d:\global learn may2010\global learn 20 may\optimizing the blogfolio experience verilytan

$: D:\Global Learn May2010\Global Learn 20 May\Optimizing The Blogfolio Experience Verilytan$
Optimizing the Blogfolio ExperienceExperience

Verily Tan

Educational Technology & Production

SIM University, Singapore

verilytansl@unisim edu [email protected]

FlowFlow

• Introduction to blogs and blogfolios

• Potential advantages of use of blogfolios

• Purpose of study

• Context

• Research Instrument & Results

• Discussion

• Recommendations

• Limitations

• Questions & Comments

Blog “killer app”Blog – killer app

• Blog – Webpage containing a running log of commentaries, multimedia and

hyperlinkshyperlinks

– Easy to use, not requiring knowledge of html editing

– Supports collaboration with features like comments, RSS feeds

• Transformational technology for teaching and learning(Williams & Jacobs, 2004). Capacity to engage people in – collaborative activity

– knowledge sharing

reflection– reflection

– debate

BlogfolioBlogfolio

Encourage self‐

expression &

Encourage self‐

expression &

Encourage reflection &Encourage reflection &

expression & articulation expression & articulation

Increase Increase reflection & critical thinking

reflection & critical thinking

satisfaction in learning

satisfaction in learning

Blog + PortfolioBlog +

PortfolioPortfolio = BlogfolioPortfolio

= Blogfolio

Blogfolio Potential BenefitsBlogfolio – Potential Benefits1. Encourage reflection & critical thinking

– Reflection

• In their postings, students articulate the connection between new information and existing knowledge (Hermandez‐Ramos, 2004)information and existing knowledge (Hermandez Ramos, 2004)

– Critical thinking

• Skilled and active process, involving questioning and metacognition (Fischer & Scriven, 1997)

– As an author, students• Make their postings They need to consider on how others will• Make their postings. They need to consider on how others will interpret the posting. In responding to comments, they need to standby his/her own opinion (Williams & Jacob, 2004)

– As an audience , students • Read the postings of others critically, then post their comments and questionsand questions

Blogfolio Potential BenefitsBlogfolio – Potential Benefits

2. Encourage self‐expression & articulation – having a “unique voice”

Blogs allow time for students for students to synthesize information– Blogs allow time for students for students to synthesize information and develop personal approaches and responses

– Faculty indicate that the greatest benefit of the using of blogfolios in teaching and learning: opportunity for student expression (Brescia & Miller, 2006)

3 Increase satisfaction in learning3. Increase satisfaction in learning– Greater sense of control: customization of look & feel of blog;

creativity & style (Armstrong, Berry & Lamshed, 2004)

– Students become “subject‐matter‐experts” as authors. They develop confidence in expressing themselves (Brescia & Miller, 2006)

Purpose of PaperPurpose of Paper

The study seeks to understand:

1. What are the factors correlated with student satisfaction in th f bl f li ?the use of blogfolios?

2. How are students making use of blogs, and what are their preferred usages?preferred usages?

Use of Blogfolios in an e CourseUse of Blogfolios in an e‐Course

• Creative Advertising and Copyediting (blended e‐learning module)

2nd l ti ff d b S h l f A t & S i l S i• 2nd year elective offered by School of Arts & Social Sciences (Communications Programme)

• Ability to critique a variety of advertisements important• Ability to critique a variety of advertisements – important competency for the module

Blogfolio assignment (15% of overall assessment)Make a blog posting every week, focusing on a print/broadcast advertisement in different industries (Create a portfolio of 4advertisement in different industries. (Create a portfolio of 4 advertisements critiques over 4 weeks in the blog)Comment on : Choice of advertisement, perceived objective, perceived audience, effectiveness, suggested improvementsperceived audience, effectiveness, suggested improvements

ImplementationImplementation

• Pilot implemention in Semester 2, 2009

• For greater administrative control: WordPress set up on U i it ’University’s server

• Security issues: Blogs were created for students –standardized user interfacestandardized user interface

• *5 students shared a blog

• Individual postings (not group work)• Individual postings (not group work)

• Each student was a co‐author

*C t f t di bl d• *Comments feature disabled

* Specifications of instructors* Specifications of instructors

ImplementationImplementation

• Copyright issuesEmbedding of advertisements on the web, youtube and print in the blog postingsin the blog postings– Copyright infringement?

