Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project

Mehmet Akif Ocak; Şahin Gökçearslan; Ebru Solmaz

doi:10.30935/cedtech/6113

Mehmet Akif Ocak ¹ ^*, Şahin Gökçearslan ¹, Ebru Solmaz ¹

More Detail

CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 5, Issue 1, pp. 22-38

https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113

OPEN ACCESS 1487 Views 1006 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate pre-service teachers’ perceptions on the use of blogs regarding ICT integration in the FATIH project in Turkey. Participants were 174 pre-service teachers continuing their education. Data collection tool was a questionnaire which measured pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the blogs. Questionnaire embodied some sub-categories of blog use such as learning, motivation, active participation, writing skills, group work, and critical thinking. Findings revealed that using blogs in classes affected learning and teaching process. The obtained results also showed that the blogs contributed to the recuperation of writing and critical thinking skills. These results indicated that students found social contributions of the blogs such as sharing information and interacting with peers. Based on the findings of study, appropriate conclusions and implications were addressed within the context of the FATIH project.

Keywords: Blogs, FATIH project, Tablet computers, Technology use in education, Technology integration

References

Arslan, R. Ş. & Kızıl, A. (2010). How can the use of blog software facilitate the writing process of English language learners? Computer Assisted Language Learning, 23(3), 183–197.
Atıcı, B. & Özmen, B. (2011, May). Effect of the blog use of a sense of class community. Paper Presented at International Educational Technologies Symposium. Istanbul.
Babur, A. (2010). At Network Diary Environment of Information Technology course in Bolu Gazipaşa 5th Grade Primary School, the effect of studying "Here I go Broadcasting" unit on critical thinking, the retention and academic success (Unpublished master’s thesis). Graduate School of Educational Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara.
Cakir, H. (2013). Use of blogs in pre-service teacher education to improve student engagement, Computers & Education, 68, 244-252.
Churcill, D. (2009). Educational applications of Web 2.0: Using blogs to support teaching and learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(1), 179-183.
Çiftçi, S., Taşkaya, S. M. & Alemdar, M. (2013). The opinions of classroom teachers about FATIH project.Elementary Education Online, 12(1), 227‐240
Davis, M. (2008). Semantic wave 2008 report: Industry roadmap to web 3.0 and multibillion dollar market opportunities. Retrieved on 13 March from http://www.project10X.com.
Demirel, T. (2010). Teachers' feedback on instructional use of blogs (Unpublished master’s thesis). Graduate School of Educational Sciences, Atatürk University, Erzurum.
Duffy, P. & Bruns, A. (2006). The use of blogs, wikis and RSS in education: A conversation of possibilities. Proceedings Online Learning and Teaching Conference (pp.31-38). Brisbane.
Dursun, Ö.Ö., Kuzu, A., Kurt,A. A., Güllüpınar, F. & Gültekin, M. (2013). Views of school administrators’ on FATIH project’s pilot implementation process. Trakya University Journal of Education, 3(1), 100-113.
Efimova, L. & Moor, A. (2005). Beyond personal web publishing: An exploratory of conversational blogging practices. Paper presented at the 38th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Hawaii.
Ferdig, R.E. & Trammell, K.D. (2004). Content delivery in the blogosphere. T H E Journal. 31(7), 12-20.
Fullan, M. G. (1990). Staff development, innovation, and institutional development. In B. Joyce (Ed.), Changing school culture through staff development. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Girgin, M. K. (2009). Research report of blog writing in Turkey. Retrieved on 5 April 2009 from http://murat.blogevi.org.
Godwin-Jones, R. (2006). Emerging technologies. Tag clouds in the blogosphere: Electronic literacy and social networking. Language Learning & Technology, 10(2), 8-15.
Göktaş, Y. & Demirel, T. (2012). Blog-enhanced ICT courses: Examining their effects on pre- service teachers’ ICT competencies and perceptions. Computers & Education, 58, 908–
Hou, H.T, Chang, K. E. & Sung, Y. T. (2011). A longitudinal analysis of the behavioural patterns in teachers using blogs for knowledge interactions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 42(2), 34-36.
Huffaker, D. (2005). The Educated Blogger: Using weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom. AACE Journal, 13(2), 91-98.
Jones, S. J. (2006). Blogging and ESL writing: A case study of how students responded to the use of weblogs as a pedagogical tool for the writing process approach in a community college ESL writing class. Dissertation. The Graduate School of the University of Texas, Austin.
Kenndey, K. (2003). Writing with Web logs. Technology & Learning. February 2003. Retrieved on March 3, 2013 from http://web2play.pbworks.com/f/Post+Writing+with+Web+ Logs+copy.pdf
Kim, H. N. (2008). The phenomenon of blogs and theoretical model of blog use in educational contexts. Computers & Education, 51, 1342–1352.
