Transcript innovative thinking for the real world

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall?
Blogging as Reflection
Ruth A. Smith, Principal Lecturer
INNOVATIVE THINKING
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Learning Outcomes
• By the end of this session, delegates will be able
to:
• Describe ways in which blogging can be used
in assessment
• Outline the benefits of blogging in assessment
• Explain how to overcome potential issues in
using blogging as assessment
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Why use Blogs in Assessment?
• ‘Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World’ (March
2009)
• Recognised impact and potential challenges of
students’ widespread use of Web 2.0
technologies
• Web 2.0 is known as the ‘Social Web’where
software is available through the Internet that
supports group interaction (Shirky, 2003).
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Web 2.0 Timeline
YouTube
Facebook
Myspace
2004
2003
Blogger.com
2002
MSN
2001
2000
1999
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Using Blogs
• A Blog or weblog is “a hierarchy of text,
images, media objects and data, arranged
chronologically, that can be viewed in an
HTML browser” (Winer, 2003).
• Blogs replace reflective notebooks for Work
Placement Modules
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Benefits of Blogging…
• “Provide a space for students to reflect and publish their
thoughts and understandings” (Ferdig & Trammell, 2004)
• Makes people more thoughtful and articulate observers
of their world (Blood, 2002)
• May develop reflective skills (Clyde, 2005)
• Can promote reflection and deeper learning which can
be transferred to situations outside the classroom
(Bouldin et al., 2006)
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Barriers to Blogging…
• Students may be reticent about revealing their
real feelings (Catalano, 2005, Lenhart and Fox,
2006)
• Reflective blogging may be more attractive to
some groups than others (Herring et al, 2004)
• Creative individuals are more likely to enjoy
blogging than others (Guadagno et al, 2008)
• Link
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Case Study: Context
• Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Business
Management (3 x 20 credit modules at Level
7)
• The course commenced with a 7 week block
followed by a 6 month work placement.
• Blogging represents 15% of the final mark for
the work placement module.
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Blogging Preparation
• Short Presentation on how to reflect
(essential)
• Structure of Posts:




Where are you now?
Where do you want to be?
How are you going to get there?
What does it feel like?
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Evaluation
• Positive…
– “can look back in blog and see past ideas and learn
from mistakes”
– “it was easy to be self-critical and reflect on group's
mistakes”
– “helps you understand the module - think about
your work”
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Evaluation
• Negative…
– “don't know what to write”
– “don't know what to write about and takes time that
could be spent in a way that feels more productive”
– “I sometimes find it hard to get started”
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Recommendations
• A Blogging ‘Code of Practice’ is essential
• Explain what students should be blogging
about.
• Explain how to ‘Do Reflection’.
• Explain how to protect anonymity.
• Encourage – give regular feedback.
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