Eden 2008 Lisbon

Slideshow Transcript

1. Slide 1: mentorblog: using blogs to promote reflective practice Steve Wheeler Wendy Lambert-Heggs University of Plymouth
2. Slide 2: mentorblog project aims • connect students and mentors using blogs • compare blogs with traditional mentoring methods • ascertain benefits of mentoring using blogs
3. Slide 3: Telemachus and Mentor In Greek mythology Odysseus of Ithaca went to fight in the Trojan War and entrusted the care of his son, Telemachus, to an older and wiser friend, Mentor. Telemachus and Mentor developed a strong relationship built on the foundations of guidance and support. The word “mentor” has become synonymous with teacher, counsellor, coach, facilitator, motivator and friend.
4. Slide 4: Telematic Mentoring Geographical Distance Online reflective diary (shared between 2 people)
5. Slide 5: Mentoring
6. Slide 6: Mentoring
7. Slide 7: Mentoring Mentoring is the guidance and support of one individual by another within a personal relationship developed over a period of time. Mentors act as friendly adversaries who listen well, question skilfully and gently challenge assumptions. Successful mentoring relationships are built on mutual respect and trust, where the mentor encourages the mentee to accept responsibility for their own personal development. Source: http://www.maps-uk.info/telemachus_mentoring.html
8. Slide 8: Reflective practice Reflective practice is a form of learning through questioning and feedback. It forces us to question what it is that we know and how we come to know it. Source: http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/reflection/what.html
9. Slide 9: Reflection and reasoning Claxton suggested that: \"learning to learn, or the development of learning power, is getting better at knowing when, how and what to do when you don't know what to do\"
10. Slide 10: Socrates and learning Socratic learning is based on the idea that human beings have faculties that can be awakened through questioning, exploration, and self-examination. \"Anamnesis\" in Greek referred to the ability to draw on or recollect, bring to mind, deeper resources within the individual for use in daily life.
11. Slide 11: Reflection and diary keeping Literature has shown that reflective diaries are useful tools in facilitating reflection and reflective learning. The very nature of diary writing itself requires the writer to think back on events that have taken place and provides opportunity for expression of personal thoughts. (Tang 2000)
12. Slide 12: Research Design We chose an experimental method 3 students and their mentors worked in conventional mode (control group) 3 students and their mentors worked in blog mode (experimental group) We examined the themes that emerged from their on line and paper based journals.
13. Slide 13: Results One f2f student preferred to communicate face to face with her mentor. She stated: “the quality of contact is not at all effective in e- mails.” Another f2f student found close proximity to her mentor a problem: She said: “it is difficult to stay composed in such close proximity.”
14. Slide 14: Results Six months into the project, one blog student and his mentor have so far failed to initiate a mentoring relationship, possibly due to unfamiliarity with the system, time limitations, or perhaps due to perceptions that the blog is more impersonal or removed from the face-to-face mentoring experience.
15. Slide 15: Results One student has used the blog on a regular basis (weekly) with his mentor and said: “I find the blog extremely useful.” He said that he found one of the most valuable features was the ability to revisit his postings as a recorded archive. Two of the blog students changed the settings, ‘look and feel’ of their blogs early on in their usage to reflect their individual preferences.
16. Slide 16: Assessment and Learning Outcomes Example of a blog post We have been looking at re- with mentor response visiting the projects in your course and I created a mapping document showing which projects fulfil which Yes it is a useful way of trying to envisage learning outcomes. Was this helpful? How do you think the what can be a very confusing series of projects are going this year in connections. Term One - I know we really I keep think that the fact that some of our only started them on Project map to so many L.O.s in different structured projects in Term 2 modules is making things difficult. last year - has the earlier start I feel there should be a 'dBs Law of worked OK for the students do you think? Mapping' which states that if it is difficult to encompass or understand intuitively the Posted by XXXXXXX at 01:10 way the mapping works then the course 1 comment module(s) needs rewriting! Still that is what we are talking about doing now anyway. 25 January 2008 18:00
17. Slide 17: Assessment and Learning Outcomes Example of a blog post We have been looking at re- with mentor response visiting the projects in your course and I created a mapping document showing which projects fulfil which Yes it is a useful way of trying to envisage learning outcomes. Was this helpful? How do you think the what can be a very confusing series of projects are going this year in connections. Term One - I know we really I keep think that the fact that some of our only started them on Project map to so many L.O.s in different structured projects in Term 2 modules is making things difficult. last year - has the earlier start I feel there should be a 'dBs Law of worked OK for the students do you think? Mapping' which states that if it is difficult to encompass or understand intuitively the Posted by XXXXXXX at 01:10 way the mapping works then the course 1 comment module(s) needs rewriting! Still that is what we are talking about doing now anyway. 25 January 2008 18:00
18. Slide 18: Results Overall, the distance group were more mixed in their responses to the use of blogs. Significantly, the majority of comments have been provided by the mentor and most posts by the student. One factor to be considered is that blog mentors need to be proactive in seeking out their student’s posts online, whilst face- to-face mentors must respond to their students’ reflections in the meetings.
19. Slide 19: Conclusions • Both methods of mentoring have advantages and disadvantages • Both appear to equally fulfil their aims within their specific contexts • Blogging must be seen as non-threatening • Blogging should not imposed upon students by lecturing staff • Blogging should have a real pedagogical purpose
20. Slide 20: Conclusions • Students should be given control over what is written and made accessible to their mentors • The mentor’s responsibility is then to respond with appropriate comments of a supportive and instructive manner and in a timely fashion. • Blogs are learning tools in their own right, and should not be seen as simply a way of providing information online • Blogging can be used when there is no other method is available or possible
21. Slide 21: Future Research We intend to extend this project to a larger group of teacher trainees in the next academic year We also intend to extend this project to include blogging using mobile phones (moblogging) so that nomadic students (e.g. military, health care workers) can also participate in mentor blogging. Possible incorporation of micro blogging (e.g. Twitter) into the mentorial tool kit.
22. Slide 22: Future Research We intend to extend this project to a larger group of teacher trainees in the next academic year We also intend to extend this project to include blogging using mobile phones (moblogging) so that nomadic students (e.g. military, health care workers) can also participate in mentor blogging. Possible incorporation of micro blogging (e.g. Twitter) into the mentorial tool kit.
23. Slide 23: Future Research We intend to extend this project to a larger group of teacher trainees in the next academic year We also intend to extend this project to include blogging using mobile phones (moblogging) so that nomadic students (e.g. military, health care workers) can also participate in mentor blogging. Possible incorporation of micro blogging (e.g. Twitter) into the mentorial tool kit.
24. Slide 24: Future Research Reflecting on practice through photos – using an image blog? Or through a video diary….? Reflecting on practice using audio archives – a voice blog
25. Slide 25: Questions? www2.plymouth.ac.uk/distancelearning