What are Blogs?
Blogs are particularly useful for Assessment, Feedback, Communication, collaboration and showcasing work.
Blog is a shortened term for ‘web log’. A Blog is a record of frequently posted entries in an online space by an individual or a group. This log of posted entries can be about a particular subject, a record of thoughts and ideas or experiences.
The entries are written with the intention that others will view them. Blogs provide the ability for the reader to interact with the author(s) of the blog by using ‘comments’ to post a response to the blog entries. WordPress is a commonly used external blog site.
Blogs are media-rich spaces and allow users to create and engage with text-based formats, images, video and audio.
Why would I use blogs with my students?
- Enhances critical thinking and communication skills by providing students with a space to publish and share with others.
- Supports reflective writing. With frequent entries posted by students about their thoughts and experiences students create a record and evaluation of their learning journey. The regular reflective writing can aid students in making links and connections between theory and practice.
- For self – assessment, supporting students to identify their strengths and areas for improvement and a commitment to action plans and goals they set themselves.
- Promotes creativity, self – expression and the sharing of ideas in a range of different formats including text, video, images and audio.
- Encourages peer review with the posting of comments by peers in response to blog entries and the development and building on ideas in response to comments made by peers.
- Establishes a network between students by facilitating students supporting, informing and sharing ideas with one another
How do I use blogs with my students?
There are a range of tools that the University supports for blogging, including Course Resources, WordPress, Office 365 and PebblePad
Blogs can be setup and created by individual students or collaboratively in groups.
Students can keep the blog private, share with a selected group or publish them externally.
Please feel free to contact your Learning Technologist to discuss your requirements.
Resources
Blackboard (Course Resources) Blogs
Blackboard (Course Resources) Journal