Blogging!

Nika Balomenou and Celeste JonesBusiness School L& T conferenceTuesday 7th Junehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYSbUOoq4Vg

To blog or not to blog.....

Overview

1. How it all started...

2. Semester A3. Semester B4. Benefits5. Limitations6. The future

Background story

The School of Education team aka Blogging Guru teamDr Joy Jarvis, Sally Graham, Kathy Weston

BS Team: Karen Robins, Celeste Jones, Dr Nika Balomenou

Research on Professionalism in Event Management

Semester A

“Reflective thinking level increased significantly over time […] peer feedback was found to negatively affect students' reflective thinking skills (Xie et al., 2008, p18)

Diaries- new form of e-diary (Bolger et al., 2003)

Research bias Vote: reflective report or

reflective blog? Leaving comments! Results: your printout

Semester B

Fortnightly entries

Peer comments

Assessed piece (700 words)

Focus group

Benefits

“..encourage ongoing, reflective practice via an exchange between students thereby limiting feelings of isolation …” (Wolf, 2010, p289)

Experience recording technique

Time management Semester-long (or longer) Voluntary engagement Reduces research bias Monitoring tool for tutors Answers specific questions

(numbers?) Blended learning technique

Limitations

Difficult to locate Making blog public Universally accessible

(in UH) Honesty Challenging feedback Feedback for staff as an

SFQ Demanding in terms of

organisation and time ‘Bit of a fad’ Can detract from

academic reflection Voluntary engagement

The future for blogging.....

• Event Impacts and Legacies (EvILe) external examiner comments

• http://www.studynet2.herts.ac.uk/crs/10/5BUS10510111.nsf/Homepage?Readform

• Guidance 1/3 academic content requirement

• Will continue in level 5 skills modules

On a final note.....

Acknowledgements

Sally GrahamDr Joy JarvisKathy WestonKaren Robins Justin LanceBS for funding this L&T project

Thank you

Any questions?

References

Bolger N., Davis A., Rafaeli E. (2003) Diary methods capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology Vol. 54 p579-616

Wolf K. (2010) Bridging the distance: the use of blogs as reflective learning tools for placement students. Higher Educations Research & Development Vol. 29 (5) 589-602

Xie Y., Ke F., Sharma P. (2008) The effect of peer feedback for blogging on college students' reflective learning processes. The Internet and Higher Education Vol. 11 (1) 18-25