From student to teacher: Professional development through blogs
From student to teacher: Professional development through blogs

Summary/Abstract: The present study considers the role of a weekly blog in the professional development of pre-service world language teachers. In conjunction with student teaching, candidates take a seminar course devoted to practical and professional issues in world language instruction. Over a fifteen-week semester, participants posted on a weekly blog prompt designed to encourage individual inquiry and collective sharing within the cohort. Using an inductive qualitative research design, the blogs were reviewed at the end of the semester for discursive indicators of professional development in the areas of identity, critical thinking, reflection, and community of practice. Such analysis is consistent within a sociocultural framework, where language is the medium of thought and practice (Vygotsky, 1986). Results showed that the blogs can serve as a witness to the transformation from student to teacher as well as growth in critical thinking and reflective skills. While there was some indication of peer interaction, a re-design of the tasks associated with the blog would be needed in order to encourage additional dialogue and cooperation within the community of practice.

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