Using Weblogs to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Final Project for

LT785 – Educational Research

Submitted by Linda McEntee, Paula Pecenka, and Janel Simonsen

December 8, 2006

I - Statement of the Research Question/Problem:

How can weblogs be used to enhance teaching and learning?

II - Summary of the Literature:

Weblogs or blogs are becoming evermore popular in our technological society.  According to the Pew Internet Study, an estimated 50 million Internet users, roughly 11% of the American online community are regular blog readers, (Horwedel, 2006, p. 28).  They are the new, creative genre that helps bloggers to express an understanding and share ideas on the Internet.  “A blog is a frequently updated website consisting of dated entries called posts…arranged in reverse chronological order so the most recent entry appears first.”  (Brownstein & Klein, 2006, p. 18).  People are using blogs as journals or diaries, as bulletin boards for others to comment on, as electronic portfolios, and for business purposes.  The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department utilizes a blog (http://dcsosd.blogspot.com/) for local news updates, memos, and community news.

Technology can be very motivating in and of itself.  Children have a strong positive view of technology and that technology is a key part of how they define themselves. (Druin, 2005, p. 20).  Websites such as weblogs allow for immediate publication by its designer and instant responses by its viewers.  “Once an item is posted to the blog, it can be read immediately, and feedback can be rapid if a facility is provided for comments.”  (Clyde, 2005, p. 3).  They also allow the designer total control over the creative process and design elements.  Providing ways for students to be involved in the construction of weblogs allows them to see the building of information along with applying it to situations in which they can become more analytical and further their critical thinking skills.  When students are a part of the building of weblogs it empowers them to more personal expression and interaction.  The unique aspect of weblogs is that hyperlinks are embedded within the weblogs which allows the reader to get immediate access to the material rather than relying on a search engine.  The reader of the weblog than can instantly responds with reflective, insightful anecdotes.  (Oravec, 2002, p. 617-618).  Weblogs are capable of utilizing text, images, sounds, and hyperlinks.  Many blogs can be linked together.  Blogs may also be linked to other websites or references.  According to Greg Weiler (2003, p.74), blogs have a few common strengths.  He states that they “allow for sharing or collaboration among a number of students…in a format that is much less restrictive than the traditional classroom.”  He adds that they can become an extension of the classroom allowing contact between peers outside of the actual class time.  This makes cooperation amongst students at different sites possible.  “Bloggers receive feedback from the class, or the school community, or even from around the world, depending on whether the blog is publicly available.”  (Clyde, 2005. p. 3).  A research study on the “Benefits of Cooperative Learning in Weblog Networks” found that 60% of the students “described that using blogs working within their group members did increase their confidence in learning.”  65% of the students felt that it helped to develop their social skills.  (Wang & Fang, 2005).

Weblogs are quite simple to create.  There are many places via the Internet that are available free of charge to set up a blog.  Stiler and Philleo’s study of weblogging used two undergraduate courses as their sample.  The students used Blogger, an online blogging site that has no cost to setup but requests a $5 donation.  “Students in both classes reported that they generally found the format of Blogger easy to set up and easy to use.”  (Stiller & Philleo, 2003, p. 792).  The designer may also decide who will be given permission to view the site or make comments on the postings.  When designing a weblog, there are many things to consider.  According to Brownstein and Klein (2006, p. 21), there are certain rules for an effective blog.  They are as follows:  be specific about the purpose of the blog, decide who will be the main author or authors of the blog, be sure that the blog has structure, determine guidelines for its use, decide if it will public or by invitation only, teach blog etiquette, adapt it as needed, and have fun.

Through their study, Wang and Fang (2005) stressed the benefits of cooperation through the use of blogs.  They used weblogs for assignments in a college level class in Rhetoric and Writing.  They found that 83.3% of the students felt that they achieved their goal, and 64.5% of the students learned to work with diversity.  63.7% of the students felt that they were able to manage their time using the Internet.  One aspect that is the key is that is allows students’ to have their own unique voice.  “Students can define their position in the context of others’ writings as well as outline their own perspective on particular issues.”  (Oravec, 2002).  In the Druin (2005) study, researchers used selected students to help design a new digital library for children.  The researches worked closely with the children using weblogs, surveys and lab user studies to develop their ideas.  Using weblogs can “Force children to negotiate interfaces that require complex content knowledge, sophisticated search syntax, abstract concepts, and adult vocabulary, as well as necessitate a high level of reading skills that are beyond children’s cognitive developmental abilities.” (Druin, 2005, p. 24).

