LEARNING PEDAGOGY THROUGH BLOGS: AN EXPERIENCE IN INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING
LEARNING PEDAGOGY THROUGH BLOGS: AN EXPERIENCE IN INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyse the use of blogs as teaching-learning and assesment tool in a course in initial teacher education. Moreover we identify the limitations and pitfalls of using blogs as group activity in the field of teacher education in order to improve future practice. The data for this study was gathered using satisfaction questionnaires for students and observations made by the teachers engaged in this experience. The premise from which we started using this approach was the development of a range of ICT competencies in using weblogs, specific and professional competencies, in order to prepare student teachers for their work as teachers in the new educational context. Using blogs as an assessment tool had also the purpose to track students’ learning progress by giving weekly assignments, in order to avoid leaving all the study to the time of the final examination. This way the teacher’s role was to support rather than to direct. This experience took place during the first semester of the academic year 2011/2012 and engaged a number of 180 students engaged in initial teacher training that were attending the course Pedagogy II at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science from the University of Bucharest who created 46 blogs. In order to evaluate the experience we employed a satisfaction questionnaire and an observation sheet. We are currently involved in the data analysis. The first results suggest that blogs prove their utility in developing the learning process of the students engaged in initial teacher education. This enables us to agree upon the fact that it is an effective practice and that it brings a range of benefits to those who practise it. However, further research needs to be carried out in order to find ways to improve this practice by identifing the best methods to use blogs in teacher education and to keep it up to date in a field that is continuously changing.

• Details
• Contents