Using Blogs as a Strategy to Enhance Students’ Participation and Learning in a Research Methods Course 120 116
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol6.iss12.1271Keywords:
blogging, research methods, technology, active-learningAbstract
Research has shown that active learning techniques increase students’ ability to find solutions to problems and help students to think critically about problems. In a technology-driven global arena, in which students will have to compete after they matriculate, effective instruction should advocate effective use of technology incorporating active learning techniques. These techniques should enhance students’ oral and written communication, technological competence, information literacy and critical analysis skills. The purpose of this study is to explore students’ perceptions of blogging as an effective teaching and learning tool for research methods. The study explores if blogging increases students’ performance, if it improves their appreciation of the subject matter and if it reduces their fear/anxiety of the material. The results indicate that blogging could be a viable and effective tool to engage and impact students’ performance.
References
Ajayi, L. (2015). Innovative approaches in English-Language Arts: How two teachers
teach high school students to use multimodal resources for interpretation of
Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. Journal of Literacy and Technology, 16(1), 65
Ball, C., & Pelco, L. (2006). Teaching Research Methods to Undergraduate
Psychology Students Using an Active Cooperative Learning Approach. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 17(2), 147-154.
Beach, R. (2012). Uses of digital tools and literacies in the English Language Arts
classroom. Research in the Schools, 19(1), 45-59.
Benson, A. & Blackman, D. (2003). Can research methods ever be interesting? DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787403004001004
ActiveLearning in Higher Education, 4(1), 39-55.
Briggs, L., Brown, S., Gardner, R., & Davidson, R. (2009). D.RA.MA: An Extended
Conceptualization of Student Anxiety in Criminal Justice Research Methods Courses. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 20(3), 217-226. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250903109348
Brown, S. (1982). Research methods and criminal justice curricula: Surmounting DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/073401688200700106
the obstacles. Criminal Justice Review, 7(1), 11-16.
Buehl, D. (2011). Developing readers in the academic disciplines. Newark, DE:
International Reading Association.
Chamberlain, E. (2017). Extending the classroom walls: using academic blogging as an
intervention strategy to improve critical literacy skills with elementary students.
International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 45
(2), 243-257
Colwell, J. (2012). Using a collaborative blog project to introduce disciplinary literacy
strategies in social studies pre-service teacher education. Journal of School Connections, 4(1), 25–52.
Doyle, W., & Rutherford, B. (1984). Classroom Research on Matching Learning Style DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00405848409543085
and Teaching Style. Theory into Practice, 23(1), 20-26.
Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1978). Teaching students through heir individual learning
styles. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing.
Epstein, I. & Ray, A. (2014). Nursing students’ experiences on blogging in the
classroom: Linking between ethics and pedagogy. Journal of Nursing
Education and Practice 4(4), 37-44.
Gjestland, J. (2008). The Importance of Teaching Research Methods to Undergrads.
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the APSA Teaching and Learning Conference, San Jose Marriott, San Jose, California, Feb 22, 2008.
Goldman, R., Cohen, A., & Sheahan, F. (2008). Using Seminar Blogs to Enhance
Student Participation and Learning in Public Health School Classes. American Journal of Public Health, 98(9), 1658-1663.
Gordon, J., Barnes, C & Martin, K. (2009). Undergraduate Research Methods: Does
Size Matter? A Look at the Attitudes and Outcomes of Students in a Hybrid Class Format versus a Traditional Class Format. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 20(3), 227-248. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250903200493
Greek, C.E. (1995). Using Active Learning Strategies in Teaching Criminology: A DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511259500083381
Personal Account. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 6(1), 153-164.
Kerawalla, L., Minocha, S., Kirkup, G., & Conole, G. (2009). An empirically grounded
framework to guide blogging in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25(1), 31-42.
Lanier, M. (2002). A Pedagogical Aid For Linking Methodological And Statistical DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250200085391
Courses. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 13(1), 155-167.
Lee, L. (2010). Fostering reflective writing and interactive exchange through DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S095834401000008X
blogging in an advanced language course. ReCALL, 22(02), 212-227.
McGrail, E. & Davis, A. (2011). The influence of classroom blogging on elementary DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2011.605205
student writing. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 25(4), 415-437.
Myers, L.B. and Myers, L.J. (1995). Criminal Justice Computer Literacy: Implications DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511259500083471
for the Twenty-First Century. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 6(2), 281-297.
Oomen-Early, J., & Burke, S. (2007). Entering the Blogosphere: Blogs as Teaching &
Learning Tools In Health Education. International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 10, 186-196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001789695201000410
Sheldrake, R. & Watkin, N. (2013). Teaching the iGeneration: What Possibilities Exist in
and beyond the History Classroom? Teaching History, 150, 30-35.
Sims, B. (2006). Creating a Teaching and Learning Environment in Criminal Justice DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250500336161
Courses that Promotes Higher Order Thinking. Journal of Criminal Justice
Education, 17(3), 336-357.
Stewart, A.R.; Reid, J.M. & Stewart, J,C. (2014) Students engaging in diversity: blogging
to learn the history of jazz. Teaching in Higher Education, 19 (8), 931-
, DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2014.934349 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2014.934349
Stocker, D. K., Griffin, P. M., & Kocher, C. J. (2011). Evaluating the knowledge and use of Web 2.0 technology among criminal justice students at two-year and graduate level institutions of higher learning. Sociological Viewpoints, 27, 76-93.
Wickens, C.M.; Manderino, M.; & Glover, E.A. (2015). Developing Disciplinary
Literacy through Classroom Blogging. Voices from the Middle, 22(3), 24-32.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2018 Denise D. Nation
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyrights for articles published in IJIER journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author for more visit Copyright & License.
