Understanding students' self-motivated blogging and development of study skills and research skills

Minocha, Shailey and Kerawalla, Lucinda (2010). Understanding students' self-motivated blogging and development of study skills and research skills. In: Lee, Mark J. W. and McLoughlin, Catherine eds. Web 2.0-Based E-Learning: Applying Social Informatics for Tertiary Teaching. IGI Global, pp. 149–179.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-60566-294-7.ch008

URL: http://www.igi-global.com/Bookstore/Chapter.aspx?T...

Abstract

The chapter reports an empirically grounded investigation into the self-motivated course-related blogging activities of undergraduates and Masters-level students, and research-related blogging of doctoral students. We have focussed on how blogging may help students to develop their study skills and research skills. Analysis of students' blogs and semi-structured interviews with the participants has shown that writing in the public domain can encourage networking, commitment to goals, articulation of research ideas, help towards becoming confident writers, and in facilitating critical and reflective thinking skills. The blog can be a useful repository of ideas and resources, and can be a public platform for the synthesis of ideas. Blogging can facilitate the creation of, or membership of, an online community where academic events are flagged, resources are shared, research is advertised, and ideas and comments are exchanged. We conclude with a discussion of the ways in which blogging can support the development of key study and research skills, such as time management, academic writing and effective communication. We hope that our findings will help in guiding students, educators and institutions considering the use of blogging in university education.

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