– Deliberations but no clear guidelinesg

• “Controlled Student Access”• Each blog: password protected

• Blogs: not available in the public domain

• Each student only had access to the blog he/she shares with four othersothers

WordPress Blog InterfaceWordPress Blog Interface

Author , Category &

Date

Co‐authors

Categories: 4 i d

Tracking of 4 required

adsRevisions

Blog Entries of Students g

Electric AppliancesAppliances(Print Ad)

Electric AppliancesAppliances(Video Ad found in Youtube)Youtube)

Cosmetics(Print Ad)(Print Ad)

Cosmetics(Ads –(Ads Print &

Video Ads)

Research InstrumentResearch Instrument

• Survey of 25 questions– 14 questions based on a 5‐point Likert Scale

(1 – SD ; 2 – D; 3 – N; 4 – A; 5 – SA)(1 SD ; 2 D; 3 N; 4 A; 5 SA)

– 5 questions on the usage of blogfolios

– 5 demographic questions

– 1 open‐ended question

• α = .903• 35 students (60.8%) completed the survey (Enrolment = 58

students)– 80% male, 20% female

– 81.3% diploma holders, rest being A’level or degree holders

– 62 9% were in 21‐25 age range; 28 6% in 26‐30 age range62.9% were in 21‐25 age range; 28.6% in 26‐30 age range

Factors correlated with student satisfaction• Mean for student satisfaction = 3.94

• Spearman CorrelationpRanked Factor Significantly Correlated with Student Satisfaction Spearman’s Rho

(2‐tailed)1 Role of Instructor 0.661**(highest)2 Increased confidence in expressing thoughts and ideas 0.522**

3 Clear communication of assessment criterion 0.512**

4 No technical difficulty encountered in making blog entries with embedded images/video

0.484**

5 Ability to cope with the requirements of assignment 0.482**

6 Engagement in analysis and reflection 0.481**

7 Appreciation of the simplified process in collecting and submitting portfolio content via blogfolio

0.449**content via blogfolio

8 Clear objective(s) for the blogfolio assignment 0.426**

9 Benefit from reading the postings of others 0.407*

10 Enjoyment in being a co author of the group blog contributing ideas and 0 371*10 (lowest)

Enjoyment in being a co‐author of the group blog, contributing ideas and knowledge.

0.371

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 (2‐tailed).* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2‐tailed).

DiscussionDiscussion1. Role of Instructor

3 Cl i ti f t it i3. Clear communication of assessment criterion

8. Clear objective(s) for the blogfolio assignment

Consistent with the findings by Hain & Gallen (2008):Amount of learning in a blog assignment can be influenced positively bypositively by

motivation of the learner

the ability of the instructor to motivate and supportthe ability of the instructor to motivate and support

the way the assignment/course has been crafted

DiscussionDiscussion2. Increased confidence in expressing thoughts and ideas

Blogs can be both motivating and threatening for students ( d )(Hermandez‐Ramos, 2004)

It appears that by reflecting or “thinking by writing”, students ere able to de elop their o n “ oice”were able to develop their own “voice”

Students can be driven to express deeply felt opinions and ideas through their postings (Nardi Schiano Gumbrecht andideas through their postings (Nardi, Schiano, Gumbrecht and Swartz, 2004)

Blog (Oravec 2003; Williams & Jacobs 2004)Blog (Oravec, 2003; Williams & Jacobs, 2004)breakthrough form of democratic self‐expression

place for authors to test their ideas

students’ distinctive styles of writing emerge

DiscussionDiscussion4. No technical difficulty encountered in making blog entries with embedded images/video

Survey Item: No technical difficulty in making blog entries with embedded images/video Mean = 3 91

making blog entries with embedded images/video

with embedded images/video. Mean = 3.91

Student profile:71.0% of them rated themselves fairly skilled in terms of computer71.0% of them rated themselves fairly skilled in terms of computer skills.

