Blogs, Learning, and LMSs

This morning I started thinking about the use of blogs in education and training. Other than as a vehicle for students to express themselves (and, simultaneously, develop computer skills), how might blogs be used, otherwise, in an instructional setting? Quite effectively, I concluded.

A teacher-owned blog gives him/her control of the primary blog content. At the same time, students can use comments to respond to topics posted by the teacher.

While most of the blogs I've seen do not have a threaded discussion capability, a few do. This feature would enable students (and the teacher) to respond directly to each other, related to the topic.

A blog can also be set up as a community so that students, as well as the teacher, can post an entry for response of others in the group. Unlike a discussion board or forum, the author's original entry would have prominence over comments.

The desire to not be viewed as lacking to peers or the teacher also serves as a motivation for improvement in written communication skills. Many bloggers testify that they notice their writing skills improve the more they blog. I'm sure the exposure provided by a blog provides the motivation to check ones p's and q's before publishing--an added benefit of educational blogging.

I recently read a fascinating article regarding blogging, storytelling, and knowledge mangement (KM), related to learning.

In this article, we share our experiences with a strategy and technology so simple in design, that it could present the next wave of grassroots KM implementations. We are talking of the "storytelling" as the killer strategy, and "blogs" as the killer technology. Both of them share one common ground: grassroots interaction — a concept voiced by the likes of John Seely Brown, Larry Prusak, Steve Dennings, Dave Snowden, David Weinberger, among other prominent KM personalities....

The article got me wondering whether any learning management systems (LMS) or learning content management systems (LCMS) provide the ability to include a blog as part of the content. In other words, if one creates a blog using MovableType, for example, can that blog be imported into or referenced by the LMS/LCMS?

I did some "Googling," but didn't find anything relevant. Technically, it seems quite possible, but I don't know if any LMS/LCMS providers have bothered.

If anyone knows, please let me.

Comments

[haxa]

http://haxa.blogs.com/mr_haxa_does_blogs/2007/02/leveraging_on_w.html

Leveraging on Web 2.0 "Pull Centric" solutions to Transform Learning 1.0 to Learning 2.0

Web 2.0 solutions are "pull-centric" tools that can be used to transform learning from Learning 1.0 (formal e-learning) to Learning 2.0 (informal learning). In another perspective, it is about putting "context" into "content"

Learning 1.0 makes full use of the web medium to "push" synchronous and asynchronous learning solutions to learners. The pull centric approaches enable active-democratic community participation through:

* easy to use content upload capability,
* mutliple discussions channels,
* easy to embed content objects,
* learning community, and
* personalized experience.

This translates to viral marketing that makes full use of every possible media (text-blogging, wiki; audio-Podcasts; syndication-RSS feeds, video-You Tube like solution)

Efforts to put in transforming to Learning 2.0 is to find the best fit to leverage these tools into what matters to the e-learning projects; development, communications, evaluation, and sustainability.

Here are some examples how we can take advantage of Web 2.0 to transform learning solution to informal-rather-democratic-learning-solution, i.e. Learning 2.0:

Blogging,
Great transition change management tool for project communication. It's very up to date posting capability, allow multiple authors (project sponsor, prog. Manager, proj. manager, business analysts, systems analysts) to post their thoughts as well as document discussion. Benefits: Reduce redundant communication.
Blogging content commenting capability allows users to have feedback or discussions among themselves as well as content experts. Some experienced users can share their knowledge and indicate where the next updates should focus on.

Wikis,
Low tech sustainability tools for content updates. Wiki has a dynamic content update tool that?s way better than checking in-checking out. It allows multiple edits by users and these updates are tracked and logged for accountability. Projects can benefit from this when e-learning development team handing over training materials to customers for deployment and sustenance.

Podcasts,
Useful for recording virtual sessions as well as offline asynchronous sessions.
Tailored for audience who prefers audio (higher context)

RSS Feeds,
Really Simple Syndication feeds is a powerful to channel the right information to the right users at the right time
Feeds can come from multiple sources, e.g. SharePoint, Wiki, blogging sites and users can get these updates real time via the RSS reader.
Communication blast appearing in training environment

Other Web 2.0 that's worth looking into:

Digg This:
Allows users to rank sites, content, and comment/blogs on that topic (viral marketing!). In one way, this is sort of like Kirkpatrick's first level of evaluation.

YouTube:
Leverage on Adobe Flash technology that allows easy to upload, share, and discuss video content. Users need not to worry about format. Multiple format input ? one output format.

Opportunities:
1. Corporate support
3. Low tech solution
4. Viral marketing
5. Dynamic language of XML is ubiquitously used by developers

Challenges:
1. Adding more capabilities and updates to current tools
2. Getting project teams to start blogging and make full use of these tools
3. Standardization of tools as well look and feel - same user experience throughout
4. Ability to customize future off-the-shelf learning content management systems