“As with any technology, they should be used to facilitate something you would do or like to do anyway.”  (Weiler, 2003, p. 74).  Blogs may be used in many ways.  Greg Weiler (2003, p. 74) used them to publish creative writing and have peers give feedback through the comment option.  Teachers can use weblogs to stimulate classroom discussion for students who are not as confident to speak out in class.  “These 10th, 11th, and 12th graders – even the sullen or quiet ones who never raised their hands or took part in class discussions- were spilling out their thoughts on an assignment” to the instructor and fellow classmates at Willard Alternative High School in Montana.  (Borea, 2005, p. 1).

III - Summary of Findings and Conclusions:

In reading our articles and discussing their contents, we all agreed that weblogs could greatly benefit any classroom.  We felt that the results of the studies alone proved their value.  We also felt that the other authors had wonderful points and ideas.

Horwedel (2006) indicated that weblogs are being used by all types of people and that they use them to express their opinions.  Weblogs were shown to benefit college students through cooperative learning in the Wang and Fang survey study (2005).  We felt that they could also be used with younger students – even those in elementary, middle, and high schools.

Most importantly, we agreed that weblogs should not be used for the sake of using technology.  They should only be utilized when it will benefit the students in understanding content or learning valuable skills.  They should be used for a specific purpose.

IV - Application of the Research in a Typical School:

The use of technology in educational classrooms continues to grow each year.  Teachers have many tools they can utilize to incorporate technology into their lessons.  One such tool that is becoming increasingly popular is the weblog.  Using a weblog as a classroom tool can be beneficial to both teacher and student.

A weblog can be used as a communication tool for both the teacher and student. Teachers have the ability to post assignments, discussion questions, or simply post reminders or a list of supplies needed for class. Students can use a weblog as a question/answer area to address questions of their peers or teacher.  Students who aren’t comfortable speaking out in class may be more at ease expressing their thoughts and ideas in written work on a weblog. Additionally, communication between parents and teachers can also occur within a classroom weblog.  Laurel Clyde tells about a classroom teacher and her students who “report on class activities and what they have learned, and parents are asked to support their children's learning through small activities in the home.” (Clyde, p. 45) This type of activity could increase student learning with reinforcement projects at home.

A weblog can also aid students working on group projects. Since a weblog is easy to access, requiring only a computer and internet connection, group partners can post information and collaborate on a project from home in the evening or on a weekend.  Weblog postings are organized chronologically so a teacher with access to the group’s weblog can track the collaboration among the members.

Before a weblog is used in a classroom setting, the teacher must explore the internet policies of the school and district. Security and privacy could be issues with parents if their child is posting personal information. After all the privacy and security issues are explored, a weblog in a traditional classroom setting could be a positive experience for all involved.

V – List of References

Borea, Rhea R. (2005). 'Blogs' catching on as tool for instruction. Education Week,

25(15), 1-2. Retrieved November 28, 2006, from ProQuest database.

Brownstein, E., & Klein, R.  (2006).  Blogs:  Applications in science education.  Journal

Of College Science Technology, 35(6), 18-22.  Retrieved November 25, 2006 from ProQuest Education Journals database.  (Document ID:  1033834821).

Clyde, Laurel A. (2005). Educational Blogging. Teacher Librarian, 32(3), 43-45. Retrieved December 03, 2006, from ProQuest database.

Druin, A.  (2005). What children can teach us:  developing digital libraries for children

with children.  The Liberty Quarterly, 75(1), 20-43.  Retrieved November, 20,

2006 from ProQuest Educational Journals database.  (Document ID:  846333031).

Horwedel, D.  (2006).  Blogging rights.  Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 23(2), 28-

31.  Retrieved November 20, 2006, from ProQuest Education Journals database.

(Document ID:  1006460581).

