blogs as a teaching tool in a tertiary institution

NUS Presentation Title 2001

Blogs as a Teaching Tool in a Tertiary Institution

Kenneth Gerard PintoCentre for Instructional TechnologyNational University of Singapore

Outline
Background
About blogs
Why blogs?
NUS approach to blogs
Suggested uses and examples of blogs in education
Future directions: 3 Ps

Background

Background

Background

Background

Background

98% of which have done so in the last 12 months

Background

Background

Background

More stats:
> 90% of NUS students own a laptop or desktop

Background

Wireless access is
almost ubiquitous

Background

Blogging is big
in Singapore

Background

About blogs

About blogs

web log

About blogs

weblog

About blogs

weblog

About blogs

Blog characteristics
Posts
Reverse chronological order
Archives
Categories
Permalinks
Templates
Comments

Why blogs?

Why blogs?

No/low cost
http://www.blogger.com/
http://www.wordpress.com/
http://edublogs.org/

Why blogs?

It's easy
If you can email and use productivity software,
you can blog
No HTML required*

Why blogs?

Infinitely malleable
Can serve numerous purposes

Why blogs?

Add stuff!
Images | on the blog, flickr.com
Videos | youtube.com, teachertube.com
PowerPoints | slideshare.net


2003

First known use of academic blogs in NUS

Dr John Christian Holbo

Reason & Persuasion

Reason & Persuasion

http://examinedlife.typepad.com/ph1101egem1004/


June 2006:
Launched
NUS Module Blogs


Aim
Provide one-click blog creation,
utilizing NUSNET ID


Module-based
Ties in with Course Management System
Provides starting point


Community Server
Supports LDAP
Staff using other blogs not forced to switch


Medium not genre

Danah Boyd

A Blogger's Blog: Exploring the Definition of a Medium. In Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture, 6(4).


Personal publishing
not
personal journal


Leslie's use of blogs in educaton matrix

Scott Leslie

Matrix of some uses of blogs in education. EdTechPost. Retrieved December 1, 2006 from http://www.edtechpost.ca/mt/archive/000393.html


Farrell's five uses

Henry Farrell

The street finds its own use for things. Crooked Timber. Retrieved on December 6, 2006 from http://crookedtimber.org/2003/09/15/the-street-finds-its-own-use-for-things


Blogs as class websites

PC1432 Physics IIe

http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/pc1432/


Categories

Course Components

Course Information

Blogs as space to share about real life applications/examples

LSM1303 Animal Behaviour

http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/lsm1303/


Blogs as a place to direct class discussions

CL2280 Basic Translation

http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/cl2280/


Blogs as student-driven weekly summaries

NM3216 Game Culture (Design) 1

http://gamingculture1.blogspot.com/


Blogs as student assignments

NM4210 User Experience Design

Individual student blogs


Other blogs in NUS:
professional interest

Urban Transport Issues Asia

http://urbantransportasia.blogspot.com/


Other blogs in NUS:
corporate newsletter

Qblog (Office of Quality Management)

http://www.nus.edu.sg/oqm/blog/


Other blogs in NUS:
museum blog

Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research

http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/news/


Other blogs in NUS:
a blog about blogs

Using NUS Module Blogs

http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/using_module_blogs/


Future directions:
3 Ps

Possibilities

3 Ps

Personal
Learning
Environment

http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/blogs-as-personal-learning-environments/

Possibilities

Thesis/Project Reporting

Possibilities

Languages

Possibilities

Professional
Development

Possibilities

Pitfalls

3 Ps

Copyright
& Plagiarism

Pitfalls

Misuse & Mischief

Pitfalls

Privacy

Pitfalls

Programmes

3 Ps

Training for faculty staff: Using Community Server

Programmes

Training for faculty staff:
Using blogs in education

Programmes

Training for
staff & students:
Using blogs
for lifelong learning

Programmes

Thank you!

Blogs as a Teaching Tool in a Tertiary Institution

At least one computer at homefrom Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage inHouseholds and by Individuals for 2006 (IDA)Internet at home

Yes0.78

No0.22

Households with Internet accessfrom Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage inHouseholds and by Individuals for 2006 (IDA)Internet at home

Yes0.71

No0.29

15 to 29 year olds who haveaccessed the Internetfrom Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage inHouseholds and by Individuals for 2006 (IDA)Internet at home

Yes0.83

No0.17

15 to 29 year olds who blogfrom Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage inHouseholds and by Individuals for 2006 (IDA)Internet at home

Yes0.17

No0.83

15 to 29 year olds who read blogfrom Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage inHouseholds and by Individuals for 2006 (IDA)Internet at home

Yes0.26

No0.74