Designed as a digital alternative to on-campus tutorials, this task sees students complete weekly blogs via the course Blackboard site. The course coordinator nominates a question or key provocation from the weekly reading that must form the basis of the post, but students largely self-direct the discussion of their blog in a way they feel responds to the question or raises important points from the readings that are of interest to them. Depending on the discipline students may be required to emulate the tone of a particular platform; or alternatively write for a hypothetical platform. As part of promoting an interactive approach that replicates a similar leaning environment to conventional tutorials, students are encouraged to read and comment on each other's blogs as a means of generating collegiate discussion, consolidating understanding of the course material, and as a mechanism to improve analytical and written skills. The allocation of marks may vary according to course design - in POLS3208 students are awarded 2% of their overall grade (per entry), with intermittent feedback given via Blackboard. This technique is implemented especially well in foundational courses where students can discuss sometimes challenging theoretical or disciplinary perspectives in accessible language as a means to acquiring threshold knowledge.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 100-500
- CLASS LEVEL
- First year, Second year, Third year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Medium security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Low time
- GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
- Effective communication skills, Critical judgement
- FEATURES
- Online
- TAGS
- written, blog
Advantages
Caters to student flexibility via digital delivery, whilst encouraging student engagement with the course content (weekly readings) and interactivity with the student cohort.
Enhances a knowledge of the discipline whilst honing written communication skills by emulating writing for an online blog platform. Critical communication is also enhanced by encouraging students to comment on each other's posts. Transfers well to any discipline where interactivity, debate and discussion of course material is desired, but in-class tutorials are not always viable.
Challenges
Digital equity can be an issue for some students, hence class-time should be allotted to the completion of this task (and the appropriate computer facilities made available).
Tips for implementation
Disinterested or less technologically literate students may need further encouragement in engaging with this task. Allocating a minimum quota for cross commenting on other students' posts, or awarding a prize for the most engaging comment or post (e.g. a People's Choice Award) are potential methods for encouraging active participation.
How it supports academic integrity
Although not officially identity verified, students complete blog entries via their student log on the course Blackboard site, which limits the chance of outsourcing of work within the time parameters for the task.
Dr Constance Duncombe
Constance.Duncombe@monash.edu
Biography
Constance Duncombe is Lecturer in International Relations at Monash University, Australia. She received her PhD in International Relations at the University of Queensland, and has worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at UQ, and in the School of Political Science and International Studies on an ARC project that examines how images shape responses to humanitarian crises.
Research interests
Her research interests lie within critical and interdisciplinary engagements with contemporary world politics. Constance is particularly interested in the challenges associated with conceptualizing the political power of recognition and respect as it relates to interstate engagement and foreign policy. Additional research interests include Middle East politics and culture, and the politics of new media.
Constance has published on these themes in the European Journal of International Relations, International Affairs and Global Change, Peace and Security. Find out more