Oravec, J.  (2002).  Bookmarking the world:  weblog application in education.  Journal of

Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45 (7), 616-621.  Retrieved November 20, 2006,

from ProQuest Education Journals database.  (Document ID:  112560641).

Stiler, Gary M., & Philleo, Thomas. (Summer 2003)Blogging and blogspots: an alternative format for encouraging reflective practice among preservice teachers.(Blogger, an online weblog service for student teachers).  In Education, 123, p789(9). Retrieved November 28, 2006, from Professional Collection via Thomson Gale:
http://find.galegroup.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=IPS&docId=A105043958&source=gale&userGroupName=sdln_dsu&version=1.0

Wang, J., & Fang, Y.  (2005).  Benefits of cooperative learning in weblog networks.

Online submission.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.  ED490815).

Weiler, G.  (2003).  Using weblogs in the classroom.  English Journal, 92(5), 73-75.

Retrieved November 25, 2006 from ProQuest Education Journals database.  (Document ID: 344953601).

Appendix A - Analysis of Research

Article #1 – Linda McEntee

Bibliographic Citation (APA Style) -

Stiler, Gary M., & Philleo, Thomas. (Summer 2003)Blogging and blogspots: an alternative format for encouraging reflective practice among preservice teachers.(Blogger, an online weblog service for student teachers).  In Education, 123, p789(9). Retrieved November 28, 2006, from Professional Collection via Thomson Gale:
http://find.galegroup.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=IPS&docId=A105043958&source=gale&userGroupName=sdln_dsu&version=1.0

Type of Research:       ___ Descriptive                       ___ Correlation

___ Experimental                    ___ Causal-Comparative

___ Historical                          ___ Quasi-Experimental

___ Meta-Analysis                  _X_ Survey

Evidence from article you used to determine Type of Research

The abstract identifies this research as a survey, “A preservice student-user survey was applied to determine efficacy and user orientation requirements.”

Purpose of the Research

Stiler and Philleo set out to find the effectiveness and the training required for the use of Blogger, an online weblogging site.  They asked the participants to assess the value and ease of use of Blogger to determine if it would enhance student writings. They also analyzed the writings posted on Blogger and compared them to journal entries from a previous year to determine if the technology would enhance student writings.

Instruments Used

Two different surveys were administered to participants at the completion of the preservice training. For students in EDUC 302, the survey included a checklist of reactions to their use of Blogger (or alternative journaling methods for those students who decided to opt-out of the online journaling tasks).

In the survey for students in the EDUC 214 course, the questions were more in-depth due to the assumption that these students, enrolled in a educational technology course, would analyze the technology as a classroom tool.

Validity and reliability of Instruments Used

The surveys were returned at a high rate (98%) and were straight-forward questionnaires, so the instrument would be reliable. Validity could be questioned, however, as 12 of 15 teachers stated they would not or were unsure if they would use blogging in their teaching. Even though most of the responses were positive in the usage of Blogger, and the writings were found to be longer and written with more thought, the applicability of this journaling method to the subjects’ future classrooms didn’t look as positive.

Subjects

The site, Blogger, was added to the syllabi as course requirements of two undergraduate preservice courses. This included two sections of EDUC 302 – Multicultural Education (48 students) and EDUC 214 – Technology in Education (15 students).

Results and Conclusions

71% of participants rated Blogger as easy to use. The percentage of responders that indicated the learning curve of this site was less than one hour of training was 72%.

58% of the participants were either very or somewhat satisfied with the site, and the same percentage (58%) would recommend this site for future use.

Even with these fairly high numbers, 12 of 15 students indicated they would not or they were unsure if they would use Blogger in their own classroom teaching.

The quality of journaling was also investigated.  The writings from this training were compared to those of a previous semester with traditional journaling techniques.  The researchers found the journal entries to be “more analytic and evaluative” than a previous semester.  Entries were also longer than in the past.  Based on these findings, Stiler and Philleo believed that “the depth and breadth of student reflectivity appeared to be positively affected by their use of Blogger.”

