Blogs in the modern foreign languages curriculum. A case study on the use of blogging as a pedagogic tool and a mode of assessment for modern foreign languages students

Since the early 2000s, the numbers studying Modern Foreign Languages at university has declined, although there is a strong body of evidence that language capabilities are valued and in demand by employers, operating in global markets and working with international partners. A significant element in the Higher Education MFL curriculum to these challenges is to adopt innovative and engaging approaches to teaching, including the use of technology to develop the range and confidence of students’ language skills and prepare them for formative and summative assessment. This paper, drawing on theoretical perspectives of social learning, peer collaboration and curriculum design, considers the role of blogging in developing language capability, engaging students with real life non-academic forms of reflective writing and addressing the interrelatedness of language skills, cultural awareness and personal growth. It discusses the challenges of embedding new assessment methods in the curriculum and potential implications for practice in and beyond Modern Languages learning and teaching.