An Analysis of the Use of Blogging to Solicit Feedback in a Higher Education Unit

An Analysis of the Use of Blogging to Solicit Feedback in a Higher Education Unit

Ting Yuan, Gary Natriello, Stephen Asunka, Jeannie Crowley, Hui Soo Chae

This study investigated co-workers’ perceptions, and use, of blogging as a means for soliciting and receiving feedback on issues related to their work, with the objective of determining how blogging possibly contributes to a participatory learning culture in the workplace. The study involved about 50 staff members in a research unit within an institution of higher learning in the Northeastern United States who use the Unit’s blog to:(1) share information of interest,(2) update work progress,(3) reflect on work activity, and (4) solicit feedback on their work activities from colleagues. The study analyzed records of the year-long blogging activities of these staff members as well as their responses to a survey. Findings point to the possible involvement of blogging in the Unit’s participatory work culture, but reveal mixed correlations between the inclusion of various media elements in blog posts, and corresponding responses. Also, no clear relationship could be established between workers’ perceptions of the usefulness of the blog and their actual blogging activities. Implications of these findings with regard to workplace collaboration and learning are discussed.

International Conference on E-Learning at the Workplace (ICELW)

2010

https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=AXIuswEAAAAJ&cstart=20&pagesize=80&citation_for_view=AXIuswEAAAAJ:8k81kl-MbHgC

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