You are here

IMPROVING INTERACTION THROUGH BLOGS IN A CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Journal Name:

Publication Year:

Abstract (2. Language): 
The current study investigated the ways to improve the interaction through blogs in an information technology course, in which a constructive approach was employed. Eighteen students enrolled in the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies at Anadolu University during the spring semester of the academic year 2006-2007 participated in the action research designed in accordance with the purpose of the study. The data were collected through different techniques and tools including observation and interviews. Content analysis and descriptive analysis were conducted to analyze data. To sustain credibility, conformability, consistency, and transferability, several strategies were adopted such as in-depth data collection and data triangulation. Findings revealed that the course, which was planned according to constructivist principles and applied through blogs, could improve both instruction and social interaction. Findings also suggested that participants‘ needs regarding information sharing, instructional support and communication played an important role to improve interaction among participants and with the course instructor. Furthermore, it was observed that blogs could be used as tools to develop interaction in discussions and group works.
134-161

REFERENCES

References: 

Akar, H. & Yıldırım, A. (2004). Oluşturmacı Öğretim Etkinliklerinin Sınıf Yönetimi Dersi‘nde Kullanılması: Bir Eylem Araştırması.[Use of Constructivist Learning Activities in Classroom Management Course: An Action Research] Sabancı Üniversitesi,İyi Örnekler Konferansı. http://www.erg.sabanciuniv.edu/iok2004/bildiriler /Ali%20Yildirim.doc (Retrieved: 10.08.2006)
159
Applefield, J.M., Huber, R. Moallem, M. (2000). Constructivism in Theory and Practice: Toward a Better Understanding. High School Journal. Vol. 84, Issue 2. Armstrong, L., Berry, M. & Lamshed, R. (2004). Blogs As Electronic Learning Journals. E-Journal of Instructional Science and Technology. Volume 7, No 1. Atan, H., Rahman, Z. & Idrus, R.M., (2004). Characteristics of the Web-Based Learning Environment in Distance Education: Student‘s Perceptions of Their Learning Needs. Educational Media International. Vol. 41 Issue 2, p103-110 Baggetun, R. & Wasson, B. (2006). Self-Regulated Learing and Open Writing. European Journal of Education, Vol.41, Nos. 3/4. Balci, A. (2004). Sosyal Bilimlerde Araştırma Yöntem, Teknik ve İlkeleri. [Research Methods, technics and Principles in Social Sciences] Ankara: Pegem A Yayıncılık. Charles, C. M. (2003). Öğretmenler için Piaget ilkeleri. [Piaget Principles for Teachers] (G. Ulgen, Trans.). Ankara: Nobel Yayın Dağıtım. Çuhadar C. & Kuzu, A. (2006). Öğretim ve Sosyal Etkileşim Amaçlı Blog Kullanımına Yönelik Öğrenci Görüşleri, [Views of Pre-Service Teachers on Blog Use For Instruction And Social Interaction] 6th International Educational Technology Conference, Gazimağusa, KKTC, 2006. Davidson-Shivers, Gayle V. & Rasmussen, Karen L. (2006). Web-Based Learning design, implementation and evaluation. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Dickey, M. D. (2004). The Impact Of Web-Logs (Blogs) Student Perceptions Of Isolation Alienation in a Web-Based Distance-Learning Environment. Open Learning, 19(3), pp. 279-291. Driscoll, M. & Carliner, M. (2005). Advanced Web Based Training Strategies. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Ferdig, R. E. & Trammell, K.D. (2004). Content Delivery in the ‗Blogosphere‘. T H E Journal, Vol. 31 Issue 7, p12-20. Gilbert, L., & Moore, D. R. (1998). Building Interactivity into Web Courses: Tools for Social and Instructional Interaction. Educational Technology, 38(3), 29-35. Glasersfeld, E. (1982). An Interpretation of Piaget‘s Constructivism. Revue Internationale de Philosophie, 36 (4), 612–635. Glogoff, S. (2003). Blogging In An Online Course: A Report on Student Satisfaction Among First-time Bloggers. In G. Richards (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, pp. 2160-2162. Guba, E. G. (1981). Criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries, Educational Communication and Technology Journal 29, 75–91.
160
