Abstract:

Commenting on a weblog is one of the most striking features of the interactivity dimension made possible by Web 2.0. In addition to the dissemination of pupils’ texts, this dimension of interaction justifies the introduction of weblogs in educational settings. The pedagogical potential of weblogs raises some questions about comments, specifically concerning the functions they fulfil within a community and their characteristics as a text (sub)genre. In order to answer these questions, we performed an analysis of the comments on a weblog that was created in association with projects promoting the use of the Internet. This blog, Interescolas (Interschools), addresses a community of primary schools and mobilises a diversity of participants, namely pupils, teachers, and project coordinators. In this study we looked for differences between the comments by pupils and teachers in order to grasp the dimensions that are present in the comments of both groups, and in order to deduce from the teachers’ comments guidelines that may be adopted in order to enhance the pedagogical role of comments. The results showed significant contrasts with regard to the extensiveness of the comments of these two groups and identified some areas for developing the potential of commenting activities that are within the range of pupils’ capabilities. The possibilities include mobilising pupils’ personal experiences and reflections, specifying and justifying the superficial evaluative statements that pupils make in their comments, and promoting an attitude of rewriting towards texts, in accordance with the interaction dimension that Web 2.0 has made possible.

Keywords:

teaching/learning strategies, elementary education, learning communities, cooperative/collaborative learning.