Blogging: Promoting Learner Autonomy and Intercultural Competence through Study Abroad

The current study explores closely how using a combined modalities of asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) via blogs and face-to-face (FTF) interaction through ethnographic interviews with native speakers (L1s) supports autonomous learning as the result of reflective and social processes. The study involves 16 American undergraduate students who participated in blogs to develop their intercultural competence over the course of one-semester study abroad. The results show that blogs afforded students the opportunity to work independently (e.g., content creation) and reflect upon cross-cultural issues. Critical reflection, however, relied on the teacher’s guidance and feedback, as most of the students were cognitively challenged by not being able to clearly articulate different points of view. It is likely that students were not accustomed to reflecting. The findings also indicate that task type fostered autonomy in different ways. While free topics gave students more control of their own learning, teacher-assigned topics required them to critically think about the readings. Lack of access to Internet at the host institution and family also contributed to a limited level of social interaction. The study concludes that well-designed tasks, effective metacognitive and cognitive skills, and the accessibility to Internet are essential to maximize the potentials of blogs for learner autonomy and intercultural communication

The Impact of Technology-Enhanced Learning Activities on Nursing Student Engagement in the Classroom

Educating student nurses in the present environment requires professors to stay current with new methodologies as well as innovations in technology. The question is how to address both the impact of technology and the skills of clinical reasoning, and keep the students involved in the material. If there can be integration of each aspect through the use of technology-enhanced learning activities on the internet and preparation to approach the issue, then perhaps this can increase success. This is a quasi-experimental intervention study that explored the impact of a case study blogging assignment on the engagement of students enrolled in a fundamental nursing course. A pre-test/post-test design, using the Adapted Engaged Learning Index as the instrument, was conducted over an eight week period. A total of 153 students received a pre-test to measure engagement. The students were then divided into control and intervention classes. A post-test was administered after 5 pre-class blogging assignments had been completed. The results indicated there was no significant differences between the pre and post-tests for either the intervention group (p = .118) or the control group (p = .110), although the faculty identified an increased ability to participate in class and clinically reason. The study introduced the use of technology to encourage student preparation prior to class which may lead to increased participation and knowledge integration. The findings led to the recommendation that further studies should be conducted to identify technology-enhanced educational interventions that increase student engagement. These would include using the full semester in a course that only iii has one component, increasing orientation of the students to blogging in the learning management system, and expanding to multiple collegiate sites to increase generalizability. It is imperative that educators engage nursing students in learning and facilitate their mastering of clinical reasoning skills. Nurses need to be proficient in clinical reasoning as their professions calls for the ability to make timely and effective decisions. Through creative and innovative educational strategies, students will start to make the connections necessary to develop this mindset. This research explored the importance using technology enhanced educational adjuncts to assist in the transformation of nursing education and hence, to prepare future professionals

A reality check: Taking authentic e-learning from design to implemntation

Tampere University of Applied Sciences has developed a postgraduate certificate program for teaching in higher education that is currently being implemented at Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates. In the design of the program, the principles of authentic e-learning (Herrington, Reeves, & Oliver 2010) have been used as a guideline. This paper examines how the design principles have been transferred into practice and how the elements of authentic learning have been realized from the student perspective. The experiences of the students have been mapped in a survey conducted after the first semester of the program. The data was analyzed with the help of the authentic e-learning framework in order to identify the challenges and successes regarding the implementation of the elements of authentic e-learning and thus draw guidelines for future development

Utilization of Social Media In Marketing Classes

The goal of this paper is to highlight how instructors may integrate the different social media into various marketing classes. The paper will address the major social networks, and then follow with discussions of microblogging, media sites, and social gaming. Given that there is a great deal of research highlighting the effectiveness of utilizing social media in academic classes, this paper focuses on providing practical guidance as to how social media could be integrated into the classroom, homework, and project experience

Investigating the extent of critical thinking in fielddependent and field-ındependent students’ blog posts

Identifying critical thinking and learners’ characteristics is very important in an online learning environment. This study investigated the extent of critical thinking between field-dependent and field-independent students’ critical thinking and blogging. It is a quasi-experimental in which a quantitative method was employed on an intact class of the students to develop their CT skills in their argumentative blog posts. Different aspects of CT skills, such as observation, inference, reasoning, assumption, and credibility were explained to the students. The GEFT developed by Witkin et al. (1971) was applied to evaluate the students' field dependency. Moreover, Newman et al. model (1996) was applied to analyze students’ CT in their blog posts. No significant difference was found in the number of positive and negative CT indicators used by FD and FI students. Therefore, educators who wish to improve the students’ learning may train the students in CT skills by using a pre-planned and systematic procedure without worrying about learners’ cognitive styles, particularly their field dependency

Analysis of Digital Media: Supporting University-Wide Online Learning via Moodle

This report aims to provide an overview of a project which explores teaching and learning within a blended mode of study. Specifically, it looks to analyse the production of digital media and online social networking with a view to enhancing the learning experience. It was the overall aim of the project to contribute to the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy by developing media content; exploring the production process, analyse digital participation and explore the challenges and opportunities locally within schools. The project has placed emphasis on the production principles which enhance our online courses whilst providing a consistent quality of experience – recognising that our students often access course material produced by staff from across schools and colleges

University Professors\u27 Perceptions on Blogging as Course Assignments in Southwestern Ontario: A Multiliteracies Framework

In light of contemporary trends and practices, namely the impact of globalization and the integration of new technologies being promoted in the field of applied linguistics (Byrd Clark, 2012; Kern, 2006; Malinowski & Kramsch, 2014), this study explores the perceptions of professors, who teach graduate courses in Education on the impact and adaptation of new technologies on their pedagogy; namely the use of blogging as an educational activity. This study analyzes the traditional or innovative pedagogical practice of today’s graduate professors. This qualitative case study is based on a multiliteracies theoretical framework and incorporate the following methods: a survey and semi-structured interviews. This study seeks to make an important contribution to both the field of research and to practice with its emphasis on the integration of new technologies in graduate language and literacy education. Many graduate programs highlight the importance of originality, creativity and thoroughness (in other words, alternatives to traditional approaches) however there appear to be few multiliteracy options available in courses. Through the implementation of a survey (N=5) and semi-structured interviews (N=2), perceptions of graduate professors of blogging as an educational activity were investigated. Participants revealed the innovative pedagogical practice of today’s graduate professors. However, there are still various issues in practicality that need to be addressed

Blogging: Promoting Learner Autonomy and Intercultural Competence through Study Abroad

The current study explores closely how using a combined modalities of asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) via blogs and face-to-face (FTF) interaction through ethnographic interviews with native speakers (L1s) supports autonomous learning as the result of reflective and social processes. The study involves 16 American undergraduate students who participated in blogs to develop their intercultural competence over the course of one-semester study abroad. The results show that blogs afforded students the opportunity to work independently (e.g., content creation) and reflect upon cross-cultural issues. Critical reflection, however, relied on the teacher’s guidance and feedback, as most of the students were cognitively challenged by not being able to clearly articulate different points of view. It is likely that students were not accustomed to reflecting. The findings also indicate that task type fostered autonomy in different ways. While free topics gave students more control of their own learning, teacher-assigned topics required them to critically think about the readings. Lack of access to Internet at the host institution and family also contributed to a limited level of social interaction. The study concludes that well-designed tasks, effective metacognitive and cognitive skills, and the accessibility to Internet are essential to maximize the potentials of blogs for learner autonomy and intercultural communication