Learner-centered learning and blogging

Introduction

This wiki explores some of the links between learner-centered learning and blogging.

Learning-centered learning

Learner-centered learning advocates a student-focused teaching and learning environment (Bosch et al., 2008). Developed by the American Psychological Association in the 1990s, the learner-centered framework is based on 14 principles about learners and learning that “provide an integrated perspective on factors influencing learning for all learners” (McCombs, 2005, p.5). The 14 principles are grouped into four domains or dimensions as follows;

1. cognitive and metacognitive;
2. motivational and affective;
3. developmental and social;
4. individual differences (APA, 1997, Learner Centered Psychological Principles section, ¶2).

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McCombs(2005) proposes that the learner-centered framework implies active involvement by the student in addition to the integration of academics within the student’s total development. She argues that this view of learner-centered learning “is a research-validated paradigm shift that transforms education - including how to best use technology to support the new vision” (p.7).

References

American Psychological Association (1997). Learner-centered psychological principles: A framework for school reform and redesign. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.

Bosch, W.C., Hester, J.L., MacEntee, V.M., MacKenzie, J.A., Morey, T.M., Nichols, J.T., et al. (2008). Beyond Lip-service: An Operational Definition of “Learning-centered College”. Innovative Higher Education, 33(2), 83-98. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/2ukr777q88u415tw/fulltext.pdf

Bryant, T. (2006). Social Software in Academia. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 29(2). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eqm0627.pdf

Dietering, A.M., and Huston, S. (2004). Weblogs and the “Middle Space” for Learning. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 8(4). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/5mar2879z4.htm

Dickey, M.D. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolation and alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment.Open Learning, 19(3). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://mchel.com/Papers/OL_19_3_2004.pdf

Dron, J. (2006). Social software and the emergence of control. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, New York, 904-908. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.brighton.ac.uk/cmis/research/publications/icalt2006.pdf

Du, H.S., and Wagner, C. (2007). Learning with Weblogs: Enhancing cognitive and social knowledge construction. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communications, 50(1). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://130.206.76.27/~joemiro/COE/ParaCrear/Du_Wagner_2007.pdf

Farmer, B., Youe, A., and Brooks, C. (2008). Using blogging for higher-order learning in large cohort university teaching: A case study. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 24(2). Retrieved January, 2010 from ERIC.

Glogoff, S. (2005) .Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivity, student-centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1(5). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=126

Godwin-Jones, R. (2003). Emerging technologies: Blogs and wikis: Environments for on-line collaboration. Language, Learning & Technology, 7(2), 12-16. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num2/pdf/emerging.pdf

Kadjer, S., and Bull, G. (2004). A space for “writing without writing”: Blogs in the language arts classroom. Learning and Leading with Technology, 31(6), 32-35. Retrieved January, 2010, from ERIC.

McCombs, B.L. (2000). Assessing the Role of Educational Technology in the Teaching and Learning process: A Learner-centered Perspective. The Secretary’s Conference on Educational Technology. Alexandria, VA, USA, September 11-12, 2000. Retrieved January, 2010, from ERIC.

McGee, P., and Diaz, V. (2007). Wikis and Podcasts and Blogs! Oh, My! What Is a Faculty Member Supposed to Do? EDUCAUSE Review, 42(5). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0751.pdf

McLoughlin, C. and Lee, M. (2008). The Three P’s of Pedagogy for the Networked Society: Personalization, Participation and Productivity. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20(1). Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/pdf/IJTLHE395.pdf

Mosel, S. (2005). Self-directed Learning with Personal Publishing and Microcontent. Retrieved January, 2010 from http://www.microlearning.org/micropapers/MLproc_2005_mosel.pdf

Nash, S. (2005). Learning Objects, Learning Object Repositories, and Learning Theory: Preliminary Best Practices for Online Courses. Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects, 1(1), 217-225. Retrieved January, 2010 from http://ijello.org/Volume1/v1p217-228Nash.pdf

Oravec, J. (2003). Blending by blogging: weblogs in blended learning initiatives. Journal of Educational Media, 28(2), 225-233. Retrieved January, 2010 from http://cwi-jan07.wikispaces.com/file/view/Oravec,+Blending+by+Blogging,+J+Ed+Media.pdf

Seitzinger, S. (2006). Be Constructive: Blogs, Podcasts, and Wikis as Constructivist Learning Tools. Learning Solutions e-Magazine, July 10, 2006. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.elearningguild.com/pdf/2/073106DES.pdf

Williams, J., and Jacobs, J. (2004). Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 20(2), 232-247. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet20/williams.html