Title: Implementing blogs for developing academic writing skills in a variety of higher educational contexts

Authors: Agnieszka Gadomska; Przemysław Krakowian

Addresses: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, ul. Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw 03-815, Poland ' University of Łódź, ul. Pomorska 171/173, Łódź 90-236, Poland

Abstract: For the past 10 years, we have observed how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) influences the methodology and practice of teaching academic writing skills. The shift has occurred from paper- and course book-based activities through blended courses on various Virtual Learning Environments (VLE's) to the implementation of blogging and hands-on student experience in e-material design. The authors have noted that this development appears to be leading to very positive outcomes in terms of the effectiveness of teaching writing skills and students' attitudes to e-learning in the academic contexts. The paper focuses on separate examples of successful implementation of online blogging in different academic contexts and examines attitudes, skill development and takes a look at other dimensions of the process, such as the development of intercultural competences through collaborative work of students from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Keywords: academic education; intercultural competence; learner language; online blogging; writing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2017.087139

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2017 Vol.27 No.4, pp.358 - 372

Received: 15 Nov 2016
Accepted: 16 Nov 2016
Published online: 06 Oct 2017 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article