Leveraging Blogs to build e-portfolio of solutions for real-world problems in a STEM undergraduate class | Research Proposals Presentation

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Blogs as a technology tool for driving authentic learning

Authentic learning can be mediated using technologies in very many ways. A learning technology tool can be applied in different contexts (environment, diverse background, level of technology literacy, existing guiding policies etc.) in all yielding learning results that vary from student to student. Irrespective of the peculiarities of the times with focus on the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on the education system and all interdependent systems (society at large, family) there is a demand to adopt and adapt technology innovatively to realize educational goals.

In this study, the learners’ wholistic academic or intellectual growth as it pertains to the effect of approaching learning authentically is observed. While students participate in blogging as the key component of this research in addition to other activities such as peer learning, field trips, research findings etc, the elements of Authentic learning – Authentic Context, Authentic Task, Collaborative construction of knowledge, Expert Performance, Articulation and Authentic Assessment  according to Jen Herrington’s (2010) authentic learning context. Furthermore, the relationship between the learners’ blogging sense of community, collaborative learning in and out of the classroom is investigated.


Using the Activity Oriented Design Method, the research task focused on leveraging blogs to drive authentic learning will be critically considered in terms of Activity of interest, Objective, Subject, Tools, Rules and Regulations, Division of labor and community. The interrelationships of all these components and how they guide the learning outcomes will be highlighted. 

This research task is expected to redefine the traditional approach to certain academic standards/expected fulfilments for undergraduate students,a typical example is the statutory “Industrial Training(IT) practices” in this case students are normally expected to complete manual activity logs as a proof of their completion of the industrial training. The introduction  of blogging to allow students curate and share insights to real world problems they solved during their Industrial Training holds the potential to transform the individual learners experience and can form part of an authentic assessment  while preparing students to become authentic problem solvers with job ready  skills.

Take a sneak peek at some of the details of the proposed research tasks presentation in the flipbook below – 

Leveraging Blogs to build e-portfolio of real-world probl…


References
  1. Blogs as digital portfolios - https://leighcassell.com/about-blogs-as-digital-portfolios/
  2. Getting more out of student blogging - http://suewaters.com/2013/02/11/getting-more-out-of-student-blogging/

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