This presentation discusses blogging at Wodonga TAFE and in particular its usefulness in teaching and learning with students and also as an entry point to Web 2.0 tools for those new to online teaching.

1. BLOGGING
GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE!
Geoff Young

2. • Team Leader,
Learning Innovation
• NE Victoria
• +200K catchment area
• Students ~14,000
• Courses ~ 400

3. Learning Innovation
Our brief
– Provide solution strategies for the Institute’s delivery
departments and support areas in relation to the design,
implementation and evaluation of blended learning
objectives
– Focus on enterprise wide, scalable solutions

4. The Vision

5. Blended Learning
seamless integration of physical and virtual
learning spaces that integrate and accommodate
technology, but focus on student learning…
Littlejohn, A. & Pegler, C. (2007)

6. Constructivism
learners play an active role in 'constructing' their
own meaning…
Jenlick & Kinnucan-Welsch (1999)

7. Constructivism
Knowledge is not seen as fixed and existing
independently outside the learner… . learning is a
process of accommodation or adaptation based on
new experiences or ideas
Jenlick & Kinnucan-Welsch (1999)

8. web applications that facilitate
interactive information sharing,
interoperability, user centered
design, and collaboration …
Wikipedia (2010)
Web 2.0

9. Web 2.0
web applications that facilitate
interactive information sharing,
interoperability, user centered
design, and collaboration …
Wikipedia (2010)

10. The Vision

11. •Visual
•Auditory
•Reading/writing
•Kinesthetic
Flemings VAK/VARK model
How best do your students learn?

12. Blogging
Visual-
images
Written-
report
Aural-
audio
Options

13. What is blogging?
a shared online journal where people can post
diary entries about their personal experiences and
hobbies
Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=blog

14. What is blogging?
a shared online journal where people can post
diary entries about their personal experiences and
hobbies
Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=blog

15. What is blogging?
a website that allows users to reflect, share
opinions, and discuss various topics in the form of
an online journal while readers may comment on
posts
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blog

16. What is blogging?
a website that allows users to reflect, share
opinions, and discuss various topics in the form of
an online journal while readers may comment on
posts
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blog

17. What is blogging?
a type of website, usually maintained by an
individual with regular entries of commentary,
descriptions of events, or other material such as
graphics or video
Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=blog

18. What is blogging?
a type of website, usually maintained by an
individual with regular entries of commentary,
descriptions of events, or other material such as
graphics or video (social media)
Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=blog

20. Blogging in education
Reflective journaling
Reflective thinking is a special way of
thinking about action and experience
(Weiss, E. & Weiss, S. (2001)
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/desiitaly/2193724466//
/

21. Why Blog?
Motivations- needs
• Self expression
• Recognition
• Social contact
• Introspection
• Academic needs for knowledge
& interests
• Documentation
• Artistic activity
.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/photojonny/2268845904/Minocha, S., & Kerawalla, L. (2011)

22. To blog or not to blog?
Aspirations
• Is blogging something I see
myself doing long term?
• What will the main purpose of
my blog be?
• Is my blogging more of a hobby
or does it have some
professional application?
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fboyd/2897598148/
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/openpad/3718789722/sizes/z/in/photostream/

23. Blogs of all sorts
• Personal
• Corporate
• Education
• NGO’s
• Politics
• Private
• Sports
‘Think special interest’
Image: http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/destinysagent/1780291760/sizes/l/in/photostream/

24. Public or Private?
Walled garden
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robert_scarth/138433090/sizes/m/in/photostream/

25. Public or Private?
Open expression
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimba/1450769/sizes/m/in/photostream/

26. Public or Private?
Options
Comfort
zone
Within a LMS
•Discussion Boards
•Journals
•Wiki
External to a LMS
•Blog
•Journals
•Wiki

27. Where to start?
Must knows
• Ease of use
• Cost
• Flexibility
Source; http://www.flickr.com/photos/inju/246717376/

28. A blog is not just for Xmas…
Commitment
• Time
• Research
• Writing
• Responding
Source; http://www.flickr.com/photos/psycho-pics/3396432884///

29. Feature Blogger Wordpress.com
Free Yes Yes
Private blogs Yes but to only to
invited Google account
holders.
Yes, but to only 35
invited Wordpress
account holders
Pages Yes Yes
Comments Visual confirmation,
spam filtering and
moderation options, but
no editing of comments
Moderation, comment
editing and Akismet
spam protection
Categories Yes Yes
Image storage 1Gb 3Gb
Source: http://pulsed.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogger-wordpress-chart.html

30. Feature Blogger Wordpress.com
Visitor stats Built-in dashboard stats
& you can also include
third party tracker
scripts or any type of
script.
The admin dashboard
shows 2 days of stats
and daily, weekly and
monthly charts.
Source: http://pulsed.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogger-wordpress-chart.html

31. Feature Blogger Wordpress.com
Themes and
customisation
Blogger has introduced
a collection of easy to
customise templates.
Earlier templates can
still be edited, but don't
have the new features.
No template editing.
Style sheet editing is
only available as a paid
upgrade. Many of the
100+ themes let you
upload a header image.
Some have additional
customization options.
Source: http://pulsed.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogger-wordpress-chart.html

32. Blogging ‘on the move’
Options
• iPhone app
• iPad app
• Android app
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielmorris/275434941/
/

33. Blogging @ Wodonga TAFE
Why?
• On-going consistent message
• Ease of access
• Part of an active learning
strategy
• ‘Living’ social media
wodongatafe.wordpress.com

34. Blogging @ Wodonga TAFE
Who’s blogging
• Diploma of Art (Interior
Design & Decoration)
• Advanced Diploma of
Building Design & Project
Administration
• Bakery apprentices
wodongatafe.wordpress.com

35. Information in, information out
Using blogs to your advantage
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/2848570286/sizes/m/in/photostream/

36. Blogs of interest
Garbage or Gold
• Top 100 Education blogs
• Gizmodo
• Andrew Bolt
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/2848570286/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tao_zhyn/442965594/sizes/m/in/photostream/

37. Geoff Young
Team Leader, Learning Innovation
Learning Innovation and Organisational Development
e: gyoung@wodongatafe.edu.au
m: 0427 242 573
b: wodongatafe.wordpress.com
t: @gsyoung

38. References
Littlejohn, A. & Pegler, C. (2007) What is Blended e-learning? In Preparing for Blended E-
learning (pp. 9-28, refs pp. 235-242). New York: Routledge
Jenlick, P. & Kinnucan-Welsch, K. (1999) "Learning Ways of Caring, Learning Ways of Knowing
Through Communities of Professional Development", Journal for a Just and Caring Education,
vol. 5,no. 4, pp. 367-386.
Web 2.0. (2010, October 31). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:51,
November 1, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Web_2.0&oldid=393883999
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=blog
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blog
Weiss, E. M., & Weiss, S. (2001). Doing Reflective Supervision with Student Teachers in a
Professional Development School Culture. Reflective Practice, 2(2), 125-154.
Minocha, S., & Kerawalla, L. (2011). University Students' Self-Motivated Blogging and
Development of Study Skills and research Skills. In M. J. W. Lee & C. McLoughlin (Eds.), Web
2.0-Based E-Learning: Applying Social Informatics for Tertiary Teaching. Hershey: Information
Science Reference.
http://pulsed.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogger-wordpress-chart.html