STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF BLOGGING AS A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING PROCESS

This paper reports on collaborative work with undergraduate seniors studying an elective cross-disciplinary course Teaching and Learning in Electronic Environments at the American University of Sharjah. The course follows an ethos which gives primacy to dialogue and collaboration and includes student voices in analyses and revisions of pedagogic practice. Blogging is an important component of the course, used as an instrument of exploration and learning. Students base their early work on perceptions derived from a critical reading of Anne Bartlett-Bragg* and exploratory tasks set by the course professor. In spring semester, 2013 students opted to establish three blog communities of varying sizes with different hosts which allowed for comparative analysis of their blogging experiences.

The findings reported in this paper are drawn from four sources; students’ individual reflections on seven facets of blogging exercises, group collation of key issues from individual reflections, a community blogging action plan and post course reflection on the blogging experience. Following description and summary of these sources and their key substance the paper will conclude with a short discussion of the student perspectives and the insights they offer for future pedagogic practice.

References:
*Bartlett-Bragg, A. (2003). Blogging to Learn. Retrieved from http://knowledgetree.flexiblelearning.net.au/edition04/pdf/Blogging_to_Learn.pdf