The Effectiveness of an Educational Blog for the Instructional Technology Course in Developing Knowledge Achievement, Deep Learning Style and the Degree of Acceptance of the Educational Blog among Al-Aqsa University Female Students

Abstract

This research aimed at examining the effectiveness of an educational blog for the instructional technology course in developing knowledge achievement, deep learning style and the degree of acceptance of the educational blog among Al-Aqsa University female students. The tools of research include: an educational blog acceptance scale, learning style scale, and knowledge achievement test. The research sample consists of two classes: the control group (42 students) and the experimental group (43 students), these two classes are selected randomly from all female classes who have enrolled in the instructional technology course in the first semester of the academic year 2012-2013. Results have shown that using the educational blog has achieved a high degree of acceptance of the educational blog among experimental group female students besides to an accepted effectiveness in developing knowledge achievement; while the educational blog has not achieved a tangible effectiveness in developing deep learning style among the same group. The results have also indicated that there are statistically significant differences in developing knowledge achievement and deep learning style between female students (control and experimental groups) attributed to the teaching strategy (educational blog, traditional learning), for the benefit of female students of the experimental group. The researcher has finally recommended the necessity of using educational blogs in teaching various courses in higher education.