Award Winner for Volume 10
Exploring the Limitations of Face-to-Face Instruction through Blogging: An Emergent Exploration in a Teacher Education Program
Despite a very successful first four years as a teacher educator, it became clearly evident that face-to-face learning had limitations. Of particular note was the vacuum of isolation that existed in between weekly class sessions, where students and instructor had limited opportunities to discuss and explore course issues. Hence, the world of online blogging, a form of asynchronous communication in between classes, organically developed as an attractive pedagogical tool. Through emergent research designs rooted in action research, reflective practice, and self-study of teacher education practices, this paper will explore my experience incorporating online blogging while teaching twelve courses in a Canadian teacher preparation program over a two-year period. Through numerous communication mediums with my students, I discovered that online blogging cultivated (a) student engagement and motivation for learning, and (b) the building of relationships through interactive virtual communities. In sum, I believe that an online blogging component in any face-to-face course creates an inclusive model of education that affords both teachers and students a blended curriculum that is dynamic, flexible, and engaging