1. Assessing the ecology of a
course blog
Improving learning outcomes through web
mediated writing and open educational practices

2. Human action is best
understood as narrative

3. What's that?
Endive salad. I
bite each piece as
if it were a boat
load of people
and bury them in
a sea of
darkness.
Social media used effectively
generates digital storytelling

4. Double-click to enter text
Social media can be
incorporated effectively into the
classroom

5. Exploratory study tested the ecology of a course blog and
measured learning outcomes in terms of rates of
publication.
Penn State University, State College PA
Undergrad technical writing course for engineers
Students wrote articles for an outside publication
Follow-up study examined the writing process in terms of
differences in peer feedback and learning outcomes.
Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
Undergraduate basic composition course
Two quasi-experimental studies
were conducted to determine if
blogging technology impacted
learning outcomes

6. Experimental versus control
group
Both studies entailed two intact sections each of an
undergraduate composition course.
Control group was randomly assigned and worked with
paper and traditional writing process
Experimental group was randomly assigned and
published all work on a course blog

7. Two sections of technical writing courses were given a project to write
an article for publication.
One section followed the traditional writing process using computer-
assisted writing on paper and group workshops of paper drafts.
The other section published their work-in-progress on a course blog
and engaged in online collaboration.
The results of this study demonstrated that utilizing an online social
network in the form of a course blog impacted learning outcomes.
Abstract first study

8. The study design was based on
the traditional writing process

9. Paper workshops provide a
limited framework for
collaboration.

10. The framework for collaboration
can be expanded by stretching
traditional classroom
boundaries.

11. An outside stakeholder and
authentic project impacts the
rhetorical situation.

12. Changing the medium further
emphasizes audience.

13. Double-click to enter text
Key ingredient was an outside
stakeholder

14. Second key ingredient: authentic
project

15. Design Considerations
What's in it for me?
Typical projects are only seen by the instructor and a few
peers
PA Center for the Book project was public
Potential to be published
Working with an outside agent (reviewer)
Sense of ownership
Maintaining high levels of interaction
Student/editor
Student/instructor
Student/students

16. Articles that were produced on
blogs had a statistically
significantly higher publishing
rate.

17. Student feedback will follow:

18. Spent more time making sure everything was good
because others were going to see it

19. Thought of being published while still in college was
exciting

20. Active learner instead of passive learner

21. More support from peers and stakeholders

22. Made you feel more responsible and inclined to act

23. Next, I conducted a follow-up
study.

24. Constraints to using social
media
University does not provide web space to students
Quebec laws are stringent with regards to protecting the
privacy rights of students
University social media policy requires administrative
permission
Survey of students revealed that extremely few are using
social media in their academic coursework

25. Movable Type 5.14 content management system
Own my domains
Create unlimited number of blogs
Assign each blog to an individual student
Complete administrative, creative, and design control
Able to assign Creative Commons license to all course
material
Cost $25 course/year
Replace outside stakeholder with a visible community
website
Examples: eatingcrow.ca, english212.com, beatnik.ca,
outlaw-writing.com, businessremix.com, montrealites.ca
Developed server space

26. Open online course website

27. A Montréal community website
provides an opportunity to
publish and create an authentic
project

28. We've developed reach

29. Abstract follow-up study
Two sections of basic composition courses were given a project to write
articles for publication. (three articles-three drafts)
One section followed the traditional writing process using computer-
assisted writing on paper and group workshops of paper drafts.
The other section published their work-in-progress on a course blog
and engaged in online collaboration.
The results of this study demonstrated that utilizing an online social
network in the form of a course blog impacted learning outcomes.

30. Study design
First paper Second paper Third paper

31. Blogs vs. Paper: Quality and
quantity of peer feedback
Double-click to enter text

32. Double-click to enter text
Types of feedback provided:

33. A narrative feedback

34. Student Feedback
Spent more time making sure everything was good
because others were going to see it
Publishing coursework on a personal blog was
exciting
Engaging learning environment
More support from peers
Felt more responsible and inclined to act
Spent more time on peer feedback activity

35. Affordance of a course blog
The open course blog provided affordance in terms of the
following factors compared to a Moodle Learning
Management System combined with paper:
Statistically higher learning outcomes
Statistically higher quality and quantity of feedback
Learner engagement
Ease of use
Time
Administrative organization