How blogging benefits students

If blogs are used correctly in educational settings, benefits for students can include:

• interactivity and greater interest beyond class time,
• increased and instant feedback from fellow students and others as well as the instructor, and
• increased motivation (and sometimes competitiveness) due to the public nature. (Kaplan, Piskin, & Bol, 2010a)

These fit well with Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) widely published and accepted “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” which are as follows:
1. Encourages contact between students and faculty,
2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students,
3. Encourages active learning,
4. Gives prompt feedback,
5. Emphasizes time on task,
6. Communicates high expectations,
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

Anderson (2007) identifies additional benefits provided by the use of social software in education such as:

“the freedom to negotiate the time and place of learning, the content, the pace and the type of relationship with other learners and the teacher.” (as cited in (Hatzipanagos & Warburton, 2009)

Blogs also provide a place for students to log a record of their thoughts (reflection).



Anderson, P. (2007). What is Web 2.0?: ideas, technologies and implications for education. Technology & Standards Watch Report, Feb.

Chickering, A., & Gamson, Z. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE bulletin, 39(7), 3-7.

Hatzipanagos, S., & Warburton, S. (2009). Feedback as dialogue: exploring the links between formative assessment and social software in distance learning. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(1), 45-59.

Kaplan, M., Piskin, B., & Bol, B. (2010b). Educational Blogging: Integrating Technology into Marketing Experience. Journal of Marketing Education, 32(1), 50-63.