This study aims to develop a teaching strategy using blogs, the essential ICT in the age of web 2.0, and to verify efficiency, effectiveness and attractiveness of the teaching strategy in connection with constructivist learning environment. The presen...
This study aims to develop a teaching strategy using blogs, the essential ICT in the age of web 2.0, and to verify efficiency, effectiveness and attractiveness of the teaching strategy in connection with constructivist learning environment. The present study focuses on the following issues chosen in terms of the study objectives:
A. How should a blog-based teaching strategy in constructivist learning environment be designed?
B. What is the effectiveness, efficiency and attractiveness of the blog-based teaching strategy in constructivist learning environment for students in the field?
To deal with the issues, 3 approaches were adopted. First, a range of books and articles were reviewed for literature study. The books and articles reviewed here concern consilience, PBL, cases of blog-based teaching and how to take advantage of blogs in teaching. Based on findings from the literature review, a teaching strategy applicable to a blog-based design model was developed.
Second, a Delphi test was conducted with carefully selected 4 experienced practitioners fitted with advanced degrees in the field of investigation, design and application of web-based teaching and problem-based learning. The ultimate goal of this study is to develop a blog-based teaching strategy and an effective overall teaching model applicable to the field. For the purpose, experts' opinions were collected to complete an effective and attractive teaching strategy.
Third, in a demonstration instruction to experiment the applicability of the consilience curriculum using the developed blog-based teaching strategy, the investigator, 12 learners the investigator is in charge of, a colleague teacher and her class of 25 students in M Elementary School in Gyeonggido participated. The consilience curriculum conforming to the developed blog-based teaching strategy is for teachers who are not accustomed to blogs, therefore its applicability to the field was examined here with teachers whose teaching career was less than 5 years.
The process of developing a model using the blog-based teaching strategy in constructivist learning environment was carried out as per the following sequence: the teaching model developed based on literature review underwent a Delphi test followed by 1) introduction and writing questions, 2) presenting problems to learners, 3) establishing 'action plans', 4) learning blog strategies for problem-solving, 5) collection and application of information for problem- solving, 6) sharing and complementing problem-solving approaches, 7) sharing/completing final outcomes, and 8) logging for reflection, modification and integration.
Then, through the demonstration instruction, the effectiveness, efficiency and attractiveness of the strategy were observed followed by refinement to complete the 2nd blog-based teaching strategy. The demonstration instruction resulted in quite a few ideas and findings that required refinements to get an effective and efficient blog-based teaching strategy. Based on the first and second data gained from the Delphi test and demo instruction, the final blog-based teaching strategy was completed through modification and refinement.
The final blog-based teaching strategy developed here rendered a ground for designing the ‘blog-based consilience and problem-based learning model.' Further studies need to structure the blog-based teaching strategy in accordance with students' developmental levels, and to investigate environment and support systems for a teaching model applied with the blog-based teaching strategy.
The blog-based teaching strategy does not necessarily require every teaching strategy to be applied in order. Teachers can skip some parts or add another strategy at their discretion. The blog-based teaching strategy will serve as a guideline for many elementary school teachers who adopt blog-based teaching.