Using Weblogs in Foreign Language Classroom: Possibility and Challenges

Using Weblogs in Foreign Language Classroom:

Possibility and Challenges 

         The web 2.0 is developed from web 1.0 the web 2.0 is created for interactive information such as weblog, wikis, and social network.  It also is recognized to have great potential for effective teaching and learning foreign language.

Theoretical justification of using Web 2.0

      

      Pedagogy has shifted from a cognitive orientation to a social orientation, from context to naturalistic setting, and L2 learning to L2 use. Together with these changes, concepts such as input, interaction, authenticity, and collaboration are recognized as critical factors to determine successful foreign language learning.

       Web 1.0 which is characterized as non-participatory, static, read-only entity. In contrast, Web 2.0 technologies provide environments where users can communicate and collaborate in active manners. Thus, web 2.0 technologies provide language learners with the potential for a collaboration-oriented and community-based learning environment. The weblogs are best received in field of education in general and foreign language education owing to their unique features.

Table 1. Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0
Web 1.0	Web 2.0
Web as Read-only	Web as Read-write.
Web as Medium	Web as Platform
Web as geek and techies	Web of anyone willing to try
Web as Broadcast	Web as conversation
Web as static	Web as Dynamic

Characteristics of weblogs

       Weblogs is defined as free user-friendly websites that are easily created, maintained, and updated without any knowledge of HTML, offer huge possibilities for innovative learning in classrooms, across disciplines and in various levels.

 3.1. Weblogs vs other Asynchronous Web-based commutation tool

               weblogs share some similar features with other asynchronous communicative applications such as email, discussion forums, and web pages. The weblogs can be viewed by anyone on the web. Weblogs are also different from discussion forums in that they are individually or group owned. Weblogs can easily include hyperlinks, images and video clips while the forum mainly consists of plain texts or attached files.

         3.2. Unique Features of Weblogs

                   Individual ownership: it is responsible for publishing the blog content, moderating readers’ comments, deciding the rights of the readers, and customizing the look and feel of the blog.

                   Updates displayed in reverse chronological order: blog, there are chronological order of the post places the latest posting at the top of the page. In the other hand, Older posts appear further down the latest post. This systematic makes it possible for users to access the latest posting immediately when logging on the blogs.  

                   Archival of postings: Weblogs auto-archived older posts. It will show only recent post but the reader can get the older post by clicking a hyperlink or permalink

          These unique features of  weblogs have  various characters that attract language educators and the posting.

Relevance: Weblogs allow teachers and learners to upload content relevant to their courses and promote student-teacher, student-student, and student-others interactions about the postings.

                    Accessibility: Weblogs are accessible to whoever is interested in making contributions in a relatively long period of time without moving physically or attending face-to-face classes

                    Interactivity: Weblogs can be accessible to other blogs through a list of links to selected blogs, or an RSS feed enables bloggers to subscribe to other blogs and monitor their activities.

                   Interest: Weblogs give students equal chances to participate.

These characteristics of weblogs not only facilitate exchanging information and expanding communication but also provide learners with possibilities to enhance their language learning.

Using Weblogs in Foreign Language Classroom

              We use weblogs in foreign language classroom as three means: the tutor blog, the learner weblog, and the class weblog. Campbell (2003)

Three Weblog types
Type of weblog	Characteristics
Tutor	administered by the instructor encouraged learners to do reading practice and explore links for self-study
Class	administered by the entire class encourages learners to post messages, images and links pertinent to classroom discussion topics
Learner	administered by the learner encourages individual learners to post their thoughts about the reading

  4.1. Possibility and Challenges of Tutor Weblog

          A tutor weblog can have possible three functions:

     o   It can function as a pace through which teacher provide learner.

     o   It can function as platform to help learner explore the web resources in a guided manner.

         o   It can use to allow learners to express their idea and opinion.

 4.2 Possibilities and Challenge of learner blogger

       A learner blogger is used for online journal that an individual can update with his or her words, ideas, and thought.

4.3. Possibilities and Challenge of Class weblogs

      Class weblog can be best used as a collaborative discussion space, an extra-curricular extension of the classroom, encouraging students to reflect more in depth on the topics dealt with in class. In addition, class blog can be useful for facilitating project based language learning. Furthermore, class blogs can serve as a medium for cultural exchange through writing. Learners can interact with people in other countries if the situation permits. Though this interaction, learners can practice their foreign language skills as well as acquire intercultural awareness. Participation in an authentic use of the target language for real communication.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Weblog

   o Advantages of Using Weblog

       o   Weblogs provide an authentic learning environment for real communication.

       o   Weblogs function as online learning logs where learners record their learning experience. For teachers, this function can be used as e-polio that record learners’ progress and encourage learners to reflect on their learning experience.

Weblogs enable learners to create social networks and learning communities, so this collaboration can motivate learners to improve their writing skills

       With these advantages, the multi-media features of weblogs enable language learners to improve all of language’s skill because audio and video blogs can provide listening material together with cultural aspects related to the target language country. Weblogs integrated in foreign language classes are reported to provide the learners with a practicing environment where learners can think, write, and reflect through interaction with their instructor and peers, and as a result can enhance their writing skills.

Using weblog in foreign language classroom:

       o   enhances reading comprehension, improves students’ writing skills and abilities.

       o   develops writing and learning strategies.

       o   has a positive impact on the content and increases the amount of writing of learners?

       o   makes students pay close attention to the formal aspects of writing, both in terms of word choice, structure, and word spelling, attending to sentence and paragraph structure as well as adapting academic style, register and appropriate word.

       o   provide the student’s opportunity to write freely without being judged for their grammatical mistakes.

       o   develops ideas and provide feedback for the authors.

       o   enhances student analytical and critical thinking skills.

       o   increases student motivation in reading and writing, promotes learner independence and autonomy, and enhances students’ analytical and critical thinking skills.

 o disadvantages of Using Weblog

       o   students with low English proficiency may experience difficulty in putting their ideas in order.

       o   students lack confidence in their writing ability 

     These problems suggest that the instructor should take a more active role in assisting students during the blogging. On the other hand, it is difficult to keep students’ interest in blog-based tasks. Thus, teachers guided learners to form the habit of using them for weblogs to work best:

      o   Teachers should respond to students’ posting quickly, asking questions about their postings to stimulate them to keep writing.

      o   Students should be actively encouraged to read and respond to their peers.

      o   Writing to the blog could be required as part of the class assessment.