The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging

Doug Specht

EN

The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging

Abstract

Given the increasingly prominent position of digital technologies in the Higher Education classroom, this paper uses a mixed method approach to explore the ways in which blogging might be used to support student learning through a large MA dissertation module, comprising students from five courses. Taking as it impetuous the idea that blogging can create a community to support students in the writing of their own dissertation. The research saw 179 students invited to undertake blogging over a 10-week period, with proscribed activities for eight of these weeks. The networks built by students were modelled through Gephi, and this data was supplemented with two surveys carried out before and following the module. The results showed a mild trend towards the blogs not producing a community, nor creating an environment in which self-reflective practice was forthcoming. The role of the teacher also appeared to become solidified as the sole motivating factor, leading to a low uptake in posting on the blog, and even lower in commenting. The work also highlights the two-fold issue of students being fearful of giving negative, coupled with the sense that peer feedback was not worth as much as staff feedback, significantly reduced the development of the community, and of critical thinking. The work concludes that while blogs might have some potential, this case demonstrates that they need to be more deeply embedded within the pedagogy of the course, and not used as an ‘add-on’.

Keywords

Blogging,Community,Technology Enhanced Learning,Digital Learning,Higher Education

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Primary Language

English

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Authors

Doug Specht This is me

Publication Date

June 1, 2019

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Year 2019 Volume: 4 Number: 2

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https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY

APA

Specht, D. (2019). The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age, 4(2), 10-24. https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY

AMA

1.Specht D. The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging. JOLTIDA. 2019;4(2):10-24. https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY

Chicago

Specht, Doug. 2019. “The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to Go Beyond Self-Reporting Studies of Blogging”. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age 4 (2): 10-24. https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY.

EndNote

Specht D (June 1, 2019) The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age 4 2 10–24.

IEEE

[1]D. Specht, “The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging”, JOLTIDA, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 10–24, June 2019, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY

ISNAD

Specht, Doug. “The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to Go Beyond Self-Reporting Studies of Blogging”. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age 4/2 (June 1, 2019): 10-24. https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY.

JAMA

1.Specht D. The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging. JOLTIDA. 2019;4:10–24.

MLA

Specht, Doug. “The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to Go Beyond Self-Reporting Studies of Blogging”. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age, vol. 4, no. 2, June 2019, pp. 10-24, https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY.

Vancouver

1.Doug Specht. The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging. JOLTIDA [Internet]. 2019 Jun. 1;4(2):10-24. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA99ER86NY

Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age 2023. This is an Open Access journal distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.

Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age. Open Access Journal, 2023. ISSN:2458-8350

Abstract

The Issue of Blogging: Using Visual Network Analysis to go Beyond Self-reporting Studies of Blogging

Abstract

Keywords

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

IZ

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