Possible Influence of Extraneous Variables

One variable that likely influenced this study was the option for students to not participate in the online weblogging. Four students in the EDUC 302 course decided to use alternate methods for their journaling.  Two students chose this option due to the possibility of lack of privacy with online journals and two students opted out because they were not confident in their computer skills.

Internet speed and availability of the site could also influence the students’ perception of the Blogger site. When asked of any problems in the use of Blogger, some participants in the EDUC 302 course indicated “difficulties posting journal entries, lost entries, lack of time to make entries, lack of motivation to write journal entries, and privacy issues.”

Other variables could be attitude of subjects and the amount of technology background of subjects.

Possible Threats to Internal and External Validity

Students could drop out of the course during the semester so therefore an internal threat to validity would be loss of subjects.  Attitude of subjects would be another threat to internal validity. If a student is against online blogging, he/she may come in with a bad attitude and not get the most out of the study.

A threat to external validity may be in the sampling. The one course, Technology in Education, would more than likely have students interested in technology, or they would more likely be technologically competent. One wouldn’t be able to generalize to the entire population based on these findings.

Generalizability of Results to Local Issues

The findings in this study could be generalized to other undergraduate courses. Weblogging is new and experience is minimal. As time goes by, more and more schools may use these methods to enhance student writing.

If this method would be used in classrooms for journaling, students should be well trained in the use of the Blogger site. Stiler and Philleo also write that “immediate instructor-student feedback is important in order to eliminate student problems and circumvent frustrations.”  The topic of privacy and anonymity when posting online should also be addressed if this is to be used more often in classrooms.

Article #2 – Paula Pecenka

Bibliographic Citation (APA Style) -

Horwedel, D.  (2006).  Blogging rights.  Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 23(2), 28-

31.  Retrieved November 20, 2006, from ProQuest Education Journals database.

(Document ID:  1006460581).

Type of Research:       ___ Descriptive                       ___ Correlation

___ Experimental                    ___ Causal-Comparative

___ Historical                          ___ Quasi-Experimental

___ Meta-Analysis                  __X_ Survey

Evidence from article you used to determine Type of Research

Convenience

Casual-Comparative

Purpose of the Research

Horwedel used a Pew Internet Study to support her article on blogging rights to show demographic make-up of those using blogs and how they feel blogging allows them to express their opinion.

Instruments Used

The survey was broken into three parts.  The first, asking them to indicate if they have ever heard of a blog, regularly read or visited a blog, interested in making a blog, and whether they had their own personal blog.  The second part, was the profile or make-up of blog users from gender, average age, broadband access, and average household income.  The last part was strictly an opinion statement about leadership and blogging and whether or not if they agreed with this statement.

Validity and reliability of Instruments Used

An on-line survey was presented to large population of Internet users.  The same questions were asked to all participants.  Participants were subsequently divided into two categories based on whether they were bloggers or on-blog users and further questions were asked.

Subjects

A convenience sampling survey by Technorati, a blog tracking search engine, was used to obtain an overall demographic population of blog users.  Various questions were asked starting with how blogs apply to them.

Results and Conclusions

At the time of this survey 49% of those surveyed had never heard of blogs.  5% regularly visited or read others’ blogs.  3% were interested in creating a blog, and 2% already had their own personal blog.  The profile for male participants showed that 57% were blog users while 48% were non-blog users.  The males that were bloggers average age were 37.7 years, with an average 5.6 years online tenure, and average income of $57,900.  When asked to respond to the statement: “I am a natural leader-people always listen to my opinion,” those that were regular blog readers, 50% agreed with this statement.  Those that had their own personal blog, 49% agreed with this statement.  Only 35% of all online users agreed with this statement.  The results of this survey reveal that more than half of the online community knows what a blog is and that 5% regularly read and visit others’ blogs.  Males in their thirties, making an average salary of $57,000 are frequent users of blogs.  Lastly, those that use or read blogs feel overwhelmingly that their opinions are important and matter.

