ASSESSMENT THROUGH THE USE OF BLOGS —
COULD IT FACILITATE PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING IN
ONLINE HIGHER EDUCATION?

Anders D. Olofsson
Department of Education
Umeå University
Sweden

J. Ola Lindberg
Department of Education
Mid Sweden University
Sweden

Trond-Eiliv Hauge
Department of Education
Umeå University
Sweden
&
Department of Teacher Education and School Development
University of Oslo
Norway

In this paper, the use of student blogs as an assessment tool is analysed to better understand how blogs could provide possibilities for and facilitate reflective peer-to-peer learning. The empirical setting comprised an online higher education course. Twenty three students were enrolled and wrote individual blogs. Data is the total amount of blogs and related comments published online. For the analysis the concept ICE (Ideas, Connections, and Extension) (Fostaty Young, 2005) was used. The students expressed ideas, connections, and extensions. The use of blogs as tools for formative peer-assessment in online higher education can enhance the students’ peer-to-peer learning through technology.

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