{"id":856,"date":"2008-01-01T01:11:00","date_gmt":"2008-01-01T01:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8888\/cite\/2016\/02\/09\/reflective-practices-among-language-arts-teachers-the-use-of-weblogs\/"},"modified":"2016-06-04T01:43:50","modified_gmt":"2016-06-04T01:43:50","slug":"reflective-practices-among-language-arts-teachers-the-use-of-weblogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citejournal.org\/volume-8\/issue-1-08\/english-language-arts\/reflective-practices-among-language-arts-teachers-the-use-of-weblogs","title":{"rendered":"Reflective Practices Among Language Arts Teachers: The Use of Weblogs"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
In their simplest form, Web logs (blogs) can be thought of as electronic journals (Huffaker, 2004; Kennedy, 2003). Blogs are \u201cpart web site, part journal, part free-form writing spaces [that] have the potential to enhance writing and literacy skills while offering a uniquely stylized form of expression\u201d (Kennedy, 2003, \u00b64). Blogs have distinct attributes setting them apart from other types of electronic communication.\u00a0 For example, while email is used to compose, send, and receive messages over electronic communication systems, authors of blogs post in reverse chronological order (Kajder & Bull, 2003), providing the reader with the most current entries. Unlike other threaded discussions, only the author of the blog controls the content and creates new topics, thus providing more cohesiveness to the discussion. With their simple user interface blogs are an effective medium for many educators, including those lacking computer skills.<\/p>\n
The use of blogs among teachers, including language arts teachers, is relatively new. Only a handful of studies have been published supporting the effectiveness of blogs in educational settings (Tan, 2005). However, these papers do not address their efficacy when used by language arts teachers to reflect in writing about professional practice.\u00a0 In fact, it remains unclear how language arts and other teachers use blogs, even though many in the field are aware that the number of educational users continues to grow.<\/p>\n
Literature Review<\/p>\n
Reflection Defined<\/p>\n
The recognition that reflection is an important aspect of developing practice can be traced back to John Dewey. Dewey (1933) defined reflection as the purposeful discovery of facts. \u00a0For Dewey reflection was a way of knowing and using information. Dewey believed that reflection allowed one to learn something of meaning, meaning that can then be carried across time, even as new information or perceptions shape one\u2019s understanding of what is known.\u00a0 Bruner (1960) further clarified the meaning of reflection, arguing that reflection \u201cis central to all learning\u201d (p. 13). Schon (1983) elaborated on the meaning of reflection, stating that it involves thinking carefully about professional practice. Reed and Bergemann (2001) recognized the importance of teachers actively engaging in reflection, for they stated that preservice and in-service teachers who are able to reflect on their experiences are more successful than those who do not engage in reflection activities.<\/p>\n
The range of reflection varies from simple to complex. Reflection can be as simple as asking questions such as, \u201cWhat just happened?\u201d or as metacognitive as, \u201cWhat would I do differently if I were to do this again?\u201d Dewey (1933) believed that through the process of reflection teachers are freed from the burden of impulsive or routine behavior. Likewise, Schon (1983) believed that professionals engage in consistent, systematic reflective activities. He felt that reflection involves more than just thinking on one\u2019s feet. It also involves meaningful consideration that allows educators to recognize and understand teaching and learning events.<\/p>\n
A practitioner\u2019s reflection involves thinking about the curriculum, the school community, the educational context, and the ends of education. As educators reflect, they engage in a process that assists them in avoiding unexpected events or results, mistakes, or unresolvable issues with the potential to impact learning (Schon, 1983).<\/p>\n
Posner (1993) added to the discussion, stating that reflection allows teachers \u201cto act in deliberate and intentional ways, to devise new ways of teaching rather than being a slave to tradition, and to interpret new experiences from a fresh perspective\u201d (p. 21). Therefore, the advantage of purposeful reflection is that it enables practitioners to be proactive rather than reactive when organizing learning environments.<\/p>\n
Further elaboration on reflection and its role in promoting professional practice is provided by Osterman and Kottkamp (1993). The authors viewed reflection as integral to practice. For them, reflective practice functions as a means for developing greater self-awareness about the nature of the teaching and learning process. Reed and Bergemann (2001) wrote that teachers \u201cwho reflect on their actions and performances are more successful than those who merely react\u2026frequently\u2026writ[ing] down what they have observed, as a way of processing their thoughts\u201d (p. 9) and informing their future practice. This assertion is supported by the work of Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) who viewed reflective practice as meditative, collaborative, and necessary. Whether simple or complex, reflection is about moving teachers toward an awareness of factors impacting professional practice (Posner, 1993).<\/p>\n
Khourey-Bowen (2005) stated, \u201cPractitioners become more accomplished professionals when they are able to remove themselves from the immediacy of the situation, and interpret it using new perspectives, refining their beliefs and future courses of action\u201d (p. 85). However, reflection alone is not meaningful in itself. Hoffman-Kipp, Artiles, and Lopez-Torres (2003) considered the link between reflection and practice. They posited that reflection is most meaningful when it leads to positive changes in practice. Although theorists agree that reflection is an important aspect of developing teaching practice, little is known about how teachers beyond the preservice years engage that process.<\/p>\n
Reflection in Electronic Environments<\/p>\n
Written reflection has been noted in the literature as an effective method of thinking about practice (Calderhead, 1996; Palmer, 1998). Reflective writing involves serious contemplation about self-growth and learning (Cole, Ryan, Kick, & Mathies, 2000). At issue is whether blogs are used by teachers to support their written reflection. This concept has only recently been considered (Ray & Hocutt, 2006a). However, some limited research on the efficacy of reflection in electronic environments supports teachers\u2019 use of blogs as a means of authentic and public reflection on practice (Bonk, Cummings, Hara, Fischler, & Lee, 2000; Bonk, Malikowski, Angeli, & East, 1998; Khourey-Bower, 2005).<\/p>\n