Possible Influence of Extraneous Variables

Possible extraneous variables that could influence this survey would include the size of the survey group along with the fairness of the demographic make-up of those participating in the survey.  Online surveys often come to us at work or at home.  Depending on how hectic our schedule or life is at the time, would play apart in whether or not participants would be willing to fill out the survey.

Possible Threats to Internal and External Validity

The survey was presented online, thus only those participants that see online surveys as being meaningful, valid, or important will probably take part in the survey.  Another aspect that might have influenced the results is using the term weblogs.  Those that are unfamiliar or have an attitude toward the subject of blogging will subsequently not bother participating in the survey.

Generalizability of Results to Local Issues

The technology world continues to grow and change daily.  This can easily be seen by the growth of Internet users and the increase in people reading and using blogs.  The results of this survey demographically could easily be applied to local issues in how blogs are becoming a new form of genre for people to express their opinions and interact.  More people are using blogs in school, for business purposes, and personally.  The number of bloggers will continue to grow as people see how they can effectively be used and have a reason.

Article #3 – Janel Simonsen

Bibliographic Citation (APA Style) –

Wang, J., & Fang, Y.  (2005).  Benefits of cooperative learning in weblog networks.

Online submission.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.  ED490815).

Type of Research:       ___ Descriptive                       ___ Correlation

___ Experimental                    ___ Causal-Comparative

___ Historical                          ___ Quasi-Experimental

___ Meta-Analysis                  _X  Survey

Evidence from article you used to determine Type of Research

Wang and Fang utilized a survey in their study on cooperative learning in weblog networks.  This survey was done in the form of a questionnaire.  “A questionnaire, comprising of 20 questions, was developed regarding to the students’ experiences of online responses or comments of the online posts.”

Purpose of the Research

This study considered the use of cooperative learning in weblog networks.  “The purpose of this is to explore the benefits of cooperative learning in weblog networks, focusing particularly on learning outcomes in college writing curriculum integrated with computer-mediated learning tool – weblog.”

Instruments Used

Wang and Fang developed a questionnaire for their survey study.  “For all itmes on the instrument, participants were asked to respond on a five-point Likert type scales which ranged from “definitely agree” to “definitely disagree”.”

Validity and reliability of Instruments Used

The article did not specifically discuss the validity or reliability of the questionnaire.  All of the participants/students completed the same questionnaire after completing the same course with the same instructor.  The response rate was 77.6%.  On most questions, the results were that between 57.8% and 93.3% of the students “definitely agree”.  This shows that there is some reliability to the questionnaire.  Its validity – which is yet to be determined – would lie within college students in Rhetoric and Writing courses in Taiwan.

Subjects

The study involved 55 participants that were enrolled in a Rhetoric and Writing class.  This class was a one-semester class that met three times for 50 minutes each time.  The class was held at the National Formosa University in Taiwan.  The students were introduced to the course content and the online environment (blogs).  They were required to meet face-to-face as well as utilize the weblog network to share ideas and complete a project.  “At the end of the semester, each group was required to submit their final research paper by linking to their blogs.  Besides, the participants were also required to read resources discussing online including posting their initial responses to the reading and reading each other’s postings.”

Results and Conclusions

The overall results/findings were organized into three categories.  Leraner autonomy was the first.  Wang and Fang stated, “most of them (93.3%) expressed their gratitude for this chance of learning a new online communication technology, weblogs, and more that half (71.1%) of the participants indicated that this communication tool helped them to get ideas of how to learn outside classroom.”  The second category was cooperative learning which was divided into five elements.  79% of the respondents reflected that their efforts benefited the group – positive interdependence.  73% of the respondents reflected that they assessed themselves and each other; while 80% said that they received support from their group – individual accountability.  83.3% of the students responded that they felt they were meeting their goals, and 79% said that they could see how to improve group cohesiveness – group processing.  64.5% of the respondents learned how to work with diversity through communication and trust, and 66.7% gained conflict management skills – social skills.  91.1% of the respondents still felt that they needed the face-to-face meetings – face-to-face interaction.  Finally, the third category was time management.  63.7% of the respondents stated that they could manage their time online.  According to Wang and Fang, “Students learned to manage their own time, process the information, and evaluate their own learning.  The results of this study indicated that blogs could be an effective tool for educational use particularly when students are separated by time and place between them.”

