Reflection, identity, community: Affordances of blogging for social interaction and reflective dialogue

Abstract

An evaluation of the use of blogging for developing educational affordances that enhance characteristics of social interaction and reflective dialogue within learning communities. The findings emerge from a study investigating the implementation of course blogs on a media practice programme at a UK university. Literature on the use of course blogs suggests that blogging supports learning and promotes the attainment of skills in researching, academic writing, critical reflection and professional identity formation. There are however difficulties for educators seeking to promote the use of course blogs as a productive and lively social practice. The study presents data from a group of L4 students as well as a group of tutors tasked with implementing the use of course blogs. It asks: what are the barriers to developing blogging as a social practice; and seeks to identify positive actions that will enhance the implementation of course blogging. The research employs a qualitative approach drawing on the concept of ‘dwelling’ as a focus group methodology. The production of two data sets, one from the staff and one from students allows for a comparison that aims to identify disjunctions between the staff conception of blogging and that of the students. Thereby offering the possibility for determining the particular set of educational affordances required to achieve the aims of the project. Findings suggest that in the early stages of implementation one of the biggest challenge to developing blogging is resistance to change among staff. While among students the core theme is around ownership and motivation.