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Blogs, Blogs Everywhere: Does Everyone Need an Internet Journal?
By Jim Moulton
3/25/08I was working in a school where a teacher, who is technically savvy and making great use of digital tools in her classroom, openly challenged the idea that blogging is something to be encouraged for teachers and students. She voiced a concern that there is just so much stuff out there already, and all these blogs are just too much.
This was an especially provocative comment, as one of the other participants in the session, Mark Spahr, had just shared the blog he had launched as a place to post his thoughts about teaching and learning in general and on being a culinary-arts instructor at a juvenile corrections facility.
Her questions, juxtaposed with Spahr's excitement about his new endeavor and the connections it was creating, caused me to reflect on the amount of great thinking, great ideas, and great writing out there on blogs, especially those -- such as the Spiral Notebook -- focused on teaching and learning. I realized that there was way too much on the Web to even begin to digest. A human being could not regularly visit the sites on which this information is posted and still maintain a normal life in the real world. There are not enough hours in the day.
So the solution most often suggested for getting to all these resources is the use of an information aggregator (mentioned in a blog entry by Diane Demeé-Benoit and in one by Chris O'Neal) such as Bloglines or iGoogle. These aggregators go out and cherry-pick the content you have asked them to collect, then deliver it to you in one neat package.
But after you use an aggregator, what do you have? You have the ability to bring all the content you want to one place, the ability to create your own personalized and content-rich Web resource. Great, but what about that time thing? There is a TiVo-like sense to the aggregators that troubles me -- the inaccurate assumption that the only reason I don't watch this television show or that, the only reason I don't read a certain blog, is simply that it is not broadcast at a time that is good for me or that I don't want to go skipping all over the Web to look for it.
And then it hit me: The real power of blogging, the greatest benefit in writing for a blog, goes not to the audience but rather to the writer. It is in the very act of writing, the preparation of the content you are going to share, that the benefit is found. Writing is a reflective process, and the creation of content you're going to share causes you to work hard to make your thinking clear. An audience creates anxiety, and appropriate levels of anxiety support our best efforts. And the best writing calls for our best thinking.
Here is an example, from my own experience: This topic has been churning around in my mind for more than a week, and sitting down and writing this piece has been cathartic. I have crystallized my thinking and taken the time to get it as right as I can. I have made my best effort.
Should you read this and find that it causes you to think, that is good. But I have already received value from my effort. I have figured out what I really believe about the topic of universal blogging. I have a better understanding of my own thinking because I have stopped moving, thought, written, revised, thought, written, revised, and finally edited.
Would I have taken the time and put out the effort to do this if I was not writing for my blog? Let's be honest. Probably not. The blog is the taskmaster, the responsibility that not only provides the audience but also asks for my input.
Often, when I work with teachers responsible for supporting the development of writers, I will ask them, "How many of you are writers?" with the caveat that writing lesson plans doesn't count. The response is consistently troubling. Generally, less than 10 percent consider themselves writers. And I have to ask, who do we want helping young people become better writers -- a writer, or a nonwriter?
The writer, of course -- so show us your blogs!
Blogging with students
Submitted by Cathy McDonald (not verified) on April 21, 2008 - 04:45.
I was hesitant to blog with my students, afraid of what they might say inappropriately. When I discovered Gaggle.net, which closely screens for inappropriate language and/or pictures, I decided to give it a try. Students who would not think about putting an entry in a hand-written journal are excited to have their blogs. They read what each other writes and respond to mine on a weekly basis.
It is time consuming because I have to read each entry before they are posted. As an English teacher, I cringe at the errors in grammar and mechanics. I wonder how to work this into blogging without turning the kids against the whole idea.
The value of blogging for students
Submitted by Ashley (not verified) on April 14, 2008 - 17:25.
I think blogging is very good way for students to interact their own thoughts and opinions with other students.
Voicing your opinion through blogging
Submitted by Ashley (not verified) on April 14, 2008 - 16:20.
Blogging is a great way to get your opinion out and also to consider others opinions. It is also a great way for students to interact with others.
The value of blogging
Submitted by Brittany (not verified) on April 12, 2008 - 15:44.
I agree. Blogging is more for the writer than the reader. Although reading blogs does help you think of your own position and it is sometimes very entertaining, blogging makes you, as the writer, think about what you want to say because it is out there for the world to see.
