We're Getting Meta Today

I read a couple of articles this week about assessment, blogging, and social networking sites (SNS). The consensus across the board seemed to be that blogging is a valid way for learners to express their thoughts and engage with each other. In most other classes I have taken throughout my higher ed experience have required discussion postings via a thread. What is truly the difference between requiring students to set up a blog and interact vs interacting via a discussion forum? In my eyes, not much. The pro of a blog as an assessment tool is the learners will take more ownership over their spaces. 

In Katrin Wodzicki’s “‘Actually, I Wanted to Learn’: Study-related knowledge exchange on social networking sites”, they explore how learners use SNS to connect with like-minded people. Truthfully, I have a torn opinion on this. I know that I personally use social networking sites to connect with like-minded people in my personal life, but I think there is something lost by prioritizing like-minded people in the context of education. I believe we grow most when our view points are challenged and offered other opinions. For me, this was a reminder to engage in spaces in my field where not everyone will agree with me nor do I agree with everyone else.  

Yang’s “Assessing the effects of interactive blogging on student attitudes towards peer interaction, learning motivation, and academic achievements” echoes data that learners associate interactive blogs with more positive academic achievement.  

Knowing all of this, it boils down to a few questions: How effective are blogs at assessment? How effective are blogs as engagement tools? Why are discussion boards utilized more heavily than blogs in higher ed classes? I’ll take a try at each one based on my own experiences and readings. I think blogs are effective as an assessment tool… for the right objective being assessed. I think even performance-based skills can be assessed this way providing the learner gives detailed photo/video evidence of their product. Based on the two readings, I believe blogs are an effective engagement tool – at least as engaging as a discussion board. Finally, I think it is ease of access and lowering the barrier to participation. Many people may be turned off by the idea of having to start a blog when other classes solely utilize their discussion boards. But what if the blog carried throughout their experience and stood as a matrix to show their progress through their program?