Kurt, A. A., Kuzu, A., Dursun, Ö.Ö., Güllüpınar, F. & Gültekin, M. (2013). Evaluation of the pilot application process of FATIH project: Teachers’ views. Journal of Instructional Technologies & Teacher Education, 1(2), 1-23.
Ladyshewsky, R. & Gardner, P. (2008). Peer assisted learning and blogging: a strategy to promote reflective practice during clinical fieldwork. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(3), 241-257.
Liou, H. C. (2007). Toward autonomous learning of academic English writing: What can electronic disciplinary portfolios offer? In S. Chang (Ed.), Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on English Teaching and Learning in the ROC (pp. 273-284). Taipei: Taiwan ELT Publishing.
Lin, W.-J., Yueh, H.-P., Liu, Y.-L., Murakami, M., Kakusho, K. & Minoh, M. (2006). Blog as a tool to develop e-learning experience in an international distance course. Proceedings of the Sixth IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT’06).
Martindale, T. & Wiley, D.A. (2004). An introduction to teaching with weblogs. Draft Copy. Retrieved on 18 March 2013 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download? doi=10.1.1.137.5486&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Martinez, M. & Jagannathan, S. (2010). Social Networking, adult learning success and Moodle. In T. T. Kidd & J. Keengwe (Eds.), Adult learning in the digital age: Perspectives on online technologies and outcomes (pp.68-80). New York: Hershey.
Ministry of National Education (MEB). (2008). Teacher qualifications: General and specific qualifications of teaching profession. Ankara: General Directorate of Teacher Training and Education.
Ministry of National Education (MEB). (2012). Fatih Project. Retrieved on 8 April 2013 from http://fatihprojesi.meb.gov.tr
Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? Computers & Education, 59, 1065
Oreilly, T. (2007). What is Web 2.0: Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software. Communications & Strategies, 1, 17-37.
Petersen, S. A., Divitini, M., & Chabert, G. (2008). Identity, sense of community and connectedness in a community of mobile language learners. ReCall, 20, 361-379.
Prestridge, S. (2013). The beliefs behind the teacher that influences their ICT practices. Computers & Education, 58, 449-458.
Rice, A. (2003). The use of blogs in the 2004 presidential election. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University.
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks. CA: Corwin Press.
Şenel, H. C. & Seferoğlu, S. S. (2009). Applications in education blog: Examples of primary information technology course. Paper presented at 9th International Educational Technology Conference (IETC2009). Ankara.
Slevin, J. (2000). The Internet and society. London, UK: Polity.
Şimşek, Ö. (2010). The effect of weblog (blog) students' writing performance. 2nd World Conference on Educational Sciences, WCES-2010. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 953-958.
Tekinarslan, E. (2008). Blogs: A qualitative investigation into an instructor and undergraduate students' experiences. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(4), 402-412.
Tekinarslan, E. & Gürer, M. D. (2011). Abant Izzet Baysal University CEIT students' views on network logs as knowledge sharing and web publishing tools. Kastamonu Education Journal, 19(3), 887-902.
Yang, S. H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice. Educational Technology & Society, 12(2), 11–21.
Yi-Hui, C. (2013). Using a combined AHP and PLS path modeling on blog site evaluation in Taiwan. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1325-1333.
Wang, S. (2009). Blogs in Education. In M. Pagani (Eds.). Encyclopedia of multimedia technology and Networking (2nd ed.). IGI Global.
Wang, K. T., Huang, Y. M., Jeng, Y. L. Wang, T. I. (2008). A blog-based dynamic learning map. Computers & Education, 51, 262-278
West, R. E., Wright, G. W., Gabbitas, B., & Graham, C. R. (2006). Reflections from the introduction of blogs and RSS feeds into a pre-service instructional technology course. TechTrends, 50(4), 54-60.

Citation

Ocak, M. A., Gökçearslan, Ş., & Solmaz, E. (2014). Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project. Contemporary Educational Technology, 5(1), 22-38. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113

Ocak, M. A., Gökçearslan, Ş., and Solmaz, E. (2014). Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project. Contemporary Educational Technology, 5(1), pp. 22-38. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113

Ocak MA, Gökçearslan Ş, Solmaz E. Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2014;5(1), 22-38. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113

Ocak, Mehmet Akif, Şahin Gökçearslan, and Ebru Solmaz. "Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project". Contemporary Educational Technology 2014 5 no. 1 (2014): 22-38. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113

Ocak, Mehmet Akif et al. "Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project". Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 5, no. 1, 2014, pp. 22-38. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113

Ocak MA, Gökçearslan Ş, Solmaz E. Investigating Turkish Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Blogs: Implications for the FATIH Project. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2014;5(1):22-38. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6113