Design Students Blogging A Case Study in Identity and Convenience by Sancha de Burca

Bloggers favour convenience Despite the benefit of professionalisation through blogging, surveyed learners almost unanimously favour blogs because of the convenience and ease of contemporaneous recording

Meaningful research Research has become more focussed with a more analytical approach, use of the posting space, with processes explored as much as the work of others

Evaluative development Recording of evaluative processes helps foster deeper thinking and analysis as well as providing clear evidence for assessment.

Tutorials, journals and academics Styles of blog presentation range over (very popular) how-to tutorials, journal or diary reports as well as rehearsal of academic content

Comments: tutors and strangers Alan gets developmental comments about blog work. Alex R gets positive comment from a stranger (possibly spam).

Dialogue with online learners Online learners will engage in more dialogue in the comments section as they do not have the opportunity for face-to-face discussion. Charlotte seeks clarification.

Feedback in blog posts Good practice as Alex reworks f2f and blog feedback into developmental targets.

Networking and online persona Blogging for HE connects with other personal and professional online sites.

Personalisation of blogs As well as portfolios, information and reports are some of the personalised topics.

Blog Links While all of these blogs are in the public domain, all of the learners creating them have given additional permission for them to be used here. Sam Aylard Alex Greenhead Kerry Brooks Emily Viner Lizzie Owen Alex Richardson Alan Plumstead David Sexton Charlotte Burnett