A1256655582ZpQaH

1
BMU Research SeminarBlogging in Tertiary
Education
James FarmerDeakin University http//incsub.org

An outline of this seminar is available
athttp//incsub.org/blog/bmu-research-seminar-bl
ogging-in-tertiary-education/
2
The evolution of the web log
3
The evolution of the web log
4
The evolution of the web log
5
The evolution of the web log
6
The evolution of the literature
Into the Blogosphereblog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/
Blogtalk Downunderincsub.org/blogtalk HigherEd
BloggerConhigheredblogcon.com/ Uses of
Blogssnurb.info/index.php?qnode/158
7
The BLOGS _at_ ANYWHERE REVELATIONS
aka important guidelines for the uses of blogs
in educational contexts supported by experience,
research and theoretical exploration into their
use and application across a range of disciplines
and cohorts encompassing various pedagogical
approaches and assessment tasks
8
Revelation 1
Never approach blogs as discussion
boards, listservs or learning management systems
9
Revelation 2
GROUP BLOGS, However Tempting, are A BAD IDEA AND
DO NOT WORK!
10
Revelation 3
Bloglines RSS aggregation Subscriptions SYNDICATI
ON
Youve Gotta Have
11
Revelation 4
Use the Right tools For the trade!
12
Revelation 5
Blogs must be the Core tool you use (not just an
add on)

13
Revelation 6
Without appropriate Assessment youre stuffed

14
But more seriously

• Blogs are unique tools that facilitate unique
  online interactions
• Most significantly they focus on the
  individual
• Critical to their success is the facility for
  and use of aggregation
• It is very difficult to build, from scratch, a
  successful blogging tool
• Blogs should integrate fully and integrally
  with your teaching and learning approaches

15
So as a teacher.
Tasks should most likely be ones which focus on
the individual first and the group second Try as
hard as you can to forget about discussion
boards Youre gonna need to get one for
yourself! and start aggregating Assess as
appropriate to the medium.
16
And as an organisation.
Be brave!Employ soft securityYoure going
to need to get someone who knows about these
things Consider alignments with Digital Object
Management processes systemsSupport your
teachers(your students will be just fine!)
17
Where to start?
Set yourself up with a free blog at edublogs.org
Set your students up with free blogs at
uniblogs.org Explore the area further,
subscribe to incsub.org/blog or
downes.ca/news/OLDaily.xml Any questions
james_at_incsub.orgTake a deep breath