Learning Together Online: student social support through

group blogging

Steve WheelerUniversity of Plymouth, UK

ALT Conference, Leeds, England: September 7, 2011jupiterimages.com

Teacher educator, learning technologist and researcher (1976-present)

Blogging

http://www.volusion.com/

In the act of writing... ...we are written.

- Daniel Chandler Stev

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Blogging

http://www.volusion.com/

In the act of writing... ...we are written.

- Daniel Chandler Stev

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Any teacher can now

become a global educator

“Blogging ... Is the most important form of unchoreographed public discourse that

we have.”

- Lawrence Lessig

http://news.oreilly.com

“Never have so many people written so much to be read by so few...”

- Katie Hafner

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The kinds of learner support

Social support

Academicsupport

Technicalsupport

Reference: (Carnwell, 2000)

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Traditionally the domain of the teacher/tutor

These are often provided by peers

“We are seeing peer-based learning networks where students are learning as much from each other as they are from their mentors and tutors.” – John Seely-Brown

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Image source: http://businessinnovationfactory.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luc/

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Paragogy

Generating Content

Sharing Content Organising Content

Personal Web Tools

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Generating Content

Sharing Content

Blog Mashup

Tagging

Personal Web Tools

Organising Content

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Image credit: Lisa M Lane (2010)

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The majority of support I received [for my project]

was through the blog, and it was beneficial to get

comments from peers about ideas and thoughts.

What my students said about group blogging...

Image credit: Lisa M Lane (2010)

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I was able to contact all of the other members of the

group through one method, and I was also able to

monitor the rate at which they were progressing with

their research to make sure I wasn't behind!

Because it was a group blog I felt it was more group support.

I was helped by a number of people which made the support

feel more reliable.

Image credit: Lisa M Lane (2010)

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Honestly I found it quite helpful as I re-read what I had written and it helped

clarify my thoughts into what I actually wanted to say.

I didn't use it extensively but when I did […] it helped clear

my thought processes.

Image credit: Lisa M Lane (2010)

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It allowed me to really look at the different areas of my

project and to focus on the steps I needed to complete the project, looking at it in

small chunks instead of one large piece of work.

I could use it and access it from anywhere, it was like an online memory map!

Personal technologies...

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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/117/291379959_594fa8ef70.jpg

...broadcasting from one to many.

Hidden audience effects

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http://learningputty.com

Social media are now an important part of the culture of many young people.

Teachers need to exploit the power and potential of these new tools to engage learners and enhance learning.

jupiterimages.com

Thank you

W: http://steve-wheeler.netE: swheeler@plymouth.ac.ukB: http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK:

International Licence.

Steve Wheeler swheeler@plymouth.ac.uk University of Plymouth, United Kingdom

http://steve-wheeler.net