Joey Adventures: Year 1 students blog to Learn

Abstract

Increasingly Web 2.0 tools are being used to improve the social aspect of learning. The blog tool allows students to share their work with a wider audience but use in schools is limited. As part of a project into the use of social computing in remote schools, blogs were used with a Year 1 class to improve both English and Technology outcomes. Part of the implementation was a shared negotiation of what the Year 1 students would be able to achieve independently and what they could only achieve with assistance. Interviews with students and teachers identified benefits to learning, as well as challenges and factors that supported the students and teachers in meeting those challenges. Results are presented as a case study. Teachers identified a range of benefits and drew attention to the enthusiasm shown by both students and parents. From student interviews it became apparent that they did not see any clear distinction between the writing task and the technology used to support it. The success of this learning experience for the students is reflected in the school's decision to include the use of blogs in future programmed learning for Year 1 and also other grades.