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using BLOGS
L & T conference, 2007
Using BLOGS to stimulate creativity in keeping the studentprofile
deshinder singh gill
School of Engineering(School of Environment and Technology from 1st August)
University of Brighton
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Abstract#1‘BLOGS’, or ‘web logs’, are a relatively new technology which enables individuals to post a log of their activities for anyone with a browser to view. The studentcentral team at Brighton led by Stan Stanier has introduced a customised version of the ELGG BLOG technology
This customised facility allows the creation of restricted groups where only members can view online logs for that group.
….more to on next slide
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt/events/2007conf/AbstGill.htm
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Abstract#2The implementation at Brighton is known as ‘Community’ and can be accessed via the studentcentral portal.
This development has opened up new possibilities for applications in teaching and learning.
….more to on next slide
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt/events/2007conf/AbstGill.htm
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Abstract#3The aim of this session will be to report on the findings of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) funded project in the use of BLOGS to help develop first year students’ reflective and creative skills.
Community has provided students with a framework in which to reflect on aspects of studentprofile at regular periods in the academic year, and the postings of their BLOGS were in two forms:
written and video clips.
….more to on next slide
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt/events/2007conf/AbstGill.htm
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Abstract#4This seminar will look at the outcomes of the work in the School of Engineering in using Community to help develop first year students’ confidence in reviewing their learning within the context of studentprofile. The presentation will describe the initial difficulties on the part of both students and staff in getting to grips with the technology of using BLOGS. It will show examples of BLOGS, and will move on to report on the strategies used to encourage the students to engage with Community. These include peer assessment, group tutorials and sessions with staff from the Careers Service.
….That’s it folks,, well, for the abstract anyway..
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt/events/2007conf/AbstGill.htm
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MenuWhat is this seminar about? Oops, done that already..
Inqbate - CETL-C project sponsors of the project.
Idea of PDP a reminder. You do know about it.. Don’t you?
Idea of BLOGS ah, the reason why you are here today.
Community the blogs part
Issues what was good, not so good. What to improve
Sample blogs hopefully we can go live here to see the actual blogs.
DiscussionAnd then I will hide in a corner somewhere…
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Project funded by CETL-C (inqbate)
http://www.inqbate.co.uk/
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This is the link at the inqbate site describing
the project in more detail
http://www.inqbate.co.uk/content/view/44/122/
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What is PDP?
Personal Development Planning
At brighton, we call it
studentprofile
and now for some definitions. we will go over the definitions quickly.
These slides will be published on the CLT site, so you can always view it again in coffee mode time..
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National Context
• HE Progress Files to be introduced by 2005-6 – Post-Dearing, CVCP[UUK]/QAA/SCoP 2000 policy statement
• Progress File incorporates two elements:– a transcript:
• “a comprehensive and verifiable institutional record of the individual student’s learning and achievement”
– a personal record: • “HEIs should provide structured and supported processes to
develop the capacity of individuals to reflect upon their own learning and achievement, and to plan for their own personal educational and career development. The term Personal Development Planning (PDP) is used to denote this process.”
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Representing learning
“ Implicit in the conception of the progress file is the notion that, while universities and colleges can take primary responsibility for the assessment and representation of disciplinary learning and achievement, learners themselves must take primary responsibility for evidencing and representing their learning and achievement in, and for, the transdisciplinary world.”
Jackson & Ward, ‘A fresh perspective on progress files—a way of representing complex learning and achievement in higher education’ Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education Vol. 29, No. 4, August 2004
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Personal Development Planning (PDP)
• Umbrella term - usually involves some or all of the following:– Initial self-evaluation and action planning– Learning to learn, study skills etc– Development of key/ transferable skills– Reflection on own practice– Regular progress reviews (tutorial systems)– Career/ professional development planning
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Inserts
• Introduction
• Initial Review
• Action Planning
• Reviewing progress
• Professional development
• Presenting Yourself• Sources of information and advice?
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Initial thoughtsPersonal learning space
EvaulationAction planningReflectionPersonal development
Vehicle - XE121 – technical module
BLOGS
Here, students are reflecting on the learning in XE121 using BLOGS – within their control, - could then they be creative too?
Personal tutors get involved too, and use the folder as the focus for the meeting with the student
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But this is meant to be PDPand not
Reviewing a technical module?
DSG’s view
the focus should be developing their skills, which can be transferred to personal development, or their learning for other modules, or even for Life Long Learning.
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Why BLOGS?Assumed that all students were using it
(myspace etc)
Current technology
Social engineering
Hip thing to do
Allows for some student control of their space
Introduce an environment where students can develop their creativity skills.
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Who were the students?First year students from two disciplines
Electrical
Mechanical
Sharing one module
XE121 Engineering concepts
A technical moduleTweaked when staff was not looking to include PDP material
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Essentially, you are expected to submit a reflective review on the COMMUNITY BLOGS for XE121 once every cycle (yielding a total of five submissions).
In addition, you will be expected to explore the technology of BLOGS to submit at the minimum two aspects of studentprofile, to include Action Planning and Reviewing Progress. You are also expected to keep the folder up to date. You are expected to submit a BLOG for each cycle as well as one reviewing the presentation in the studio.
Each BLOG will focus, as a minimum, on a particular topic area for the cycle as indicated on the next slide.
What I asked them to do (eventually) #1
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What I asked them to do (eventually) #2Cycle ONE: What your impressions of a BLOG, how are you doing to
date.
