An online research blog (www.chasingdragons.org) and twitter account (@chasing_dragons).
Kyle Grayson, ext. 5836
I established a research blog and associated twitter feed in 2009. The blog is updated between 1-2 times a week and I normally tweet about research related matters on a daily basis. Often these tweets are comprised of links to interesting articles available online with my own short commentary.
Initially, my intention was to use these platforms exclusively as a way of building up a wider research network in my subject area (Politics). What I discovered over time was that significant parts of my blog readership and twitter following were current and former Newcastle UG, PGT, and PGR students.
While definitive numbers can be provided for the overall blog readership and number of followers on twitter, most of my evidence with regards to the impact on students is anecdotal. Both have been excellent for compiling an archive of up to date material (e.g., video clips, articles) to use as examples while teaching. From time to time, a student will email me about something I have blogged or tweeted to ask for more information. Students have also sent me articles and links that they have found interesting or forwarded on things that I have written to their own followers. Both platforms have provided a means of staying in touch with former students and keeping them informed about developments/opportunities that are taking place in Newcastle. In addition, I suspect that these platforms have helped to remove some of the misperceptions about what lecturers are up to when we are not in the classroom by providing insight into what the academic research process entails.
Student-friendly research blog
Research-Informed Teaching, Student Engagement, e-learning/UNITE
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Geography, Politics and Sociology
blogs
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