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Collaborative Blogging as a Means to Develop Elementary Expository Writing Skills - Wendy Drexler, Kara Dawson, and Ricard Ferdig; EJITE
This study examined a K-12/university blogging collaboration between preservice teachers and third grade students. Research assistance and writing feedback was provided to help third graders complete a five-paragraph essay and online presentation of a Native American tribe. Results indicated that collaborative blogging improved students’ attitudes toward writing. Feedback generated from the collaboration, rather than the use of technology itself, increased students’ motivation to write. Collaborative blogging improved students’ writing and supported development of related skills and knowledge. In addition to these intended outcomes, a number of unintended benefits emerged from the project. Students transferred knowledge learned during the collaborative project to other academic and social facets of the classroom. Students’ technology skills improved even though official technology-related instruction was not provided. Students developed visual literacy skills as they transformed the essays into online presentations. Finally, collaborative blogging enabled differentiated instruction while ensuring success for each student.
  posted by Ray at 1/22/2008 06:46:00 AM permanent item link   

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