Any downsides to blogging?
Submitted by Laura (not verified) on March 28, 2008 - 13:38.
Hello!
I agree that blogging can be a great way to improve so many different things. My question to you is -- Do you think it is ok for an administrator or teacher to have a public blog? If it is open for all to see, can it open up communication, or set the administrator(teacher), up for complications?
There can be "downsides" to everything...
Submitted by Jim R. Moulton (not verified) on March 29, 2008 - 11:27.
Laura -
First off, I have to say that I think complications are part of a teacher's lot in life. A teacher who seeks a professional life "without complications," must be constantly frustrated.
Oh yes, harm can certainly be done through thoughtless posting, but people don't need a blog to be indiscreet... How many times have I heard comments in teachers' rooms that I have to believe the speaker would love to be able to retract...
Perhaps, "Discretion is the better part of blogging," eh? In fact I would suggest it is that very public nature of the blog that is one of its strengths. Inappropriate uses of social networking sites by kids & adults happens either when folks simply don't understand or most likely don't take time to consider the very public & very long lasting nature of their posts, be they text, images, audio, or video.
So rather than not blogging for fear of the open-ness, that very open-ness is a great reason for teachers to blog. We need to help the students understand how important it is to think before one hits "post" or "send" or "reply" or "forward..." After all, they will be using those buttons for a long, long time in whatever career path they take.
How about having a class discussion about whether a post is ready to be sent out for all to see... A conversation about who might agree, who might disagree, etc...
This is an important topic, so if you haven't read it already, you might consider reading Neil Postman's "Teaching as a Subversive Activity." http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Subversive-Activity-Neil-Postman/dp/0385290098
Blogging About blogging
Submitted by Carrie (not verified) on March 27, 2008 - 12:06.
This is the site for me! This is my first experience with blogging, so I was really unsure the point or purpose. As I began to explore different sites, I came upon this one. It has given me insightful information about blogging.
I am a teacher, who is also "blogging" for a class assignment. As I was reading the blogs here, I began to develop some ideas of ways that I want to use blogging in my classroom. I do agree that blogging will improve writing performances of students through daily interactive writing. I'm glad I had this experience.
Another benefit of blogging: conversation
Submitted by Joel Zehring (not verified) on March 27, 2008 - 06:12.
Blogging allows others to chime in with encouragements, disagreements, and other perspectives.
If you're not up for writing your own blog, commenting on other blogs can be a great step in the right direction.
Hmmm, blogging.
Submitted by Carissa (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 20:56.
I am a new teacher this year and am also pursuing my master’s in reading and math. One of my assignments was to search through blogs and find one to participate in. I opened all the links my instructor gave, became overwhelmed, and closed them about 15 times this week. Time seemed to always be a huge issue. I kept thinking to myself, how will I fit blogging into my already packed schedule? Finally, deadline nearing, I opened Edutopia and stumbled across your insightful entry. Although I have often thought about the benefits of venting or exhaling through writing I had not bridged the connection with blogging. Your entry really helped me to think about it, not so much as a burden of time, but as a therapeutic tool to use at my disposal and when time permitted. There are days when I come home and “blog” to my family for hours about my insane day with 30 kids or a wonderful thing that happened that day. I may try writing my blog down for a change and seeing how people react and what insights people have to share about it. Thanks for putting your thoughts in print Jim!!!
The buzz about blogging
Submitted by Chad (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 20:01.
I have heard the buzz over the past few years about blogging and I have been quickly introduced to them in a one hour session about incorporating it into education programs. Unfortunately that never turned into a blogging lifestyle because time is precious in the teaching profession both in my personal life and in the classroom. The time required is definitely a negative aspect as you mentioned. I am a very personable person and I find it hard to muster up the energy to keep up in reading blogs even of my closest friends and I would much rather have personal discussion with others. It also seems to be a hard concept to involve in the everyday classroom unless you are teaching a computer based class.
At the same time I do see a value in blogging as a posting of ideas and a collection of insights from others that we can use to ponder and reflect some items in our own lives. Along the lines of your insights, I do believe it would still be a positive in students’ lives if we encourage them to write and learn how to express themselves and their insights with others. Only when we share our insights with others can others learn from us.
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