A blog which is restricted to the course tutor alone offers a different experience, and is perhaps more akin to the reflective journal. Several benefits of the blog remain, however, such as exploration of ideas, enriched learning through hypertext, or fulfilling an information management role.
Furthermore, the private blog represents a 'safe space' in which a learner, when new to a subject area or indeed to blogging, can develop at his or her own pace, unhampered by comparisons with others or apprehension of audience perceptions. A fellow student on the University of Edinburgh course An introduction to digital environments for learning found the blog offered a place to express her initial concerns and frustrations and valued the private communication channel it opened to her tutors, quoting the one-to-one contact and the fact that the blog was compulsory as 'crucial for my development as an e-learner'. (T. Zupan, personal communication, 28 November 2007)6
Students on the An introduction to digital game-based learning course 7 noted similarly that not everyone feels comfortable sharing their views with others, and they found the blog useful for formulating ideas, as opposed to the course discussion board which seemed to demand more conviction. Their comments suggest that for them the priority was not to attract comments but to note their own reflections.
'I think maybe that the blog has more of a 'work in progress' feel about it, so it doesn't matter if what I'm writing there doesn't make sense. On the forum I feel a bit more inclined to actually believe what I am writing about and be prepared to have a debate - a little more of a polished version.'
'...for me blog is more personal reflections which I wouldn't necessarily view as of interest or potential relevance to the wider group.'
'I tend to use the blog more to record ideas...[and] some reflections, but not really for discussion.'
'I enjoy reading the thoughts and information provided by others [on the discussion board]. Sometimes I have nothing new to say on the subject hence say nothing. In the blog however I can ramble to my hearts content.'