Learning as a Meaning-Making Process in Blog : Based on the Case Studies of Korean Adult Bloggers

1. Learning as a Meaning-Making Process in Blog: Based on the Case Studies of Korean Adult Bloggers Young Park, Ed.D. HaniEdu, USA Gyeong Mi Heo, Ph.D. candidate McGill University Romee Lee, Ph.D. University of British Columbia LINC 2007

2. Agenda • What is a Blog? • Background • Cyworld in Korea • Conceptual framework • Research Questions • Methodology • Findings / Discussion • Conclusion / Implications LINC 2007

3. What is a Blog? A user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order Blog (Web Log) combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. LINC 2007

4. Background • “A growing number of people makeuse of weblogs to successfully support their own learning outside any institutionallyorganised system of instruction” (Efimova, Fiedler, Verwijs, & Boyd, 2004). • How can blogging be an informal learning activity for adults? LINC 2007

5. Internet Technology (IT) in Korea (I) • South Korea rests in 7th place in number of Internet users. The number of Internet users aged 6 or older is estimated to be 33 million (72.8 % of the Korean population (as of 2005). Of these users, 48.2% of Korean Internet users access the Internet to use a homepage and/or blog. LINC 2007

6. Cyworld in Korea • Cyworld is “an advanced blogging site which interconnects personal homepages, encouraging users to form a network with friends or colleagues” (Russo & Watkins, 2005). • Cyworld = Relationshipworld (Social network) • The number of users: Almost one third of the total Korean population (about 15 millions). • Global Cyworld: China, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States LINC 2007

7. Conceptual Framework (I) • Informal Learning (IL) • IL is free from curriculum or institutional components. • IL occurs either intentionally or incidentally. • A learner is a central agency in IL. • IL is a social phenomenon. (Livingstone, 2001; Marsick & Watkins, 2001) LINC 2007

8. Conceptual Framework (II) • Learning as Shared Meaning-Making(SMM) • learning as reflection • Social activity that is conducted jointly - collaboratively -- by a community, rather than individuals LINC 2007

9. Research Questions • What kinds of benefits, in terms of learning, do the users expect and actually gain in these social networks and blogging? • More specifically, what does meaning-m aking imply to support online users’ informal learning experiences? LINC 2007

10. Methodology • Exploratory qualitative approach • Target Participants: Cyworld users over 20 years of age • Data Collection (a) Online Survey (n=100) (b) Online interviews (n=15) • Data Analysis LINC 2007

11. Findings (I) • Reasonsfor Using Cyworld LINC 2007

12. Findings (II) • Experiences of Learning in Blogging LINC 2007

13. Findings (III) • Using a place for writing is beneficial for us to share our lives that we hardly could do before. I think that these in-direct experiences and understanding accumulated by communication can be seen as learning (#92). • Observing other people’s blogs, I learn how to live, how others live, how to deal with others, what others think on a particular subject, and why they think differently from me (# 65). LINC 2007

14. Findings (IV) LINC 2007

15. Discussion (I) • Most bloggers conceived that they have learned something through blogging activities. • These users were more self-regulative and active to have blogging experiences more constructive. Especially, having a primary goal was important. LINC 2007

16. Discussion (II) • The way of how learning is defined (either learning as acquisition or learning as reflection) seemed to be an important pre-requisite for a meaningful blogging experience. Identifying learning as a reflective process, therefore, helped users classify a certain activity more meaningful. LINC 2007

17. Conclusion • Given the full potential of virtual space for adult informal learning, the blog could be the most significant space and tool. • One concern is how to sustain adult learners’ motivation and self-regulation. LINC 2007

18. Implications • Blogging can be productively utilized to enrich adults’ lives by bringing meaningful experiences. • The difference learning theories (c.f., self-regulated learning) can be considered as an applicable framework in blogging activities for informal learning process. LINC 2007

19. If you have any further questions, Contact Young Park, yp85@tcalumni.columbia.edu LINC 2007

20. Park, Y., Heo, G. M., & Lee, R. (in press). Cyworld is my world: Korean adult experiences in an online community for learning. International Journal of Web Based Communities. • Heo, G. M., Lee, R., & Park, Y. (2007). Learning experiences of adult bloggers as self-regulated learners. Andragogy Today:International Journal of Adult & Continuing Education, 10(1), 249-279. • Young Park, Ed.D. • HaniEdu, MA, USA • Yp85@tcalumni.columbia.edu • Gyeong Mi Heo, Ph.D. Candidate • McGill University • Montreal, QC, Canada • gyeongmi.heo@mail.mcgill.ca • Romee Lee, Ph.D. • University of British Columbia • Vancouver, BC, Canada • romeelee@interchange.ubc.ca LINC 2007

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