This literature review provides an overview of the academic literature and academic edu-blogs for descriptions of edu-bloggers’ reasons for using blogs, perceived benefits for learners, potential issues and concerns, and challenges encountered. It draws upon the knowledge of established edu-bloggers to obtain an accurate description of what edu-blogging is about. Authentic edu-bloggers’ voices are used to determine the crucial features of current edu-blogging practices and current issues.

This literature review continues with a description of ethical issues and concerns about the implementation of edu-blogging technologies for student learning. Issues such as self-disclosure, evaluation, student privacy, and student support will be examined and discussed.

Four recent case studies evaluating the benefits of edu-blogs will be described and analyzed, and followed by a discussion of the studies’ conclusions. 

Based on edu-bloggers’ perceptions of what edu-blogging is, and what it is not, an alternative framework for considering edu-blogging will be presented. The context in which edu-blogging is used (self and community) requires a third context, involving an integration of the two. In addition, within each of these three contexts (self, transitional, and community) there are both private and public components. In effect, there are six contexts for edu-blogging, with competencies and expectations specific to each.