Thursday, November 8, 2007

Blogs and wikis

Blogs and wikis are gradually beening introduced to ESL/EFL language classrooms. A blog is a website for which an individual or a group frequently generates text, photographs, video or audio files, and/or links, typically (but not always) on a daily basis. A wiki is a kind of website that allows users easily to add, remove, or otherwise edit and change most available content. As a language teacher, do you see the advantages of the two free tools? Are they helpful for building a learning community and fostering collaborative learning? Please share your experience and how blogs and wikis were used!

27 comments:

Evelyn said...

Hi, I'm studing in CSMU. We have English writing classes because our major is English. Our professor introduced us to use Blogger and Wiki. About Blogger, we post our writings on so that classmates can read each other's articles and give feedbacks. We use Wiki on class to record every week's assignment, also give comments. Moreover, we can have some co-workings like collaborative writing project. Having this kind of peer-editing, we can learn more from each other.

Kyle Huang said...

Hi Evelyn, as an English major, do you feel blogs and wiki provide more diversity and multiplicity in terms of writing? Do you want to share with us what kind of projects did you have by using these two tools? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of using each? Last year, we used blogs to create a learning community and did a co-authoring paper about online business training on wikis. My first experience was, “This is really cool and helpful.” Subsequently I started to introduced blogs and wikis to my friends and students and meanwhile conducted some empirical study about their effectiveness.

Anonymous said...

I have blog, and feel that blog does to some extent improve my writing skill to make it less boring and more entertaining. It's really not about the words I use, it's the changes of writing tone and selections of topics to convey that influence my blog writing. But when I am busy, I kinda lazy to update my blog on a regular basis. :p

Anonymous said...

I love wiki but have doubts about the information provided on the web. Especially when I am looking for references for my research, I have doubts for the accuracy of the data and it's forever "evolving". But it's still a very useful tool for a quick check.

Anonymous said...

Improving writing needs careful arrangement and consideration regarding to the structure, diction choosing, grammatical application, and so forth. I personally believe that learners firstly need to be guided by instructors so that they have the complete concept of writing. Practicing writing conducted in the blogs may improved if they have other people with better English level to assist them correct and revise so that they can make progress. I think that the best advantage for writing on the blog is that the writers can check parts of the English usages on line when they encounter some.

Kyle Huang said...

To Josette, do you mean Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia? Or you mean wikis composed by other users? BTW, I think your blog is very cool, why don't you share with us your URL?

Anonymous said...

thanks marty, I am flattered:p
here you go: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/jj605
my blog is not cool at all, just random chats, but for ppl who are interested in applying PhD in the Netherlands, I had share some of my experience on the archive.

Kyle Huang said...

To Laura, being an EFL teacher, I realize how much Taiwanese students may suffer at the different stages of writing. I totally agree that good instruction and guidance from teachers is necessary. By scaffolding our students we are hoping they can ultimately develop their meta-linguistic awareness and learning autonomy in writing.

Unknown said...

Hi,I'm a student study in PU. Today is it hot there? In Taiwan, this morning it's a little bit hot.I built a blog resently but I do not really understand how to use built it. Now I find your blog is really abundant so I think I can learn something from this blog.

Kyle Huang said...

Hi aliey, why don't you show us your blog? I am sure it will be fun to take a look at your design.

Frances said...

I think that blog just to record the written text mainly, but wiki can put the video, photograph, ect.
Beside, wiki has the record of revision everytime and it can be edited by anyone which the functions are lack of in blog.

Kyle Huang said...

Hi Frances, actually you can upload different forms of media (e.g., video, audio) on your blog space. Just give it a try!

Trista said...

In the student’s side, I believe blog helps us learn many things beyond the textbook. I can share my opinions on the blog, and the person who agree with me or disagree with me will leave their message to tell me bout the issue. In addition, I can search the things I need or interest, like some experiences of studying abroad. People share their experiences on the blog, so others can join their discussion, and get the useful information from it. I think it is also suitable for the interaction between students and teachers.

Unknown said...

I'm a university student. I think both of blogs and wikis are helpful. We can learn the latest news or opinions from them. We link many people's blogs, so we got many different ideas from others. Even though we don't know who he/she is, we can know him/her. Everyone share their individual view, it is such kind of community learning but we don't need to go to anywhere. So,it's very convenient for us.

YingYing said...

Well, many of my friends have their own blogs to record their journals, and even share their photos, videos, audio files and so on. Then these functions can also be used in wiki which is also allowing users easily to step up, or edit. Most of users can make their own opinions about some specific issues that they want to express. Jut like this blog that users skimming, users can post any information that they want to share. Moreover, probably some companies will look for their partners or staff by using these Blogs and wikis.

Jill Liang said...

I 've learned that we can use wikis to practice our writing and other people can revise it. It is helpful for writing classes. Besides, we can have interaction with other people and get diffirent information from others. It is really cool, I think.

Zheng-Yan's Blogger said...

Yes, I can see the advantages of the two free tools because I use the Blogs and wikis at many times in many courses. Yes, they are helpful for building a learning community and fostering collaborative learning. For example, in the course, the teacher asks us to design the blogs for ourselves. In the process, I learn many skills about internet and I feel it is more convenient to get much information through blogs and wikis.

White Cat said...

I am now using Blogger and Wikispaces in learning language. I use Blogger to record my varietyis of assignment every week. I also use Wikispaces for collaborative writing---not only give comments, but also receive comments to improve my writing ability. I think these two websites makes us learning language more convenient and effective.

jlauriemeixin said...

Within a few minutes you and your students can be communicating with each other, classes around the world, parents and anyone else you choose. Blogs provides all the tools you need to allow you to realise the potential of blogging.
Wiki has been a life saver for me when it comes to a lot of research.Thank you Wiki.

Esther,Kim said...

Blogs and Wikis are quite helpful for me. I can share what I know with the others and I obtain useful information from the other people as well. And I am available to meet many people through blogs and wikis and build community with them.

Picca Qiu said...

Hi, I'm an English major from Provindence University.

Blogs are mainly the place for sharing personal experiences, thoughts, ideas as well as information, etc. It is one of the fastes ways to post the latest news even faster than media.

Wiki though also shares information, is more reliable than the information on blogs. Because it requires citation must provide sources.

Chiara said...

I do use the blog, too. Sometime, I like to share my things with other people; but sometimes, I think there is no privacy in that fictitious world. I know this is contradictory to say that. However, not only me but also other person might have the same thought as I do.

What about the wikis? I don't use it unless I have no choice to write my papers. Because every one can adapt the content, I cannot easily believe whether it is true or not. Therefore, I always think twice before I take the notes from the wikis.

Alison said...

but recently blogs became not that popular with people now. people now like to use facebook more.

Vickey said...

I don't like wikispaces at all, cause I think some functions are not mature enough!

Stracy said...

I learned how to use Blogs and wikis in CALL calss. They can help me to connect with my friends, and I can share my blog and my feeling on them.

Elvie said...

Blog is just like the online diary!we can share our daily life and mood to everyone! and if you dont want to let people know your mood! you can set the password!

Jerry's Blog said...

I used to write articals in my blog two or three times a week. It is a kind of diary for me. I write my feelings and some interesting things in my life. I also like to visit my friends' blogs to see what happens to them.