Blogging in the Classroom: Does Writing In-Class Reflective Blog Posts Improve Learning?

Angela PashiaUniversity of West Georgia

Road Map• Overview of the literature– In-class, low stakes writing–Why blog– Formats for class blogs

• What I did• Research outcomes• Discussion

Reflection

Active Engagement

Formative Assessment

Your turn!On your index card, write:

1. Which goal you want to target today

2. A prompt to use for your subject matter

FormatsGroup vs. Individual

Hub-and-Spoke vs. Personal Reflection

Open vs. Closed

Your turn!On your index card:

Brainstorm the benefits of 2 different formats for your class learning

outcomes.Which would you prefer to use?

What I did

Research DesignWordpress Blogger

20 min in class writing on Wed.

Prompt given Wed.response due by Saturday at noon

Comment on 2 classmates’ posts

Due by Saturday at noonNo comments required

Homework + commentson blogs

Homework + commentson blogs

Project SAILS:Standardized Assessment

of Information Literacy Skills

Partial ConsentClass 1 Class 2

Average Pre-Test Score 25.17 23.52

N = 24 21Average Post-Test Score 28.35 27.78

N = 23 18Change in Scores 3.18 4.25

Consent on all 3 partsClass 1 Class 2

N = 18 14Average Pre-Test Score 26.33 24.00

Average Post-Test Score 30.00 26.71

Change in Scores 3.66 2.71

Qualitative Differences

Class CharacteristicsClass 1 Class 2

Average GPA 2.67 2.443.0 + 6 4

2.0 – 2.99 12 11

1.0 – 1.99 3 4

< 1.0 --- 1

First time Freshman 1 ---

Average Hours Earned 49.3 31.210-29 10 13

30-59 9 760-89 2 ---

90 + 1 ---

Cautionary TalesStart with WHY

Beware of overdosing on tech

Contact InfoAngela Pashia

apashia@westga.edu@LibrarianAngie

Photo CreditsChiew Pang (2012) _1020784 17/11: Having fun writing their

anecdotes [photograph]. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55955607@N02/8193681317/

Kaptain Kobold (2008) 02/08/2008 (Day 2.215) - Reflections [photograph]. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/2725740342

Queen’s University (2014) Ellis Hall Active Learning Classroom [photograph]. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/queensucanada/12107964783/

Burns Library, Boston College (2011) [Boston College students engaged in classroom activity] [photograph]. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bc-burnslibrary/6772252993/