Gueldenzoph, L. E. (2003). The Integration of Constructivist Theory and Socialization to Distance (Online) Learning. The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. Vol XLV, No:3. Gulbahar, Y. (2005). Web Destekli Öğretim Ortamında Bireysel Tercihler. [Individual Preferences In A Web-Supported Instructıonal Envıronment] The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology. 4(2). Hernández-Ramos, P., (2004) Web Logs and Online Discussions as Tools to Promote Reflective Practice. The Journal of Interactive Online Learning, Volume 3, Number 1, Summer 2004. Johnson, A. P. (2005). A Short Guide to Action Research. Boston: Pearson Education. Jung, I. & Choi, S., Lim, C., Leem, J. (2002). Effects of Different Types of Interaction on Learning Achievement, Satisfaction and Participation in Web-Based Interaction. Innovations in Education and Teaching International. Vol.39, Iss.2; p.153-162 Lowther, D.L., Jones, M.G. & Plants, R.T. (2000). Preparing Tomorrow‘s Teachers to Use Web-Based Education. Idea Group Publishing. Martindale, T. & Wiley, D. A. (2004). Using Weblogs in Scholarship and Teaching. TechTrends, Volume 49, Number 2. Matusov, E. & Hayes, R. (2000). Sociocultural Critique of Piaget and Vygotsky. New ideas in Psychology, 18(2000), 215-239. Mills, G. E. (2003). Action Research:A Guide for the Teacher Researcher. 2.Baskı. NewJersey Merril Prentice Hall. Moallem, M. (2003) An Interactive Online Course: A Collaborative Design. ETR&D, Vol.51, No.4, 85-103.
Moore, G. M.(1989).Three Types of Interaction. http://www.ajde.com/Contents/vol3_ 2.htm#editorial (Retrieved: 08.10.2006) Nanjappa, A. & Grant, M. M. (2003). Constructing on Constructivism: The Role of Technology. Electronic Journal for the Integration of Technology in Education, 2(1). http://ejite.isu.edu (Retrieved: 20.09.2006)
Neubert, S. (2003). Some Perspectives of Interactive Constructivism on the Theory of Education, http://www.uni-koeln.de/hf/konstrukt/texte/download/introduction.pdf (Retrieved: 12.05.2008) Paiget, J. (1973). To understand is to invent. New York: Grossman. Perschbach, W. J. (2006). Blogging: An Inquiry into the Efficacy of a Web-based Technology for Student Reflection in Community College Computer Science Programs. Dissertation Abstracts International, (UMI No. 3206012).
161
Shenton, A. K. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22(2), 63-75. Shoffner, M. (2006). We Don‘t Have the Liberty of Being brainless: Exploring Pre-Service Teachers‘ Use of Weblogs for Informal Reflectıon. Dissertation Abstracts International, (UMI No. 3207340).
Smith, L. (2000). A Brief Biography of Jean Piaget. Jean Piaget Society. http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html (Retrieved: 20.09.2006) Tan, A. (2006). Does scaffold blogging promote Preservice teacher reflection? Examining the relationships between learning tool and scaffoldıng In a blended learning environment. Dissertation Abstracts International, (UMI No.3223044). UNESCO. (2007). Öğretmen Eğitiminde Bilgi ve İletişim Teknolojileri [Information And Communication Technologies in Teacher Education. A Planning Guide]. Translatedand Ed. By Prof.Dr. Ferhan Odabaşı. Ankara: Nobel Yayın Dağıtım. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, ve E. Souberman, Eds.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univerity Press.
Wang, J. & Fang, Y. (2005). Benefits of Cooperative Learning in Weblog Networks. Online submission on the ERIC database.http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ ericdocs2/ contentstorage_01/0000000b/80/31/b9/2d.pdf (Retrieved: 15.09.2006) Williams, B.J & Jacobs, J. (2004). Exploring The Use Of Blogs As Learning Spaces in The Higher Education Sector. Austuralasian Journal of Educational Technology. 20(2). Woo, Y. & Reeves T. C. (2007). Meaningful Interaction in Web-Based Learning: A Social Constructivist Interpretation. Internet and Higher Education. 10(2007), 15-25.
Xie, Y., & Sharma, P. (2005). Students lived experience of using weblogs in a class: An exploratory study. Association for Educational Communications and Technology. http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/000..., (Retrieved: 15.08.2009) Yıldırım, A. & Simsek, H. (2005). Sosyal Bilimlerde Nitel Araştırma Yöntemleri. [Qualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences] Ankara: Seçkin Yayıncılık. Young, R. A. & Collin, A. (2004). Introduction: Constructivism and Social Constructivism in the Career Field. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 64(2004), 373–378. Yurdakul, B. (2005). Yapılandırmacılık [Constructivizm], Ed: Demirel, O., Eğitimde Yeni Yönelimler. [Contemporary Aproachs in Education] Ankara: PegemA Yayincilik.

Thank you for copying data from http://www.arastirmax.com