USING BLOGS TO ENHANCE A DIALOGICAL APPROACH TO LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATIONJ Ola Lindberg and Jimmy Jaldemark |
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This paper focuses on how the use of blogs can be seen to enhance a dialogical approach to learning in a higher education setting. Blogs have been in use in educational settings for several years (see, for example, Williams & Jacobs, 2004). Sixty-three students participated in the practice of writing blogs open for all students to read as assignments in which students were also expected to write comments in the blogs of other students. The blogs were analysed through a transactional approach to dialogue using the ICE (Ideas, Connections, and Extension) model of Fostaty Young and Wilson, (2000) and Fostaty Young (2005) as a way of assessing students learning. The preliminary analysis indicates that students initially primarily express ideas in their comments, towards an increased use of connections. This is discussed in the paper as an indication that the use of blogs support and enhance a dialogical approach to learning, even though their use seems to differ between different assignments and study groups. |
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