According to Kennedy (2003), \u201cBlogs combine the best elements of [technology, where] work is collected, edited, and assessed, with the immediacy of publishing for a virtual audience\u201d (\u00b617). Blogs are \u201cespecially effective at supporting\u2026reflection\u2026more so than other technologies would be\u201d (West, Wright, & Graham, 2005, p. 1656).<\/p>\n
A few other limited studies suggest that blogs may promote reflective practice among educational users (Fiedler, 2003; Shoffner, 2005; Suzuki, 2004; West et al., 2005). In their 2006 study of middle school teacher bloggers, Ray and Hocutt found that \u201ca majority of entries examined demonstrate some level of reflective writing\u201d (2006b, \u00b614). Ray and Hocutt further explained that all subjects engaged in reflective writing in their educational blogs. However, the depth of reflection as measured by a researcher-developed rubric varied markedly between and within individual blogs. In fact, less than 14% of entries examined demonstrated \u201ca disposition for critically questioning what is going on in the classroom\u201d (2006b, \u00b616).<\/p>\n
In another study focusing on K-12 teachers, Ray and Hocutt (2006a) found that blogs \u201cfunctioned as reflective journals where teachers could write about and reflect on events occurring in their classrooms.\u2026Entries demonstrated a process of continuous reflection about\u2026students and about [teachers\u2019] knowledge and understanding of\u2026issues impacting practice\u201d (p. 25). Results also demonstrated that blogs promote collaboration and social interaction among educational users.<\/p>\n
For many educators, teaching can be a solitary practice with few opportunities for collaboration or for reflective discourse with one\u2019s peers (Darlington-Hammond, 1996). Therefore, teachers must develop self-supporting practices, or they must find ways to make connections with colleagues who can support their professional practice (Darling-Hammond, 1996). Some teachers already have found that the need to share their reflective discourse with peers can be met via the use of electronic communications (Ray & Hocutt, 2006a), including blogs.<\/p>\n
Purpose of the Study<\/p>\n
One potential way to investigate how in-service teachers engage in reflection is through an examination of their reflective writings. Technologies, including weblogs, provide a unique and authentic opportunity to glimpse the written reflective processes employed by practicing teachers (Darling-Hammond et al., 2005; Khourey-Bowers, 2005). Technology provides tools for teachers \u201cto consider and analyze their personal practice and the practice of others\u201d (Darling-Hammond et al., 2005, p. 188). In the context of this research project, language arts teachers\u2019 use of blogs as reflective devices gives the researchers an opportunity to observe authentic and public displays of reflective practice among a set of teachers who have embraced a particular technology, blogs, as a written and public communications tool.<\/p>\n
This study was motivated by the need to understand the role and function of blogs in terms of language arts teachers\u2019 reflective practices. Much can be learned that will inform future research on this topic. We studied reflection within the public and authentic setting of a variety of language arts teachers\u2019 blogs. Our intent was to describe and measure what we observed. An additional purpose was to understand the depth and scope of the reflection contained within the blogs through a formalized research process. Therefore, the results of this study should prove useful in providing a foundation for and framing further research in this area.<\/p>\n
Research Questions<\/p>\n
This study addresses language arts teachers\u2019 use of blogs for written reflections about professional practice. Two research questions guided this study:<\/p>\n
Methodology<\/p>\n
Participants<\/p>\n
We conducted a census to identify blogs created by teachers for their personal and professional use. <\/i>The total population of bloggers is unknown; recent statistics published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project (2006) indicated that the blogger community exceeds 12 million bloggers in the United States alone. However, it is not known how many bloggers are K-12 educators.<\/p>\n
Therefore, we sought to conduct a census of Internet blogger sites to identify teacher-created, teacher-centered blogs, including those created by language arts teachers. Identified blogs included only those created by K-12 in-service teachers in public schools in the United States . No effort was made to collect data on teacher-created, student-centered instructional blogs, or on preservice teachers\u2019 blogs. The known population for the census period in early 2005 was 142 teacher-created, teacher-centered blogs. Out of that number 33 language arts teacher blogs were identified. However, by the time we began this project in fall 2006, that number had dropped to 11, resulting in a significant \u00a0mortality rate (nearly 67%) for the group.<\/p>\n
Knowing that many bloggers link to other blogs with like or similar interests (Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2006), we decided to follow links from the remaining 11 blogs with the expectation that this strategy would lead to other, newer language arts teacher blogs. This strategy was successful, resulting in six additional blogs. Finally, four additional blogs were identified using a variety of Internet search engines (i.e., Google\u2122, Yahoo\u2122, and Dogpile\u2122) along with blog-specific search engines (i.e., Blogarama\u2122<\/i>). The 21 blogs examined here appeared across a variety of blog hosting sites, including Blogspot\u2122 (11), Typepad\u2122 (2), and JournalSpace\u2122 (1). Demographic information for the identified research group is displayed in Table 1.<\/p>\n
Using a random number table, five entries from each of the 21 blogs were randomly selected for analysis. Entries of a noneducational nature were excluded from the sample. When the random number table selected an entry that did not have educational content or that was personal, the entry was skipped and the next available entry meeting the criteria was selected. A total of 105 narrative posts were analyzed for evidence of reflective practice.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Table 1<\/b> <\/p>\n
\nDemographic Profile for the Population (<\/em>n = 21<\/em>)<\/p>\n