Blogging in higher education programming lectures: an empirical study

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a case study at the Graz University of Technology on the use of weblogs in a higher education programming course for Computer Science students. Weblogs, as a tool for knowledge sharing, have received plenty of attention in recent years. Due to the support of constructivist learning models they have also been credited importance in supporting students' learning performance. Several case studies have been conducted showing positive influence on student's success. However, those case studies are based on the fact of introducing weblogs as an obligatory part of coursework for the students. The research presented sought to determine the influence of maintaining a weblog as a personal learning log and ePortfolio would positively influence the students' performance in a large programming course with the explicit precondition that blogging was voluntary and no necessary part of coursework.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.1 Computer Uses in Education
          Subjects: Collaborative learning

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
ePortfolio, education, weblog