This article presents the results from ongoing research in the area of academic
blog writing and language learning which began over four years ago. Initially, the
research examined the area of micropublishing, virtual writing and blogs for
academic purposes (Murray & Hourigan, 2006), then moved on to identify
specific pedagogical roles for blogs in language teaching and learning (Murray &
Hourigan, 2008 forthcoming). The third phase of this research now examines
the areas of creative expression, reflection and language acquisition in mandatory
blog writings by students at a Third Level Institution. Previously in this research,
students were asked, but not required, to keep a personal blog for up to five
months; writing only about their language learning strategies and experiences
with the declared aim of improving student language learning strategies through
self-reflection and self-expression. Students are, this time, required to write and
‘complete’ their academic blog as it represents one compulsory element –with
due weighting, given its importance– of a language module assessment. This
compulsory blog writing task has raised a number of pedagogical questions
which will be explored, such as: effective integration, assessing and rewarding
student creative expression within the blog medium, self-reflection as a language
learner and ultimately the role and value of academic blog writing in language
acquisition.