact me with questions at

leslies@island.netleslies@island.net

or at my home on the web EdTechPostor at my home on the web EdTechPost

http://www.edtechpost.ca/mt/ http://www.edtechpost.ca/mt/