Can you tell from my grades that I am a blogger?

Abstract

From 2009 to 2013 writing blog posts, and commenting on each other’s blog posts, was a mandatory course requirement for the students of the subject ØMF101 Administrative Informasjonssystemer (Management Information Systems) at the former Bergen University College (now Western Norway University of Applied Sciences). We have data from the students’ activity on the blog network, combined with grades and demographic data. This makes it possible to explore the effects of blogging, and on a higher level, digital based active learning, has had on the course outcome. The results show that older students are less active digitally and get lower grades than younger students, even when compared to average grades for the bachelor program. All other effects are small or non-existent – including the relation between blogging activity and exam results.