Using Blogs as a Strategy to Enhance Students’ Participation and Learning in a Research Methods Course

Abstract

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.