Cycle TWO: Reflect on your learning strategy, and the idea of keeping a learning log for each module
Cycle THREE: Reflect on the technical and transferable skills that you are developing as part of the module, XE121 and the course.
Cycle FOUR: Reflect on the development of your creative and learning skills throughout this module. Do you notice a change in your skill level? Provide justification for your answer (point to evidence to show how you have changed etc.)
Cycle FIVE: Reflect on the process of BLOGGING, and the use of Video BLOGS. How have you changed? How have you developed over the year? Has the use of BLOGS improved your creative skills? Have you learnt to reflect more? Support your answers with justifications.
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ImplementationShow the community page
XE121 Engineering Concepts
Friends
& Friends of
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At Brightonstudentcentral
Brighton flavour of Elgg - community
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CommunityHome page
This is the community I was using
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
Can be confusing – leave the community to return later?
NO!
this means unsubscribe!
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
Link to see blogs published earlier
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGSReflections – works for some students.
Issues about how to publish – personal blog or part of XE121?
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
Useful if one can ensure BLOGS are published at a certain time frame – this is from a teaching point of view
Would be nice if I can get a link of student names so that I can see particular blogs easily.
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
So stan wrote a script for me to do just that. This is quite useful for tutors.
However it also was quite dependent on the student making the link visible to me.
http://community.brighton.ac.uk/deshi.php
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
Click here to find out about friends…..
Not the same as communities.
That was one of the confusing aspects.
Would be nice if they were in alpha order….
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
Great technology,
But not yet intuitive for me.
Eg here, I wanted to have a look at the groups I own, but could not see XE121 – there is probably a good reason, and I have not had the time to ask yet…
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IssuesToo linear
BLOGS
http://community.brighton.ac.uk/deshi_presentations.php
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The stan factorWrote scripts to be able to pick up BLOGS
Ok for tutor – student interaction
Quite important to know who is engaging
Gave Stan a list of names to get the students initially associated with the module, XE121
Engineering Concepts.
This project was not possible without the magical help from Stan.
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Presentation toolTo bring in all of the relevant BLOGS
together.
Brand new (leading edge)
Only introduced in March
I think we were the first to use it.
Found it useful, perhaps a little too linear.
Would like it to be more organised and to give more control to the students.
(just saw what Katie did for ElggJam – that is what I needed.)
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titleWords
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titleWords
Nice!
This is an example of how the presentation tool could be used
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What I would likeMore control over the presentation tool.
Let students put in icons
That click into different areas.
Show what I want.
Take out the phrase, “leave community” replace with something else, eg resign or unsubscribe.
Leaving means going to another place then coming back!
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IssuesStaff – • need time to learn about the technology• Not that easy to use (even for me!)• needed time to give feedback (this is where I fell down)• Once enabled, and on board, the possibilities are fantastic
Students - • need time to learn about the technology• Not that easy to use (surprisingly for a lot of students)• students need to see the benefits• Trying to reflect was more of an issue, than the actual blogs. • Needed more feedback from staff/peers?
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Summary of issuesThe technology and its implementation1) Video BLOGS 2) Using Community3) Problematic in some areas, eg forming friends, community.4) Initially, we could not see each other – not sure why, probably
because of the unfamiliarity of the technology.5) Needed probably many more tutorial sessions – could make it
much more problem based and related to particular aspects of the module.
6) On reflection, not enough feedback given to the students by the tutor (i.e. me!)
7) Some other problems, students not setting the right permissions.8) Some students got confused with the presentations, and instead
put their material in the files area. Eg http://community.brighton.ac.uk/cqn/files instead of http://community.brighton.ac.uk/cqn/presentations
9) Not that intuitive for all students.
Would like it to be portable – so that students can take away their PDP in BLOG form with them. This is like an e-portfolio
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Evaluation – did the students use any of the following that we used to define PDP?
Initial self-evaluation and action planning
Learning to learn, study skills etc
Development of key/ transferable skills
Reflection on own practice
Regular progress reviews (tutorial systems)
Career/ professional development planning
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Positive side #1Majority of students liked it.
The technology is under-used – and I think the potential for creative use for academic purposes is enormous.
It has been demonstrated that using scripts can help academics track the blogs to monitor progress and give feedback.
Use of the private groups is powerful and can be expanded.
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Positive side #2Can explore more peer involvement in providing more frequent feedback.
Presentation tool is quite powerful, and evolving. Good to be able to freeze students work in time.
Presentation tool can be used by students to formulate personalised CVs, which can be viewed by external sources.
There is enough there for the tutor to allow for creative application by the students. However, need to build the framework, and spend time understanding the technology more.
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Final commentsPDP – should be embedded in the course
Any assessment of it should be with a broad brush
Process is much more important than product
Focus should be on the student evolving and creating their own ways of doing this.
Encourage discussion, and allow them to challenge its viability.
This opens the door for the tutor to rebut (in the nicest possible way), but also encourages learning
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Final commentsEncourage activities with other students –
group sessions to discuss PDP
Presentations in the studio where students have a measure of control – they develop
other skills, teamwork, and have lots of fun (so important).
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Final commentsBLOGS is a possible way forward – I will continue to evolve it to see if it can be developed into an e-
portfolio.
See if BLOGS can be used for more peer evaluation of PDP.
Remember students can choose who can see their work.
Assessment should be more on the process, content can be evaluated using formative
approaches.
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Final commentsStudents will do it if it they think it is useful.
So it is tutor dependent!
Use it with the personal tutor scheme.
Watch this space!
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Final slide
Any questions?