Possible Influence of Extraneous Variables

There are two extraneous variables that could affect the results of this survey.  First of all, the quality of each individual’s interaction of online communications could determine what that student gains form using weblogs.  Secondly, the teacher’s role could differ from semester to semester.  This in turn could determine if one group of students gains more or less than another.

Possible Threats to Internal and External Validity

The first threat to validity is mortality.  In many college courses, students will sign up for the class and then drop out due to unforeseen circumstances.  Also, as seen in this study, not all students will complete the questionnaire for the study.  The second threat is maturation.  Many college students undergo changes over time.  Some become familiar with technology that is new to them more quickly than others.  Finally, location could be a possible threat.  The face-to-face meetings were all at the same location; however, the weblog portion of the class was not.  The study does not concern itself with whether the students had access to a computer lab or if they utilized home computers.

Generalizability of Results to Local Issues

This study can generalize its finding to local issues in that “The results were consistent with previous studies (Usuki, 2001; Wnden, 1991)…”  The findings can be generalized to college level students taking Rhetoric and Writing courses in Taiwan.  To be able to generalize the findings outside of this group of participants, one would have to recreate the study in other courses and at other sites outside of Taiwan.  Wang and Fang stated, “Further research might begin to assess the interactivity of use of online communication….Further research might also look at ways in which the teacher’s role in this learning process can be improved in order to promote the benefits of cooperative learning in a computer-mediated learning environment.”

Appendix B – Shared Participation in Writing the Final Paper

Linda McEntee:

Read three articles:

Borea, Rhea R. (2005). 'Blogs' catching on as tool for instruction. Education Week, 25(15), 1-2. Retrieved November 28, 2006, from ProQuest database.

Clyde, Laurel A. (2005). Educational Blogging. Teacher Librarian, 32(3), 43-45. Retrieved December 03, 2006, from ProQuest database.

Stiler, Gary M., & Philleo, Thomas. (Summer 2003)Blogging and blogspots: an alternative format for encouraging reflective practice among preservice teachers.(Blogger, an online weblog service for student teachers).  In Education, 123, p789(9). Retrieved November 28, 2006, from Professional Collection via Thomson Gale:
http://find.galegroup.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=IPS&docId=A105043958&source=gale&userGroupName=sdln_dsu&version=1.0

Contributed findings and reflections

Participated in discussions and e-mails

Revised for others in group

Typed III – Summary of Finding and Conclusions

Appendix A:  Article #1

Paula Pecenka:

Read three articles:

Druin, A.  (2005). What children can teach us:  developing digital libraries for children

with children.  The Liberty Quarterly, 75(1), 20-43.  Retrieved November, 20,

2006 from ProQuest Educational Journals database.  (Document ID:  846333031).

Horwedel, D.  (2006).  Blogging rights.  Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 23(2), 28-

31.  Retrieved November 20, 2006, from ProQuest Education Journals database.

(Document ID:  1006460581).

Oravec, J.  (2002).  Bookmarking the world:  weblog application in education.  Journal of

Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45 (7), 616-621.  Retrieved November 20, 2006,

from ProQuest Education Journals database.  (Document ID:  112560641).

Contributed findings and reflections

Participated in discussions and e-mails

Revised for others in group

Appendix A:  Article #2

Janel Simonsen:

Read three articles:

Brownstein, E., & Klein, R.  (2006).  Blogs:  Applications in science education.  Journal

Of College Science Technology, 35(6), 18-22.  Retrieved November 25, 2006 from ProQuest Education Journals database.  (Document ID:  1033834821).

Wang, J., & Fang, Y.  (2005).  Benefits of cooperative learning in weblog networks.

Online submission.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.  ED490815).

Weiler, G.  (2003).  Using weblogs in the classroom.  English Journal, 92(5), 73-75.

Retrieved November 25, 2006 from ProQuest Education Journals database.  (Document ID: 344953601).

Contributed findings and reflections

Participated in discussions and e-mails

Revised for others in group

Typed/Compiled final paper

Appendix A:  Article #3