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Week 5 Blogging for Language Learning Tilly Harrison University of Warwick
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Overview Autonomy Blog Definition Examples Researching the positive and negative aspects of blogs Discussion
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New paradigms of learning Autonomy Motivation Constructivism Reflection Collaborative Learning Negotiation of Meaning Process Writing
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Settings for Autonomous Learning (Healey, 1999)
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Autonomy ‘Ability to take charge of one’s own learning’ (Holec, 1981) teachers can: [give] ‘explicit opportunities to regain responsibility for their own learning’ (Dickinson, 1987) Control the environments they establish …to enable learners to be self-directed (Healey, 1999) ‘a group of learners … collectively take responsibility for and control of their learning’ (Blin, 2004)
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Blogs Name from the combination of ‘web’ (Internet) and ‘log’ (diary) which became ‘weblog’ and then ‘we blog’ to give the verb and noun ‘blog’. “A user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in reverse chronological order.” Wikipedia “A personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.” Blogger.com Readers of a blog can leave comments but cannot change entries.
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Examples Blogger http://www.blogger.com/ (free)http://www.blogger.com/ WordPress http://wordpress.org (free)http://wordpress.org Typepad Basic http://www.sixapart.com/typepad (subscription) http://www.sixapart.com/typepad Blogware http://home.blogware.com (via local retailers)http://home.blogware.com Movable Type http://www.movabletype.org (for businesses)http://www.movabletype.org Warwick Blogs http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk (institution-specific)
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2006 ELTAM Research Xu Binhe - least motivated Chinese English Language Major students - 2 weeks to blog their English language learning attempts - positive results - need for learner training Huang Shih-min - Teacher-led Class blog in junior high school - attitudes of most motivated and least motivated - sense of belonging for all but only benefitted those already keen on English (others blogged in Chinese or not at all)
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Blogging for Learning? + High standards of expression and text organisation Autonomous learning Motivation to write and express oneself Negotiation of meaning Reflections on culture Reflections on learning Reflections on language learning, self correction Where comments are supportive of learning Where comments show signs of collaboration and community building
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Blogging for Learning? - Low standards of presentation of writing Narrow views of culture / sexism / bias / bigotry / racism Misunderstandings Where comments have been negative Where the ‘community’ is only a handful of people
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Discussion Report back with examples Overall, is the ‘blogosphere’ a suitable environment for language learning? Would you encourage your students to blog? Why / Why not? What support might they need?
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