22.6% rated themselves as power user.

43.8% of the students already had personal blogs.

Importance of co‐ordinated training and support . Significant effort invested ineffort invested in

Training

Manuals/Online ResourceManuals/Online Resource

Helpdesk support

DiscussionDiscussion6. Engagement in analysis and reflection

Instructors found evidence of analysis and reflection in the students’ blog postings

In critique of advertisements, students needed to recognize unstated assumptions and values

appraise evidence and evaluate statements

recognize logical relationships between propositions

draw warranted conclusions and generalizationsdraw warranted conclusions and generalizations.

All these are basic competencies in critical thinking according to Glaser (1941)to Glaser (1941)

DiscussionDiscussion9. Benefit from reading the postings of others10. Enjoyment in being a co‐author of the group blog,

“Public” nature of the postings (visibility of their posts to the

j y g g p gcontributing ideas and knowledge.

other four members of their group) could have been a motivation for them to make quality postings

In reading others’ postings, students see each other as valuable sources of information and ideas

St d t ’ ti C t f k l d t j tStudents’ perception: Creators of knowledge, not just consumers of information

Time Taken to Make One PostingTime Taken to Make One PostingTime taken Proportion of st dentsTime taken Proportion of students

15 – 30 min 8.8%

31 – 45 min 25.5%

46 – 60 min 26.5%

More than 60 min 38.2%

• 64.7% of students took more than half an hour to create a blog posting.

• Reflect the analysis and reflection required by the assignment (Majority of students did not encounter difficulty in making bl h b dd d / d )blog entries with embedded images/video)

Students’ Preferred UsageStudents Preferred Usage• Comments Feature

– 58.8% of students would like comments on their own postings

– 45.7% would like to comment on other’s postings

42 9% i di d h if d il bl k h ld– 42.9% indicated that if comments were made available, marks should be allocated for constructive comments.

M j i f d i hi d• Majority of students in this study are in the age range of 21‐30 (Net Generation)Generation)

• They appear to want to take blogging to the next level of critique andto the next level of critique and defense of their own stand

• Desire to collaborate, to (co)create http://www.flickr.com/photos/chimothy27/3487954077/, ( )in terms of knowledge and ideas

RecommendationsRecommendations

• Use blogs for learning tasks that require the students to– Express opinions to influence others (Confidence in “unique voice”)

“Thinking by writing” (Reflection metacognition)– Thinking by writing (Reflection, metacognition)

– Seek others’ feedback and opinion (Analysis, critical thinking)

• Blogfolios – electronic portfolios (simplified process)Blogfolios electronic portfolios (simplified process)

• Enable the comments feature to encourage collaboration, to (co)creation of knowledge and ideas. Implications:( ) g p– Necessity to train students to be responsible in their comments and

replies

– Provide guidelines for students to give constructive comments


• Implementation of individual blogs – To further encourage students’ expression and creativity through

customization of the blog interfacecustomization of the blog interface

– Comments can be better controlled by students

• RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds can be enabled. ( p y )– Feeds can positively affect student interaction. (Hain & Gallen,

2008)

– Students become less tied to posting deadlines and pushed bythe feeds that indicate interactions in their blogs.


Copyright Issues ©• Lack of case law concerning the application of fair use of

material in distance education (Costa, 2004)

• Problem compounded by: – Variation of legal opinion on the subject

– New technology constantly creates new situations which existing rules cannot always controlcannot always control

– Different instructors operate by different guidelines (ethical issues)

• Instructors should be actively involved in defining problem y g pareas, formulating institutional policy

• Continuing dialogue about the ethics of practice

LimitationLimitation

• Lack of qualitative feedback to substantiate the findings from the quantitative data. The survey had only one free‐response questionquestion.

• Focus group discussion with selected students can be conductedconducted.

Thank [email protected]

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