Web 2.0 in education: A study of the explorative use of blogs with a postgraduate class

Abstract

This paper outlines a study that explored educational applications of blogs with a class of postgraduate students in a Hong Kong university over a period of one semester in 2006, and considers its outcomes. Rather than using the usual learning management system to support learning in the class, the facilitator-researcher organised a blog-based environment where students accessed course material, posted reflections featuring artifacts created in the learning tasks, commented on each other's contributions, and in other ways participated on a regular basis throughout the semester. The study results suggest that when appropriately managed by a facilitator, blogs have the potential to effectively support teaching and learning activities. The experience from this study also suggests that in order to maximise teaching and learning opportunities, a blog system can be effectively expanded by the use of a variety of other Web 2.0 applications. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.