How to Use Blogs Within Learning Contexts

Before we discuss how to use blogs, did you ever notice that when you talk to people about them, it is amazing how different people have different concepts of what blogs actually are? I think much of this disparity has to do with the context, or what the blog is being used for and who is blogging. Let's take a look at some of the more common definitions...

Merriam-Webster defines a blog as: a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.

Wikipedia defines a blog as "a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on..." (you can read the rest here...)

WhatIs.com probably has the most useful definition: A blog (short for weblog) is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs are defined by their format: a series of entries posted to a single page in reverse-chronological order. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or reflect the purpose of the Web site that hosts the blog. Topics sometimes include brief philosophical musings, commentary on Internet and other social issues, and links to other sites the author favors, especially those that support a point being made on a post. The author of a blog is often referred to as a blogger. Many blogs syndicate their content to subscribers using RSS, a popular content distribution tool.

In all, I think we can agree that blogs are a Web/Learning 2.0 technology that initially channel journal-like communications from one person to many, usually as text from newest entry to oldest, (syndicated audio or video blogs are types of podcasts and vod-casts), which allow for interaction between the author and its readers regarding the subject matter discussed. So now that we know what blogs and bloggers are and what means to blog, how can we use blogs within a learning context? Well, I guess this has to do with the learning context... What the blog is being used for, who is blogging, and in this case, when best to attach it to the learning event. (Kind-of familiar - right?) Some examples follow:

Sharing Expertise:
In the learning and development field, subject matter experts (SMEs) are highly valued resources, usually with high costs for their time (internal or external) and little of it to share. Those of you who develop courseware for a living know how difficult it can be to secure time with a SME. Face time with a SME can be even more difficult for the average employee, partner, or customer. Blogs allow SMEs to interact on a self-paced schedule on a one-to-many basis. They are an efficient way to share expert power on job-critical topics before, during, and after learning events and in relevant areas of interest. Blogging is highly efficient for the SME while providing the learner with Q&A opportunities based on job context that would be less likely in alternate scenarios.

Instructor Follow-Up:
Instructors can use blogs to extend and dovetail the learning experience beyond traditional class-time and on completely virtual and self-paced basis. Ever have that question for your instructor after the learning event was over? Here is where learners can ask and get their answers. All the benefits of SME interaction apply, but the instructor has the added benefit of directly tying learning curricula to the relevant experiences and responses of her blog readers. Through principles of adult learning, instructor blogs can reinforce learning as relevant reminders that can increase the likelihood that what was learned during the event and reviewed in the blog will be subsequently applied on the job.

Thought Leadership:
Like SMEs, thought-leaders are experts in their areas of proficiency and are highly valued resources with high costs for their time. Unlike SMEs who tend to be more tactical or ground-level in their expertise, thought-leaders are strategic. They are the forward thinking visionaries who see the bigger picture and can typically foresee and convey the consequences of a given set of tactics. They bring credibility and insight into blog communications that can catalyze the thoughts and imaginations of its readers and motivate their actions. Thought leader-blogs are effective when paired with alongside (during) learning events and also as follow-ups to reinforce application on the job.

VIP Interaction:
Very Important Persons (VIPs) bring a widely-known and celebrity-like quality to a blog through their achievements and experiences. They can inspire others based on social learning concepts of modeling and vicarious reinforcement. Because their fans and followers identify and relate to the VIP, learners can be inspired to learn and perform based on a desire to obtain similar success, status, or prominence. VIP interaction blogs are especially effective when introducing new curricula or events, but are also effective for interaction during events.

Peer Interaction:
In a community setting, everyone has something to share and thus the potential to spread his or her wings. Through the act of blogging and providing consistently useful or interesting information, community peers can become the de-facto SME, instructor, thought-leader, or VIP. Anecdotally this supports the reason why blogs are so popular today. Peer-groups tend to identify with ordinary persons who communicate or teach at an extraordinary level about various topics. Through this ‘like-me’ effect – learning through peer interaction can be socially reinforced before, during, and after learning events. Also powerful are peer-level observations from industry-events and conferences, which allow one participant to communicate what is happening or being learned to many, and thus sharing a transfer of knowledge without incurring the cost of sending many to the event.

“Knowledge and human power are synonymous…”
- Sir Francis Bacon -

So… blogs can be useful to support learning – just look at the context. I all depends on what the blog is being used for, who is blogging, and when best to attach it to the learning event.