Exploring Perceptions and Experience of Educational Blogs in Higher Education of Bangladesh

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to explore perceptions and experience of educational blogs of the students of higher education. The study followed a mixed method research approach. Supporting the research approach, the study followed both quantitative and qualitative instrument for better understanding of the research problem. First an open-ended questionnaire was supplied for 160 students from different institutes and departments of University of Dhaka, followed by six semi-structured interview with the teachers and finally a FGD was also conducted with students. The study reveals that most of the students and teachers are familiar with blogs. Both teachers and students expressed that they can perceive the intensifying role of blog in teaching –learning process. In addition to this, students find Blogs as a trendy digital platform to exchange views through collaboration with teachers. Teachers perceived a positive view on it pointing that genuine blogs can help to develop creative platform for transferring contemporary views although their use of blog is not satisfactory. Different factors like inauthenticity of sources, inaccessibility to internet, unpreparedness and unwillingness of senior teachers to use blogs have been identified as challenges of using blogs in education arena.

Keywords: Educational Blogs, Digital platform, Challenges

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-14-07

Publication date:May 31^st 2020