Developments in teacher training over the last decade have seen an increased focus on developing skills in becoming a reflective practitioner. As Web 2.0 technologies are emerging these are providing alternatives to reflective diaries which are proving to engage some students more than the traditional methods of keeping reflective diaries. At Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the United Kingdom research has taken place over the last 2 years in the use of reflective diaries with teacher education students using a web log (blog). Phase 1 of this research which focused on determining if blogs could provide a setting for reflective practice identified that the use of blogs did assist them with their own development as reflective practitioners. This research was presented at the IFIP conference June 2008 and the ALT-C conference Sept 2008. Phase two of this research is two-fold and builds on the previous research and seeks to determine whether or not the successful 'bloggers' from the first phase of the research - now in their second year of teaching - have continued with this practice, what are the inhibitors and what are the enablers. This paper reconciles the data from both phases of the research. A comparative analysis is conducted using data from the actual blogs over the two years they were monitored, supported by statistical data from the blog records on the VLE system used. In addition to this, the interview data is analysed comparing the trainees from both HEIs and also comparing the responses of the participants as trainees and as teachers in terms of reflection through blogs. Reflective theory is used to help to understand the responses gained from the participants over the years, in terms of the change in attitude to reflection between their training and actual teaching. This is also linked to theories of communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) and to socio constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978) in order to help to explain the drop in reflection seen when trainees become isolated as NQTs in schools. The researchers believe that this research has relevance to a diversity of subjects in Higher Education, including distance learning courses such as those for the health services and education, as well as other courses that require some work based learning on placements, such as law related courses.

A mostly qualitative approach was taken with collaboration between the two institutions focussed on collating similar data sets. Questionnaires using an in-university tool for phase one, and an on-line external questionnaire tool for phase 2. Subsequently there have been follow-up interviews both in groups and one-to-one. Mainly one-to-one interviews have been used for phase 2.

Phase one revealed that the students benefitted from using the web logs for reflection to develop their professional practice, although not all enjoyed the experience; some finding it repetitive. In phase 2 we are finding that the students want to use this practice, but are finding it difficult because of issues such as network firewalls in their schools.