Assessing the ecology of a course blog

Improving learning outcomes through web mediated writing and open educational

practices

Human action is best understood as narrative

What's that?Endive salad. I bite each piece as if it were a boat load of people and bury them in a sea of darkness.

Social media used effectively generates

digital storytelling

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Social media can be incorporated effectively

into the classroom

Exploratory study tested the ecology of a course blog and measured learning outcomes in terms of rates of publication.Penn State University, State College PAUndergrad technical writing course for engineersStudents wrote articles for an outside publication

Follow-up study examined the writing process in terms of differences in peer feedback and learning outcomes.Concordia University, Montreal, QuebecUndergraduate basic composition course

Two quasi-experimental studies were conducted to

determine if blogging technology impacted learning outcomes

Experimental versus control group

Both studies entailed two intact sections each of an undergraduate composition course.

Control group was randomly assigned and worked with paper and traditional writing process

Experimental group was randomly assigned and published all work on a course blog

Two sections of technical writing courses were given a project to write an article for publication.

One section followed the traditional writing process using computer-assisted writing on paper and group workshops of paper drafts.

The other section published their work-in-progress on a course blog and engaged in online collaboration.

The results of this study demonstrated that utilizing an online social network in the form of a course blog impacted learning outcomes.

Abstract first study

The study design was based on the traditional

writing process

Paper workshops provide a limited framework for

collaboration.

The framework for collaboration can be

expanded by stretching traditional classroom

boundaries.

An outside stakeholder and authentic project impacts

the rhetorical situation.

Changing the medium further emphasizes

audience.

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Key ingredient was an outside stakeholder

Second key ingredient: authentic project

Design Considerations

What's in it for me?Typical projects are only seen by the instructor and a few peersPA Center for the Book project was publicPotential to be publishedWorking with an outside agent (reviewer)Sense of ownershipMaintaining high levels of interactionStudent/editorStudent/instructorStudent/students

Articles that were produced on blogs had a statistically

significantly higher publishing rate.

Student feedback will follow:

Spent more time making sure everything was good because others were going to see

it

Thought of being published while still in college was exciting

Active learner instead of passive learner

More support from peers and stakeholders

Made you feel more responsible and inclined to act

Next, I conducted a follow-up study.

Constraints to using social media

University does not provide web space to studentsQuebec laws are stringent with regards to protecting the privacy rights of students University social media policy requires administrative permissionSurvey of students revealed that extremely few are using social media in their academic coursework

Movable Type 5.14 content management systemOwn my domainsCreate unlimited number of blogsAssign each blog to an individual studentComplete administrative, creative, and design controlAble to assign Creative Commons license to all course materialCost $25 course/yearReplace outside stakeholder with a visible community websiteExamples: eatingcrow.ca, english212.com, beatnik.ca, outlaw-writing.com, businessremix.com, montrealites.ca

Developed server space

Open online course website

A Montréal community website provides an

opportunity to publish and create an authentic project

We've developed reach

Abstract follow-up study

Two sections of basic composition courses were given a project to write articles for publication. (three articles-three drafts)

One section followed the traditional writing process using computer-assisted writing on paper and group workshops of paper drafts.

The other section published their work-in-progress on a course blog and engaged in online collaboration.

The results of this study demonstrated that utilizing an online social network in the form of a course blog impacted learning outcomes.

Study design

First paper Second paper Third paper

Blogs vs. Paper: Quality and quantity of peer

feedbackDouble-click to enter text

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Types of feedback provided:

A narrative feedback

Student Feedback

Spent more time making sure everything was good because others were going to see itPublishing coursework on a personal blog was excitingEngaging learning environment More support from peers Felt more responsible and inclined to actSpent more time on peer feedback activity

Affordance of a course blog

The open course blog provided affordance in terms of the following factors compared to a Moodle Learning Management System combined with paper:

Statistically higher learning outcomesStatistically higher quality and quantity of feedbackLearner engagementEase of useTimeAdministrative organization