Using blogs for student writing
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This document outlines a project using blogs and wikis to support student writing. It found that students who wrote essays as blogs were more likely to meet deadlines, act on feedback, and read each other's work. Students liked getting quick feedback and building an online portfolio. The document provides advice on setting up blogs and wikis, including having the framework ready, teaching feedback skills, and using sites that alert teachers to new posts. Benefits included lighter paperwork, quicker assessment, and resources that can be reused. Wikis and blogs could also be used for extension activities, practice essays, and reflective blogs.
Using blogs for student writing
- 1. Using Blogs for Student WritingIdeas, strategies and research findingsClaire Amos Director of e-learningEpsom Girls Grammar Schoolam@eggs.school.nz
- 2. Workshop StructurePart A: Presentation of project and findingsPart B: Online workshop – Looking at class wikis and blogs in actionPart C: Online workshop - Creating your own class wiki
- 3. Learning Outcomes On completion of this workshop you will be able to:Recognise the benefits and potential uses for wikis and blogs to support literacyAccess a range of wikis to develop ideasCreate your own class wiki using www.pbworks.com
- 4. Project outline The project looked at how student blogs and class wikis can be utilized to raise literacy levels in the context of formal writing (AS 90053) preparation and practice. The Project
- 5. Year 11 students were given the opportunity to complete their practice of formal writing as individual blogs that were linked to their online classroom community (the class wiki) I followed the same process with a top stream and a standard English classThe Process
- 6. The ProcessThose students who completed the formal writing practice online, received their feedback as online comments Topics were posted on the class wiki with hyperlinks to other resources such as newspaper articles and video clips about their topic
- 7. The ProcessStudents who chose to complete their writing on refill continued to hand in as normal and received written feedback on their essaysThese students still had access to online resources if they wished to use them
- 11. Outcomes Students who chose to write their essays as blogs were:More likely to meet deadlinesMore like to act upon feedback/next stepsMore likely to read one another’s work
- 12. Student Voice Other positive feedback from the students:Like that they often got quick feedbackLike that they built up an “online portfolio” of writingLike that the could use spell check and easily fix errorsLiked the sense of a public presence and that they had an audience
- 13. Potential challengesThe lack of easy access to computers at schoolBlog sites are often blocked in schoolNot all students have internet access or computers at homeStudents not practising writing quickly by hand???
- 14. Advice Have the wiki and framework set up in advanceIf possible unblock useful sitesTeach students how to give each other feedback (this was something I thought would happen naturally but didn’t)Use blogging sites that allow you to “follow” students so you are alerted when new blogs are postedDon’t assume students are young and therefore internet savvy
- 15. Benefits for the teacherLightens your paper load – can’t misplace student workQuicker to assess and feedback – comment format discourages too many comments and encourages you to focus on next stepsEasily accessed at all timesResources and framework can be used again and againEncourages students to be more independentEasy to track student progress (or lack of…)
- 16. The main links are:encourage reflective thought and action facilitate shared learning provide sufficient opportunities to learn E-learningLinks to the NZCEffective Pedagogy
- 17. Links to the NZCKey Competenciesthinking using language, symbols, and texts managing self relating to others participating and contributing
- 18. E-Portfolios
- 19. and other ideas… Other uses for wikis and blogs could include:Extension and Support activitiesPractice EssaysReading LogsCreating online Study GuidesReflective blogs on the learning process
- 20. Structuring the learning environments at EGGS
- 21. MoodleThis is facilitated by the department as a whole. This is used as the home page for entire subjects. This is where you post common course outlines, handouts and exam information.
- 22. Google site (or wiki)This run by the individual teacher as an online community for their specific class. This is where you post resources and links specific to what you class is doing. This is where you would also post links to student blogs of they were going to be shared. This is where you might embed other Google apps such as calendars for tasks and assessments, forms and slideshows.
- 23. BloggerThis is the place for student’s public, published writing. This is set up and run by the individual student. This is attached to the class Google site or wiki by a hyperlink (which allows for easy access by teachers and other students. (a student can set up as many different blogs as they need under using the Google login)
- 24. Google DocsThis is the place for student’s personal writing and notes. Students who choose to do class notes and pre-publishes writing may work in Google docs. This will remain private, except for sharing with the teacher which allows the teacher to check in and provide feedback. Students may also share individual document s with other to work collaboratively (teachers can check who contributed what in a click of a button).