Blog which performs as an electronic diary for individual has become trendy day by day. It is really not a surprise to see people from all folks of life to have an account for themselves as blog serves for everybody with the permit that they enjoy blogging and love to share their life experiences with others particularly their followers. As Web 2.0 is spreading its wings vigorously in this modernized and globalized world of technology, blog has been utilized as one of the platforms for the students and teachers to carry out teaching and learning virtually. Blog is being used for community building, simple conversation, knowledge sharing, mentoring, reflection writing, peer review and the making. And now, it seems that blogs are slowly standing on a well-built foundation to be employed for assessment. I reckon that everyone is in flow with me saying that blog is experiencing such a drastic and amazing growth. From a simple function as an electronic diary, now it is spreading its wings to be a parameter for evaluating students’ performances in schools and also higher academic settings.
In employing blog for evaluation, it can be utilized in both formative and summative assessment for it is an ongoing assignment. To carry it out, teachers should introduce it to the students at the very beginning of the course. Every student is required to create a personal blog for themselves. They should record their weekly reflection and all the learning processes they experienced during lectures, tutorials and also group discussion. Besides, everyone in the class should follow each other’s blog and comment on the posts. These are all to be recorded in chronological order. Hence at the end of the course, each and every one of them will have a blog resembling a journal of their learning processes and experiences for the particular semester.
But for nothing in this world can really fit everybody’s shoe perfectly, some teachers might just close their heart and mind from this transformation. Especially those senior educators who are “computer immigrant”, employing blog for assessment might just be a troublesome for them. But for those who are “computer native” and computer savvy, there will be no problem for them to start utilizing it to evaluate their students. Since the society nowadays is also very much computer savvy, I reckon there should be no problem for them to adapt themselves being assessed though blog. Erasing the troublesome that might be being experienced by some people, employing blog for assessment is actually an effectual way of evaluating the students especially students in higher education. Blog is easy to carry out, economical for no paper or printing is needed and so not time-oriented. For the teachers can monitor the students’ progress from time to time I think that the students will be more serious in doing their work. Without doubt they will not overlook the instructions given by the teachers as they know that assessment is being made through their individual ongoing blog maintenance and update. They are very aware that their marks are in their own hands. It is so easy for them to gain marks and to lose marks as well.
Apart from that, utilizing blog for assessment is also a fairer medium to evaluate the diverse learners. As collaborative and cooperative learning is widely emphasized nowadays, some of the group members might just be parasites to their group particularly those who are not very diligent and weaker in academic. So, through the reflection that each and every student should do weekly to share about their learning experiences, teachers can easily detect those who are not doing the given work accordingly. Hence, the deduction of marks can be done accordingly to the right person who deserve it and not to affect the other group members who contribute much in doing the task. Apart from that, the reason why we conclude that it is a fairer medium for assessment is because it is an ongoing assessment. So, it performs as an advantage for every student with diverse ability, capability and intelligence. As the traditional form of assessment which is still being practiced until today, students are to vomit all of the knowledge that they have on paper within 2 or 3 hours of examination. In this case, some students might just turn “black out” or blank due to nervousness. They can think anything at all and there goes their marks for the particular examined paper. Hence, blogging for assessment may be their saviour.
Nonetheless, there are still limitations and cons of employing blog for assessment. Before we think for other complex reasons, one fact to be remembered when involving online blogging for assessment is not everybody is committed in blogging. Some might just need to be in the mood of blogging then they will not feel being force or push to update and maintain their blog. It takes a real passion and self-motivation for one to stay tune with their blog and follow others’ blog as well. Thus, it is not easy to employ blogging as an assessment because some students are just lazy to stay committed to update their blog. So, there goes their mark.
Apart from that, I think that Malaysia is still pretty new to the modern kind of learning. If blog is to be employed for assessment in tertiary education, it might be acceptable but if it were to be employed since primary school, I reckon Malaysia is yet to be ready for that drastic transformation. This is because our country is still lacking of the facilities and workforce in that area. Inadequate facilities such as computer and internet connection in the rural area make it hard to employ blog for standard assessment. Students in the rural area might just do not have any idea about what blog is all about. Worst come to worst, some of them are computer illiterate. However, in my point of view, Malaysia should move with the flow of modernization in education in a continuum. Since now the tertiary education in Malaysia is so much emphasized on the online learning, the educators should slowly utilize it in the secondary and primary school as well. As for tertiary education, blogging are mainly undertaken mainly by universities, colleges and business enterprises. The meaning of blogging for the institution involved is far from matters concerning entertainment which is mostly used for important work, for research and even professional business. Especially for students who are taking distance learning, blogging is essential for them so that facilitators can keep track of their learning, sharing and even discussing about their work.
In the nutshell, employing blog for assessment is not to be a troublesome for the tech-savvy society nowadays. Even though there are some limitations that may inhibit the employment of blog for assessment, it should not to be made as reasons for us to close the door of education for the better advancement. Everybody must keep their feet on the real ground and realise that we are now living in the modern world. So, we should try to adapt ourselves for any kind of advancement in education.
*Happy reading*
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