International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

ISSN: 2319-7064
ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426

A Survey on Effectiveness of Blog as an

Instructional Tool
Dr. George Varghese
Assistant Professor, Mount Tabor Training College, Pathanapuram, University of Kerala, India

Abstract: This survey explores the effectiveness of using blogs as an instructional tool in the Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) programme.
The study investigates how blogs impact student engagement, learning outcomes, and the overall effectiveness of the teaching process.
Blogs are digital platforms that provide students with a medium for sharing knowledge and experiences that go beyond the traditional
means of reading and writing in classrooms. The use of blogs has become popular in education institutions including public schools and
colleges. Blogs can be useful tools for sharing information and tips among co - workers, providing information for students, or keeping
in contact with parents. A survey was conducted among 100 B. Ed. students to evaluate their perceptions and experiences of using blogs.
The results show that blogs can significantly improve engagement, foster collaborative learning, and enhance the understanding of course
content. The analysis also indicates that blogging is an effective means of promoting reflective thinking, and improving learning outcomes
in teacher education.

Keywords: Blog, Instructional tool

1. Introduction 2. Need and Significance of the Study

In the contemporary education system, technology plays a The need for innovative pedagogical approaches in teacher
pivotal role in enhancing teaching and learning processes. education is growing as the demands on future teachers
With advancements in technology, educational increase. Traditional instructional methods are evolving, and
methodologies are evolving, and digital tools are being educators must be able to integrate technology into their
increasingly adopted in teaching and learning environments. teaching practices. The incorporation of technology into
One such digital tool is the blog, which offers a platform for teacher education is essential for developing 21st - century
collaborative and reflective learning. This survey report skills among future educators. Blogs provide a unique
investigates the effectiveness of blogs as an instructional tool opportunity for B. Ed. students to enhance their teaching
for B. Ed. students, with a focus on student engagement, skills while simultaneously developing critical thinking,
understanding, and collaborative efforts. digital literacy, and reflective abilities.

For aspiring teachers at the Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) Although people often think of social media as a space for
level, it is essential to be proficient in using modern non - academic interactions, blogs can be helpful tools for
instructional tools to support student engagement and instructors interested in enhancing their students’
learning. Blogs, as a web - based platform, have emerged as communication skills and increasing their students’
an innovative instructional tool that fosters communication, investment in learning. Blogs can be spaces for informal or
collaboration, reflection, and knowledge - sharing. In the formal writing by students, and the capacity of blogs to
context of teacher education, blogs can be utilized to develop support multiple forms of media (images, videos, links, and
pedagogical skills, promote reflective practice, and support so on) can help students bring creativity to their
collaborative learning, which are integral components of the communication. Most blogs include tools for commenting
B. Ed. program. and discussion, enabling students to engage their ideas in
conversation with others, either within their local learning
Blogs are digital platforms that provide students with a communities or on the open Web.
medium for sharing knowledge and experiences that go
beyond the traditional means of reading and writing in Student writing is often seen by just by their instructor, which
classrooms. The use of blogs in education gives students a can make writing assignments feel like a burden. The
global perspective. Blogs are used to showcase individual dynamic interaction between writer and audience that blogs
student work by enabling them to publish texts, video clips, facilitate can help students see real value in their academic
audio clips maps, photos and other images, projects etc. Blogs writing and take that writing more seriously. Moreover, the
archive and support students and teacher learning by public, persistent nature of blogs can help students practice
facilitating reflection, questioning by self and others, more integrative learning, finding connections among their
collaboration and providing contexts for engaging in higher personal, professional, and academic experiences.
order thinking.
The significance of this study lies in exploring how blogs can:
Blogging allows students to express their thoughts and engage • Empower B. Ed. students to engage with course content in
with peers beyond classroom interactions, making learning an a meaningful way.
ongoing process. This survey aims to assess the perceptions • Facilitate peer - to - peer learning and feedback, crucial for
of B. Ed. students regarding the impact of blogs on their professional growth.
learning experience.

Volume 9 Issue 2, February 2020

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR200204115217 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR200204115217 1950
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426
• Encourage the development of a reflective practice, 2) To analyse students' perceptions on the impact of blogs on
helping students to analyse their teaching experiences. student engagement, learning effectiveness, ease to use,
• Provide an easily accessible platform for creating digital collaboration and challenges faced.
portfolios, which are valuable for future employment and
career growth. 4. Methodology
• Enable student - teachers to connect with a global
educational community. The study employed a normative survey design to gather data
from 100 B. Ed. students using an online questionnaire. The
As the teaching profession continues to evolve, it is vital to survey contained 20 questions covering various aspects of the
understand how digital tools like blogs can be integrated use of blogs, including student engagement, learning
effectively into teacher education programs and how it can effectiveness, ease of use, collaboration and the challenges
enhance educational practices and better prepare student - faced.
teachers.
5. Data Analysis
3. Objectives of the Study
Percentage Analysis Table
The primary objectives of this study are: Below is the summary of responses to 20 survey questions
1) To evaluate the effectiveness of blogs as an instructional based on data collected from 100 B. Ed. students:
tool in the B. Ed. curriculum.

