LTT: Weekly Blog Challenge - Task 3
By alex miller • Nov 7th, 2007 • Category: Blogging, Communication, Facilitation, RSSSo you have a blog!
What now? What can you do with it? How could it be useful in Teaching and Learning?
I’d like to invite any teachers reading this blog to comment on how they use there blog, why is a blog classed as a Social Networking tool? How can it be used with a class?
I use my blog to share my e-Learning/ New Technology learning and development with colleagues and family. It’s both a personal and professional space.
So how can a blog be useful for networking?
Here’s an example;
Yesterday a teacher within North Coast Institute contacted me and happened to mention that she read my blog and I was really thrilled.
Kaz Madigan has her own blog, which I hadn’t seen before and it’s wonderful. Now I have seen it, and we have talked about our blogs and have made a connection and are looking forward to meeting each other.
But that’s just the start…
I have since sent her blog to a couple of other teachers that have similar interests, work in the same area or a similar interest in web tools. I am hoping they might post a comment on her blog, or contact her and connect.
For me, the power of blogging is making connections. Connecting with like minded people in this way, you are able to develop a strong collaborative relationship virtually, an element of trust follows.
If you haven’t already met face to face, one day you might and the relationship strengthens further, as resources, learning, and experiences are shared. Through these people and their online spaces, you meet others and a strong network of ‘trusted’ friends blooms.
In Task 1, you created a blog. You refined your profile, in Task 2 - your About page. Now you are ready to experience the power of blogging. But, as always, to get something out of it, you need to put something in, so here it is, Task 3.
Task 3: Comment on someone else’s Blog
This challenge is about going on a blog hunt to find like minded people with a blog. Add a comment on to their blog and start a conversation.
There is a list of your team/colleague blogs already in the comments section of Task 1. You could also search for a blog relative to your faculty or area of interest. It’s up to you, but please take the time to make a comment, you’d be amazed by how much it’s appreciated and you’ll probably get a response back fairly quickly.
I know this challenge might seem pretty basic, but many successful blogs have been built on the back of these types of conversations and the task is worth getting your teeth into.
Tip: RSS Aggregator…
I can’t really imagine life before netvibes; managing all those blogs and wiki’s through an RSS Aggregator makes life so much easier. You can subscribe to the RSS feed on a blog to automatically keep following the conversation and posts.
Next week, in our Technology sessions, we’ll revisit RSS and their use to save you time!
Good luck and happy commenting!
alex miller is I am currently working in education and innovation for North Coast Institute, TAFE NSW. For more information, check the 'about' page.
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Alex, what a delighful surprise to see my blog in this post!
I’ve been blogging for about 4 years, initially in blogger and now using my own server space and Word Press. For me it serves several functions.
I use it as a teaching tool, sharing any of my published work and chapters of my book, plus any new developments I learn about or experiment with. Some of this motivation comes from other bloggers and sites on the net. I have built many ‘connections’ with other textile artists around the world so it also functions as a communication tool. The comments facility and easy, fresh update of the format is much more engaging (and motivating) than a static website which I used to have. Blogging works to keep me on track and engaged with my art.
Blogging can also build a reputation if that is what you are looking for as it is a form of media communication. I generally restrict my blogging to my art form and other associated textile arts but occasionally when I have a personal post I am surprised at the increased response in comments. Us humans want to engage and know about each other and this is also how we learn. The role of teaching and learning isn’t a separate field of life - it is a rich element of it. I’m sure every teacher in TAFE in NCI has experienced this in a personal way.
I’m currently looking at introducing more media on my blog such as podcasting, video/utube and flash animation for instruction and essay material.
Hope everyone enjoys their blog adventures. Be creative, let your thinking go that bit further and enjoy it - your students will ‘catch’ your enthusiasm for your subject.
Kaz
It’s great when someone posts a comment to your blog. This happened to me when I had a post on Second Life and someone from another institute made a comment and it was great to read as it had useful info in the comment.
I can see blogs being useful in my classes as I have a combination of face to face, distance and flexible students. The students can comment on the posts and look at what everyone else thinks as well as share information on useful links etc.
My New years resolution is get make my bloggin apart of my routine.
At the moment I am using my blog to document my e learning journey, some of my distance students read it. I also creted a blog for a Reframing the future team so they can explore the use of blogs in learning and communicate with each other.
Blog on….Linda
Linda,
Thanks for your comments. That’s the biggest challenge I think, making blogging a routine. Good luck! Apparently, planning your posts is a good idea. I have lots of draft posts ready to go.
Blog on yourself!
Alex