'Blogging' - a contraction of the term 'web logging' - is perhaps best described as a form of micro-publishing. Easy to use, from any Internet connection point, blogging has become firmly established as a web based communications tool. The blogging phenomenon has evolved from its early origin as a medium for the publication of simple, online personal diaries, to the latest disruptive technology, the 'killer app' that has the capacity to engage people in collaborative activity, knowledge sharing, reflection and debate (Hiler, 2003). Many blogs have large and dedicated readerships, and blog clusters have formed linking fellow bloggers in accordance with their common interests. 
This paper explores the potential of blogs as learning spaces for students in the higher education sector. It refers to the nascent literature on the subject, explores methods for using blogs for educational purposes in university courses (eg. Harvard Law School), and records the experience of the Brisbane Graduate School of Business at Queensland University of Technology, with its 'MBA blog'. The paper concludes that blogging has the potential to be a transformational technology for teaching and learning.

Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector

Children have participated in the design of new technologies intended for children using diverse methods, in differing contexts, with varying degrees of involvement. This participation can be characterized as involving children as users, testers, informants, or design partners. Only relatively recently have researchers around the world begun to work more substantively with children to design technologies for children. Methods and Techniques for Involving Children in the Design of New Technology for Children synthesizes prior work involving children as informants and design partners, and describes the emergence of participatory design methods and techniques for children. It considers the various roles children have played in the design process, with a focus on those that integrally involve children throughout the process. It summarizes and provides a pragmatic foundation for researchers and practitioners to use several methods and techniques for designing technologies with and for children. It relates the techniques to the design goals they help fulfil and concludes with a consideration of working with children in technology design processes as we move into the future.

/pdf/methods-and-techniques-for-involving-children-in-the-design-jz3bhrwhav.pdf

Methods and Techniques for Involving Children in the Design of New Technology for Children

Software developers, designers and researchers have been looking to technology for solutions to help and educate people with autism for over two decades. There are many examples of seemingly successful technology-based products and prototypes, yet very little is known about how well these solutions are currently integrated into lives of children and adults with autism and their families. This paper reports on results from an anonymous on-line survey intended as a first step to elucidate information about software and technology use. Additionally, data was analyzed to aid creation of future technology-based products for people with autism that are not just effective, but that also meet important user goals and align to their interests and strengths. Major findings included: (1) very few respondents (25\%) had any experience with software or technology designed for people with cognitive disabilities; (2) when asked an open-ended question about what they desire in technology design, respondents reported three major goals (social skills, academic skills, and organization skills), and many suggestions for improvements to software and hardware design; and (3) technology was reported as both a major strength and interest for people with autism.

http://geniiz.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2012/01/12.pdf

Software and technologies designed for people with autism: what do users want?

IDEAS (Interface Design Experience for the Autistic Spectrum) is a method for involving children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the technology design process. This paper extends the IDEAS method to enable use with a design team, providing specific added support for communication and collaboration difficulties that may arise. A study to trial this extended method was conducted with two design teams, each involving three children with ASD, in a series of six, weekly design sessions focused on designing a math game. The findings from this study reveal that the children were able to successfully participate in the sessions and collaborate with other children. The findings also highlight the positive experience that involvement in such a process can offer this population.

/pdf/developing-ideas-supporting-children-with-autism-within-a-514vgbklez.pdf

Developing IDEAS: supporting children with autism within a participatory design team

Visualizers versus verbalizers

In the special education context of children with autism, the design of educational software needs to focus on their unique learning styles. In this study, results of a survey in Irish Primary Schools, and interviews with tutors, indicate that characteristics of learners with autism need to be more integrated into the design process. An interaction model, based on Norman's and Abowd and Beale's models, provides a basis for mapping special user requirements and instructional strategies onto a model suited to the learner with autism. We propose this extended interaction model as a basis for design guidelines for effective educational software for these special needs learners.

/pdf/interaction-design-a-multidimensional-approach-for-learners-2zsr6ugr1n.pdf

Interaction design: a multidimensional approach for learners with autism

Learner style data is increasingly being incorporated into adaptive eLearning (electronic learning) systems for the development of personalized user models This practice currently relies heavily on the prior completion of questionnaires by system users Whilst potentially improving learning outcomes, the completion of questionnaires can be time consuming for users Recent research indicates that it is possible to detect a user's preference on the Global / Sequential dimension of the FSLSM (Felder-Silverman Learner Style Model) through a user's mouse movement pattern, and other biometric technology including eye tracking and accelerometer technology In this paper we discuss the potential of eye tracking technology for inference of Visual / Verbal learners The paper will discuss the results of a study conducted to detect individual user style data based on the Visual / Verbal dimension of the FSLSM

Using eye tracking technology to identify visual and verbal learners

Weblogs can be used to enhance the learning experience for technology students, by providing them with several features that are often absent in Learning Management Systems (LMSs). This research aims to demonstrate that weblogs can improve the learning experience by allowing students to reflect on their learning, and by allowing them to easily collaborate with their tutors and with one another. The incorporation of weblogs into the existing learning environment can provide several enhancements; Laurillard’s conversational framework is used a basis for describing how this should be done. In an initial study, students set up weblogs and created a weblog post each week over a 10-week period. Initial feedback from the students suggests that their experience with the weblogs was a positive one.

Blogs: Enhancing the Learning Experience for Technology Students

Usability Evaluation of Educational Game Software for Children with Autism

There are several benefits to using weblogs in education to support both collaboration and reflective practice. Results from an initial study which examined the effectiveness of weblogs are discussed. These results have shown that weblogs are useful tools for collaboration and groupwork, but that deep reflection was not evident in weblogs. It is suggested that this may be due to the public nature of weblogs. In the design of a second study, several types of blogging software have been considered, based on the privacy options they can offer. Wordpress is recommended as a suitable blogging tool for both collaboration and reflection. It provides students with the option to password-protect reflective posts to their blog, while leaving the rest of their weblog posts open to the public, thereby providing a means for collaboration with classmates.

Privacy Considerations in the Selection of Blogging Software

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