I am pondering this question: Is blogging an effective way to communicate ideas or does blogging distract from "personal" responsibility and accountability...in other words, is it replacing the "human connection" among us with cyberspace detachment?
I have read some blogs before...and even commented on a few...but I have a new appreciation for Blogs after this lesson. Blogging seems to encompass a huge variety of styles and purposes. - It seems to allow a great deal of people to have a voice that otherwise would not.
- It seems to also allow some people who apparently have a great deal of time on their hands to
vent and get their true feelings out without fear. It seems to take the place of paying a good
psychologist or psychiatrist!
- It fosters ideas and discussion, and connects people from all over who would not be able to
connect "humanly- in person" otherwise.
- It is a tool used for those already connected to enhance their relationship...whether teacher
and student, teacher and teacher, student and student, colleague and colleague, etc.
So, in many cases, this genre can be used to substitute for personal contact. But in most cases I observed, the connection was indeed increased via blogging. The blogs I selected were great...I probably most needed the one on how to change my PowerPoint presentations... but I enjoyed reading Vicki Davis's blog the most. I tend to like controversy although I like keeping "everybody happy". And as a parent, I sure know how I appreciate my children's cell phones (now they are older and that's even more important).
Reading a blog is both fascinating and frustrating, and more challenging than "live" conversation. Why? To me it forces one to LISTEN to others! By that, I mean that you can't just "tune out" others. Everyone gets a turn to speak. Some do dominate, but everyone can interject their thoughts! Reading comments can make you smile, laugh, get upset, or respond immediately with your own "two cents", but it does force you to listen to others or you are not up to speed. Were that true during person-to-person conversations (especially group conversations...remember your last family gathering????), how refreshing that would be. But also time-consuming!
Reading a blog seems to be very similar to reading a People Magazine or other current events magazine and being able to say something about each thing as you read! I also noticed that it was easier for me to learn some things (like in the PowerPoint conversation referenced above) in that format because of the style. I like the shortened style of blogs for learning! Chapters in books seem to have encouraged lengthy discourse! Authors feel like the bigger the book, the more value it has! The best blogs I saw in this Thing 2 exercise were the opposite of that...they were briefer and packed full of thoughtful words. Of course, I did notice the tendency to do exactly what I am doing...reflect perhaps a bit too much. Blogs and the comments seemed to encourage a bit of rambling in some cases!
Commenting and writing differ in technique and rules apparently. They seem to be at a midway formality between emails and formal letters. Yes, there is a literacy level expected in blogging that I was unaware of before examining these blogs. It seems that one loses credibility if ones doesn't follow the cues of the blogger as to expectations of formality. How different from texting!
In commenting, some people just feel compelled to comment when they should basically "shut up" and follow a while (what I call "seasoning" their thoughts first before interjecting them)...others offered great additions and reflections that truly affected and even altered my first "gut reactions" to the original blog.
One caution I note...and still pose the question: How do you know that the commenter has really researched and is speaking knowledgeably about the topic?
You can't (but neither can you know that about an author)...so it's important that we teach our students that comments are just that...comments...not necessarily well-researched facts more often seem in books.
As educators, how can we start to use blogs to communicate with parents? There are dangers and benefits. Choosing words wisely still seems to be a skill we need to emphasize no matter how they are delivered. But blogs seem to be like calling hundreds (maybe thousands!) of people on the phone for a "chat" at the same time! And at times, everyone talks back at one time! But also seems to give you hundreds of new ears to hear those talking at you. Just a middle-aged guy's observation.
I see blogging as offering us new connections. They extend my world. They broaden my potential circle of friends and human connections. Many people write a lot better than they speak. Know what I mean? But some do not. They may never blog or comment. I think I'll pick up the phone now and call a friend!
Hmmmm.....
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There are so many wonderful points in this post that I hardly know where to start.
ReplyDelete"Everyone gets a turn to speak. Some do dominate, but everyone can interject their thoughts!"
For those students (or adults) who feel intimidated to add in their 2 cents worth in an oral, public forum, blogs are a wonderful vehicle. Everyone has a voice! Yes, sometimes that can be a double-edged sword, but simply allowing everyone an equal opportunity to offer an opinion and to comment is a scenario that we can't offer in the classroom.
"The best blogs I saw in this Thing 2 exercise were the opposite of that...they were briefer and packed full of thoughtful words. Of course, I did notice the tendency to do exactly what I am doing...reflect perhaps a bit too much."
I believe the longer we use technology and the more we are exposed to reading online, the shorter our attention spans are becoming. Bloggers know this and they've developed a writing style that allows them to communicate a great deal succinctly. Then again, the rest of the conversation can take place in a follow-up post. I've seen many that are Part I, Part II, etc, which I think is fine. You don't have to express everything at once.
I think reflecting tends to be a different kind of writing with a different purpose, too. In a reflection, some can express what they need briefly, while others (like us both) tend to go more in depth. There is nothing wrong with either way as long as you have felt as though you've adequately reflected on the topic.
"In commenting, some people just feel compelled to comment when they should basically "shut up" and follow a while (what I call "seasoning" their thoughts first before interjecting them)."
Seasoning!! I love that. True blog commenting - comments that are meaningful and extend the conversation do take some seasoning. Simply saying "Great post", doesn't do much.
"I see blogging as offering us new connections. They extend my world. They broaden my potential circle of friends and human connections."
Very eloquently said, Scott! You really do have a world-wide audience when you blog. It's a facet of the craft which I think students find incredibly appealing, especially when they receive comments on their posts. Heck, even I enjoy receiving and reading comments, too!
Okay, Scott...I'll try to be brief. : ) Oh gosh, is an emoticon appropriate? : /
ReplyDeleteNot being antagonistic, just funny and I hope that comes through.
Some of the concerns you raised in this post are really intriguing to me; specifically the ones about blogging vs. face-to-face conversations. I tend to be at a perpetual loss for words in an intellectual conversation. I can offer really great, "Um hmms." and "Yes, I knows", but I can't quite ever articulate just what I want to say the way I want to say it in person. On my blog, I have the time to reflect, research, and carefully craft each word and phrase I write. It makes me feel so much more comfortable and I feel like I can finally contribute to the 'intellectual conversation.' For our students that plays out well, too. You know, the kids in class who never speak up because they don't get it just yet, or they are too shy, or they are like me and just can't put what they are dying to say into coherent speech. I'm looking forward to trying a blog out with my kids and getting thoughtful responses out of the "quiet" ones.
--I finally commented on the correct post! Sorry for the deleted comments on your next post. That was me.--