Focus On…Blogs

How many times have you attended a course where you have been told exactly how to do something but seen little evidence of instructors actually practising what they preach? At Swansea ITeC, Leia Fee has been pioneering an approach to training that both practices what it preaches and embraces the evolution in teaching and learning tools – namely Web 2.0 technology. In Leia’s words, “teaching IT by using IT as used in the real world.”

For the last year Leia and her colleagues have been developing a Blog that assists both formal and informal communication with trainees (http://www.swansea-ITeC.co.uk/traineenews).

Traditionally blogs are seen as on-line journals but their format and a little creative thinking lends them to being a dynamic “web site” capable of being updated and contributed to frequently. The blog contains news stories, achievement recognition, links to resources, policies and, every tutor’s dream, notification that certificates have arrived and are ready for collection, as well as many other features. Setting the blog as the organisation’s homepage also ensures that staff and trainees are kept up to date with the latest news and events.

Due to the success and enthusiasm surrounding the project, the use of Blogs has now been incorporated into the learner experience. Working on group and individual tasks, trainees are expected to create a blog on a topic of their own choice. Whilst one would expect such a task to meet ICT key skills criteria learners also have to work collaboratively, communicate effectively and reflect on their own learning in order to successfully complete the task.

Multi-use of open source (free) Web 2.0 technologies provides an integrated approach to learner development and progression while catering for a wide range of learning styles. For example trainees who have a visual learning style enjoy using bubl (http://bubl.us) to brainstorm or plan their projects whereas the reflectors prefer written feedback utilising a combination of annotating software and web mail.

Using a variety of packages opens the minds of the trainees to a wealth of tools, innovations and resources that go beyond the boundaries of Office applications normally used in IT training and electronic communication.

Chatting with Leia and looking at work produced by the learners identified clearly a number of positive aspects of developing and using a blog. “A large percentage of our trainees have English as a second language. Blogging improved literacy levels due to the ability to edit posts as well as promoting a range of transferable skills such as word-processing and graphics manipulation. Handing ownership of the learning process to the trainees also greatly enhanced independence and group cohesiveness. At Swansea ITeC we are convinced that the quality of the learners’ work has improved.”

This article was taken from the RSC Wales Work Based Learning Spring 2008 Newsletter. If you are a WBL practitioner and would like to receive regular copies of the newsletter please email a.dacey@swansea.ac.uk to be put on the mailing list