Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Multi-Author Blogging: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Investigation

Abstract

Multi-author blogs have created new opportunities for the construction and dissemination of knowledge. However, very few studies have examined the effect of multi-author blogging in pre-service teacher education and little is known about this phenomenon. This study argues that multi-author blogging can provide student-teachers with opportunities for experiential learning. The study adopts a mixed method quasi-experimental design to explore student-teachers’ perspectives of the effectiveness of multi-author blogging in the College of Basic Education situated within Kuwait’s Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). The sample consisted of 63 student-teachers who used multi-author blogging for learning (Experimental Group) and 67 student-teachers who were taught using traditional in-class lectures (Control Group). Questionnaires and focus groups were used to investigate student-teachers’ perceptions of multi-author blogging. Results suggest that a statistical difference between the Experimental Group and Control Group in the second and final exams. Findings also results indicate that a sense of community, peer learning, and perceived collaborative learning significantly contributed to learning through blogging. The conclusion is that multi-author blogging may be a promising approach to enhance student-teachers’ learning of instructional technology courses. The study provides insights into opportunities for further studies. Keywords : multi-author blogging, experiential learning, collaborative learning, communities of practice, reflection, student perceptions, pre-service teacher education DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-14-14 Publication date :May 31 st 2019