We are pleased to inform you that the results of our research project on weblog use in teacher education (DU Project 6066, 'Weblogs als Reflectie-instrument') have been published in the scientific journal Interactive Learning Environments.

Reference article:

Wopereis, I. G. J. H., Sloep, P. B. , & Poortman, S. H. (2010). Weblogs as instruments for reflection on action in teacher education. Interactive Learning Environments, 18, 245-261. doi:10.1080/10494820.2010.500530

Abstract:

This study examined the use of weblogs as a means to promote student teachers' reflective practice. The assumption was explored that weblogs are suitable tools to support and stimulate reflection on action in teacher training and consequently to enhance the students' ability to reflect. Three groups of student teachers used weblogs to reflect on teaching practice during an 8-week internship. Students were asked (a) to reflect on their own teaching experiences and (b) to provide peer feedback. Analyses of the student contributions show that weblogs are useful for reflection on critical incidents in the classroom and that they can stimulate interconnectivity in groups of students. However, weblogs do not incite deep reflection or spiral reflection, which can only be the result of explicit instruction. This exploratory study further shows that large-scale quantitative research is needed to support the premise that weblogs are suitable tools for reflection. 

Keywords: weblogs; blogs; reflection; teacher education; social networks

http://www.nber.org/papers/w16078

Further evidence suggests that providing universal access to home computers and high-speed internet access would broaden, rather than narrow, math and reading achievement gaps.

http://ipts.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/pub.cfm?id=3419

This report presents the findings of a structured and targeted expert consultation exercise which aimed to identify, cluster and rate the main changes in education and training expected to occur over the course of the next 20 years. The exercise employed the group concept mapping methodology to generate, sort and rate more than 200 statements by a group of 13 experts.

http://wiki.helsinki.fi/download/attachments/30660043/Chapter1_

-collaboration among peers can be ‘designed’,

- integration of CSCL activities into larger pedagogical scenarios that include multiple activities and

must be orchestrated in real time by the teacher.

http://www.escalade-aventure.com/trilogie-cervin-zmutt.php

http://www.jmsola.net/cervino/cervino-liongrad1.jpg

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/470409/hornli-ridge-matterh

it was at times difficult to locate the fixed rappel slings, but we always managed to find them, having to leave only one of our own slings to back up a sketchy-looking sling we found.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/192950970_929fc05e00.jpg

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150235/matterhorn-monte-c

http://www.diggingintodata.org/

The idea behind the Digging into Data Challenge is to answer the question "what do you do with a million books?" Or a million pages of newspaper? Or a million photographs of artwork? That is, how does the notion of scale affect humanities and social science research? Now that scholars have access to huge repositories of digitized data -- far more than they could read in a lifetime -- what does that mean for research?