Sl. No. Survey Question Agree (%) Neutral (%) Disagree (%)
1. Blogs enhance learning engagement 83% 10% 7%
2. Blogging increases interest in course content 68% 12% 20%
3. Blogs encourage reflective thinking 78% 10% 12%
4. Blogs help improve communication skills 72% 18% 10%
5. Blogging helps in understanding difficult topics 64% 16% 20%
6. Blogs provide an effective platform for discussion 76% 15% 9%
7. Blogging improves writing skills 74% 16% 10%
8. Blogs make learning collaborative 76% 15% 9%
9. Blogging encourages self - paced learning 86% 12% 2%
10. Blogging enhances critical thinking skills 65% 18% 17%
11. Blogs are easy to use and navigate 90% 7% 3%
12. Blogs are accessible anytime and anywhere 92% 7% 1%
13. Blogging encourages peer feedback 76% 13% 11%
14. Blogs help in building a learning community 90% 6% 4%
15. Blogging makes assignments more engaging 78% 12% 10%
16. Blogging helps retain course information better 75% 15% 10%
17. Technical issues hinder the effectiveness of blogs 60% 20% 20%
18. I prefer blogs over traditional assignments 74% 10% 16%
19. Blogging improves digital literacy 92% 6% 2%
20. Blogging should be part of the B. Ed. curriculum 91% 4% 5%

6. Analysis and Interpretation 6.3 Reflective Thinking and Communication Skills

6.1 Engagement in Learning Majority of the students (78%) indicated that blogging
encouraged reflective thinking, while 72% also agreed that
The majority of students (83%) agreed that blogs enhance blogs helped improve their communication skills. Reflective
learning engagement, suggesting that blogs provide an thinking is critical for educators, and blogging provides an
interactive platform that motivates students to actively avenue for students to express their thoughts, reflect on their
participate in the learning process. This indicates that learning experiences, and improve their communication
blogging is an effective way to make students more involved abilities.
in their studies.
6.4 Understanding of Difficult Topics
6.2 Interest in Course Content
64% of students agreed that blogging helped them better
Most of the students (68%) agreed that blogs increased their understand difficult topics. This indicates that the interactive
interest in course content. This suggests that the use of blogs nature of blogs allows students to revisit content, ask
can make learning more engaging by providing a platform for questions, and participate in discussions, thus deepening their
students to explore topics further and interact with the content understanding of complex concepts.
creatively.
6.5 Collaboration and Community Building

76% of students agreed that blogs make learning more

collaborative, and 90% agreed that blogging helps build a

Volume 9 Issue 2, February 2020

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR200204115217 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR200204115217 1951
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426
learning community. Blogging fosters a sense of However, challenges related to technological access need to
collaboration by allowing students to comment on peers' be addressed to maximize the effectiveness of this tool.
posts, offer feedback, and engage in discussions, which Providing training and ensuring stable internet connectivity
contributes to a sense of community and shared learning. are crucial steps in overcoming these challenges.

6.6 Writing Skills and Critical Thinking 8. Conclusion

Most of the students 74% believed that blogging improved The findings of this study highlight the effectiveness of blogs
their writing skills, and 65% agreed that blogging enhanced as an instructional tool at the B. Ed. level. Blogging provides
their critical thinking skills. The practice of writing blogs a valuable platform for B. Ed. students to engage in reflective
requires students to articulate their thoughts clearly, which practice, collaborate with peers, and develop their teaching
benefits both writing proficiency and critical analysis. skills in a digital environment. By fostering an interactive and
reflective learning environment, blogs encourage students to
6.7 Accessibility and Ease of Use critically engage with their teaching experiences and learn
from their peers. Furthermore, blogs promote digital literacy,
A great majority of students (90%) found blogs easy to use, which is an essential skill for future teachers in today's
and 92% felt that blogs were accessible at any time. This increasingly technology - driven classrooms.
suggests that blogging is a practical tool for learning, as
students can engage with course content at their convenience, However, the integration of blogs into teacher education
making learning more flexible. programs must be supported by appropriate training in digital
tools to overcome technical barriers. Instructors must also
6.8 Challenges in Using Blogs provide clear guidelines and structure for blogging activities
to ensure that they align with the learning objectives of the B.
60% of students agreed that technical issues hindered the Ed. curriculum. Overall, blogs represent a powerful
effectiveness of blogging. This highlights a challenge that instructional tool that, when used effectively, can greatly
needs to be addressed to fully utilize blogs as an educational enhance the professional development of future educators.
tool. Ensuring stable internet access and providing training on This study suggests that the use of blogs in B. Ed. programs
how to use blogging platforms can mitigate these issues. is a promising approach to preparing future educators for the
challenges and opportunities of modern teaching.
6.9 Preference for Blogs over Traditional Assignments
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The use of blogs also aligns with modern pedagogical
approaches that emphasize learner - centred education, where
students take an active role in their learning process. The
survey results demonstrate that students view blogging as a
valuable and effective tool for enhancing their learning
experience.

Volume 9 Issue 2, February 2020

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR200204115217 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR200204115217 1952