Weblogs as an emerging genre in higher education

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a blog is a website where a person writes regularly about recent events or topics that interest them, usually with photos and links to other websites that they find interesting. Blogging assists students to become more ICT literate, which is a crucial 21^st century skill. The first blog, “Links.net”, was created in 1994 by college student Justing Hall.

Weblogs helps students to be able to discuss matters and reflect on matters which affect them daily on a bigger platform. They are able to engage with each other and the community at large to discuss these issues, which may be affecting them personally or those around them. They can find different points of views and be able to make informed conclusions.

Plagiarism has always been a major problem in higher education. Weblogs have helped as people have access to hyperlinks and sources of information, so they are able to identify students who steal other people’s intellectual property as there are broader community-based perspectives on intellectual production. Online tools have been developed to detect plagiarism, and this is very helpful to lecturers as there are able to monitor the use of other people’s intellectual property. Students are therefore encouraged to do research and then write using their own perspective as they fear being caught.

Weblogs also gives students an opportunity to access information which they previously did not have access to. They can follow field experts who have thorough research on certain subjects. Students are given a variety, meaning they are able to choose which weblogs to follow, or compare and contrast the view expressed by various bloggers on the certain subjects. This allows students the opportunity to analyse different points of view.

Before I came to university, I had never heard of weblogs. I was introduced to weblogs by my Teaching Studies lecturer who explained to us that blogging is a good way to engage with scholars, researchers or even other future teachers like me on issues affecting children and the teaching profession in general. I have also come to the realization that submitting assignments through blogs is cheap and convenient. It is cheaper in the sense that I don’t have to pay for printing papers, and convenient as I can submit anywhere even in the comfort of my room.

I use blogging mainly for two reasons. Firstly, I use it to find the methods used by other foundation phase teachers in their classrooms. This is very important for me as a beginner teacher as I am able to learn from people who have been in the field for a very long time. I am able to write my own opinion on teaching pedagogy, and receive construction criticism. I am also able to ask experts questions for clarity where I don’t understand. Secondly, I use blogging as a personal tool for finding the latest fashion news. As a fully figured young lady, I am able to follow bloggers who help me with outfit choices and identifying which clothes are suitable for my body type.

To improve the effective use of blogs to make them a meaningful learning tool for students, assignments or any other form of assessments should be made electronical. Blog platforms allow for inclusion and display of multimedia, which may offer an advantage when submitting. Students will be able to include videos and clear pictures when submitting assignments, and this will help them support their points.

There could also be a blog for each module which could give students the opportunity to discuss content which was not discussed in class. Students would also be able to ask questions which they were not able to ask in class as some students are not confidence about speaking around big groups. There could also be weekly articles published by the lecturers, where students would be required to respond to as part of assessment. The articles would be a foundation for discussions, allowing students to question the articles and criticize them.

Weblogs convey more authentic opinions of developers as they don’t rely on mass audience or commercial attention. They are a hub for people to share their thoughts. Blogging provides students with an authentic learning opportunity and exposes them to a wider audience.

References

http://ii.library.jhu.edu/2013/11/27/using-blogging-as-a-learning-tool/