Blogging for reflective learning
Reflecting on what you have done and learned is an essential part of the process of learning, and the online environment lends itself well to reflective practice. Learners can be encouraged to reflect in a variety of ways including in discussion forums, personal learning journals or e-portfolios within or linked to the VLE, via blogs, microblogging or social media sites.
In this course we will look at the effective use of blogs and web-based journals for reflective learning.
This is a practical course which aims to provide you with:
- an introduction to reflective learning practice online
- practical techniques for supporting reflection
- choice of appropriate online tools for reflective blogging
- practical support in setting up and developing a blog
We will look at a variety of good practice examples in online reflection and blogging from education and the wider "blogosphere". You will be expected to keep your own reflective journal during the course and to get into the habit of regular blogging supported by fellow participants and tutor(s).
We recommend you set aside at least four hours per week in order to participate effectively in the course and you will need to be able to access the Internet at least three times a week.
Expected outcomes
By the end of the course, we expect that you will be able to:
- Identify how blogs could be used to support your personal reflective practice
- Explain the reflective practices you use or would like to use with learners and how blogging can support this
- Use online tools to support your own and learners' reflection
- Identify good practice in supporting reflection which can be applied to online tools
- Make decisions about which technologies to use for reflection
- Demonstrate at least one online activity that supports reflective learning
Course participants
This course has been designed for academics, teachers, trainers, learning support staff, researchers and practitioners who intend to use a blog for their own reflective practice, and for those who would like to introduce blogs to their students. It might also be applicable to students, especially postgraduates.
Participants may be new to this field or have some experience of reflective practice but not necessarily of blogging.
Online working
The course is highly participative and is designed around a series of reflective blogging activities and collaborative e-tivities for which you are expected to interact with others on the course either in an online forum or by commenting on or responding to blog posts.
During the online activities you will be expected to work through some guided readings, reflect and respond in your own blog or journal, share your work with others in your group, discuss your work and that of other members of your group, analyse and summarise your findings. The course activities make use of online text based discussion forums and you will also be expected to read and comment on external blogs. The course tutors are experienced staff and educational developers and skilled online tutors and will support you in interacting online and setting up your blog as required.
The course uses WebCT and you will have access to Brookes Blogs and PebblePad, and you may also choose to use an external blogging system, which must be one that will allow other members of the course to read and comment (i.e. not within your institution's VLE). You will require access to the Internet for at least 4 hours per week in order to participate.
Assessment
OCSLD online courses are not formally assessed or accredited. We do offer Certificates of Attendance to those who participate in each of the course's main learning activities.
