An assessed blog on a text of the week was introduced, a blog was written by one student, but commented on by all students before weekly tutorials or seminars. The aim of the blog was to develop critical and reflective ability, commentators were asked to avoid simple agree/disagree responses, but instead to pose questions, point out omissions, correct false premises or challenge preconceived ideas.
Benefits for staff: Not only did tutorials get faster but staff were able to gauge whether students fully understood the topic set for the week.
Benefits for students were:
- blogging increased student confidence and ownership of learning;
- those students who dislike open discussion, for example, are now able to think about their responses before challenging others on a blog;
- better prepared for tutorials and seminars;
- blogs provided a record of discussions that can act as an aid for revision;
- there was greater ownership of their learning;
- the quality of discussion on the blogs was high;
- provided opportunities for more competent students to raise the performance of weaker students;
- the process of blogging encouraged more reticent students to post comments and even challenge more dominant group members.
If you want to read the full report you can find it via this link, on page 24: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/effectivepracticedigitalage.pdf
