monika’s w e b l o g

In the last days I started to collect the empirical data still needed for my research project: 1-hour guided interviews with blogging students – on (possible) learning effects through blogging in informal contexts.

Similar to my former experience with interviewees 2 years ago, I had again some very interesting and insightful discussions with students. ( At this point I’d like to thank to all of you guys for your time, and your efforts to reflect on the issues and respond to the questions! It is your contributions that make this project possible…)

The interviews were preceded by a quite long time of preparation and research. I used it to prepare a “context of justification” about why I would concentrate on informal blogging, when there is so much research out there about blogs in course settings. Besides this, I needed to come to a definition of learning, and a model of learning on which to base the empirical research. (See also my presentation slides with some of the issues).

However, I finally think that the model of experiential learning, including a lot of questions for self-reflection, by Lloyd Davies (2008) comes close to my view on learning through blogging.

Where models of informal learning describe in my view a context for learning, models of experiential learning descirbe the process. In this sense, the go well hand in hand – and help to describe learning through blogging in informal contexts.

Based on Davies’ model and questions, I have developed my interviews. I do not agree with all points and elements of Davies’ model. I had many discussions with my supervisors when setting up the questionnaire, and found it sometimes difficult to stick with the use of terms by Davies (for instance, what is an event in comparison to an experience; or how does he confine informal learning from expereintial learning, etc). However, his mulit-dimensional view on learning, paired with suggestions for questions in all these dimensions, helped me a lot to get down from theory to a concrete view on the empirical study.

June 27th, 2009. von Administrator.
Kategorie: e-learning and weblogs, research methodology. .