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The Application of Blog in English Writing
Di ZHANG∗
Foreign Language School, Linyi Normal University
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this thesis is to introduce the blogging phenomenon and
the effectiveness of using blog exchanges for English writing. Firstly the thesis points
out that the blog is an effective tool for students to improve English writing on the basis
of the general observation of features and its application in education. Then it further
described the influences of using blog for students in English writing. This thesis also
discussed how to engage students’ reflective learning in English writing through the
blog. There are also suggestions for the research on blogging and its potential for its
pedagogical application to education, especially the teaching of English writing.
KEY WORDS: blog, English writing, reflection
INTRODUCTION
A weblog (or blog) is a web-based space for writing where all the writing and editing of
information is managed through a web browser and is immediately and publicly available on the
Internet.(Godwin, 2003) There are a range of potential applications of blogging technology in
education and training including for student and teacher communication, delivery of learning
materials, the provision of mentoring to students, collaboration and professional development for
teachers and knowledge management.
As blogs become more and more commonplace, educators in recent years have begun seeing the
potential of blogs for teaching and learning. At this time, using blogs in education, and
particularly in language learning, is still novel and there have not been many formal studies done
on this topic.
Studies that have been published include research on blogging’s effect on learner autonomy,
increasing writing fluency, as a place for completing writing assignments (Ward, 2004; Wu,
2005), posting class materials (Johnson, 2004), and as a way to open communication with
∗E-mail: qzd521@sina.com
Vol 4. No. 1 Mar 2009 Journal of Cambridge Studies
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bloggers outside the classroom (Pinkman, 2005). From a simple search of the Internet, however,
it is clear that much language classroom blogging is occurring and simply not being reported in
English language learning literature. Research focusing on blog use in English language classes
is still relatively scarce in the literature. The focus for this article is on the possibilities of blogs
as learning journals in the virtual teaching and learning environment.
This thesis encompasses five parts. The first part is an introduction. The second part is the
general observation about webblog in education. The third part focuses on the effectiveness of
using blog for English language writing, according to the previous research on students’
perceptions and reactions to the use of blogs. It points out three types of blog in English language
learning, and some influences of using of blog for students in English writing. The fourth part in
this thesis describes the reflections with blogs for English language learning. The fifth part is the
conclusion.
THE BLOG IN EDUCATION
1. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ABOUT BLOG
The Oxford English Dictionary Online defines the noun blog as, “2. A frequently updated web
site consisting of personal observations, excerpts from other sources, etc., typically run by a
single person, and usually with hyperlinks to other sites; an online journal or diary.” On the
Internet, a blog is a personal or professional journal that is frequently updated and intended for
general public consumption. The essential characteristics of the blog are its journal form,
typically a new entry each day, and its informal style. Many blogs include photo, audio, and
video information.
Even though weblogs have been in existence since the very beginning of the world wide web
itself, free, commercially available “blogging software” of the type discussed in this article
seems to have made its first appearance in July of 1999 (Blood, 2000). Because of the relative
quickness and ease of publishing this type of software affords, the number of users has grown
tremendously since then, and we can now observe blogs being used for personal, educational,
journalistic, and commercial purposes.
A blog has geography just like any static website and features several specific “territories” that in
combination create the uniqueness that is a blog. It can be discussed from following factors: