As stated in “Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education”, blogging is like an online diary. (Oravec. 2002) Blogging can be used for all different topics, personal to professional. Blogging is a way to provide distant learning opportunities for a wide range of topics, as well as for personal and professional use.
(Santos-2011) stated how blogging was like Facebook, for the new generation of students. Who would have though, that Facebook was blogging?! But, here we are, talking about our day, our events, and our feelings, things we have learned or not learned. Sharing our heartwarming or our heartbreaking, and having those in our “circle” comment and support us. Facebook does have privacy features, where you can share within your circle of friends, and friends of friends, and not be out in the public eye for everything.
So, what are the pros and cons for “Blogging for the Adult Learning?” As I have learned about blogging, I hope to provide some information regarding the similarities and differences between blogging and online discussion boards. Discussion boards and blogs allow for users to talk about topics, share ideas and network. Blogs are set up to allow for anyone, anywhere to read and comment about your topics. Classmates, co-workers or just someone who came across your blog from an online search! They can contribute to your learning by adding more information, additional resources and additional thoughts to discuss. Blogging allows for others to learn about topics and networking in a different way than your traditional classroom and online course community, and still give you some of the comforts of not being put on the spot in front of a classroom of peers. Blogs can allow for a blogger to link additional webpages and resources right within the blog for people to access without additional searches.
All pretty great right?!
So how are discussion board different than blogs? Well first, a discussion board is typically associated with an online course. So, you must have a login name and password to get to the discussion. These discussions are limited to those who are in the course with you. Discussions are topics that are set by the instructor or professor of the course. Discussion boards are already set up within an online learning system, where blogging is done by setting up accounts and following quite a few steps just to get started, so could be hard for someone with limited technology experiences and comforts.
So, I have learned that even with similarities and differences, they can be a value to many different audiences and can be a different way of communication and sharing ideas with others.
So let’s return to my questions, is Blogging in Today’s technology for every adult? Probably not. But just because as person chooses not to blog themselves, does not meant that they cannot learn nor contribute to a blog with information or questions.
Is blogging for me, as an adult learner in technology? Yes, I think it would be something that I would want to do. For me, I would use a blog to share my experiences in my professional. Sharing resources to others in my chosen career and encouraging and supporting in another way of networking and learning from not only those in our community, but to share and learn from those across the world.
So, do you have enough information to decide if blogging is for you? Let me know your thoughts!!
References
Oravec, J.A.(2002). Bookmarking
the world: Weblog applications in education. Journal of Adolescent & Adult
Literacy, 45:7, 616-621
King
& Cox: The Professors Guide to Taming Technology Ch. 6. 89-104
Santos,
A.. (2011). Blogs As A Learning Space: Creating Text Of Talks. Contemporary Issues in Education
Research, 4(6), 15-19.
Starblogspot,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your authentic voice and insight. I agree that blogging may not be for everyone, but after my initial "anxiety" I have found that it seems like a lot more fun than working on discussion boards. While there is the chance that people will not respond with proper netiquette as well as other concerns, blogging feels like there is more personality involved, and opportunity to contribute in a way that allows for expression beyond the facts. So, in short, yes, I do believe blogging could be for me!
After the readings this week things began to feel more gelled concerning my thoughts on blogs. I had no idea that when I was Facebooking I was participating in microblogging, but it makes sense as it is diary like, but in a shorter form, shareable to whomever you wish your audience to be, whether public or more private.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas!
JaiMen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback! I was again very nervous regarding this project. Blogging is new to me, and until learning more about it through this assignment, I realized I had read many blogs, maybe did not contribute much to the converstation, but enjoyed learning something in a different way. I was thankful for YouTube and having some videos for this visual learning to set up. There are still things I am not sure of about blogging, but am excited to continue learning how to use it more over the course of this class, and maybe how I can use it more in my everyday work and life!
Thanks
Starblogspot,
DeleteIt is funny that you mention it, after starting this I reflected on just how many blogs that I have visited to learn something. I am also an avid user of YouTube for learning as having the visual makes my life so much easier! :D
Starblogspot, I enjoyed your post and thoughts on the pros and cons of discussion boards and blogs. It was interesting to me to revisit the connection from Santos (2011) that Facebook was like a blog. Consider that Facebook was only 5 years old when that was written - a place that originally included status updates that were personal to a few hundred close friends. Fast forward 8 more years to a time when Facebook has added features that make it more about sharing articles with thousands than personal experiences with hundreds. It's interesting to think of how that change happened over time. I'd be curious to know how many still use the platform as a blog.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, I don't think I would continue to blog. I see the benefits as tracking personal growth and knowledge over time as well as a creative outlet for thoughts on a specific subject. My resistance would be vulnerability. The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know! I will continue to seek insights from others on blogs, but don't know that I have the confidence to share my thoughts that broadly yet.
Thanks for sharing your insights!
KLM
I too, find that I am learning more and more about this blogging. I find that as I read each blog from those within our class, I am learning more about what others took from their reading and understanding. So, I guess as the next few weeks unload and I continue to learn more, I may change my position.
DeleteStarblogspot,
ReplyDeleteI attempted to cover the same connection between blogging social media use but you did it far more concisely. The evolution of blogs from stand alone webpages (ie. blogs, to MySpace, to Facebook, to Instagram, to Snapchat) have all trended towards less original words in the post. This trend of creating less original written content has contributed to the demise of the blog. This is my personal bias, but if I see a social media post longer than a few sentences I hardly ever read it. Rarely do I read a "long" post with a well thought out argument, based on fact, and written with proper grammar. This lack of academic rigor in blogs and social media have created a negative connotation for the transfer of factual information. From day one during my undergrad (circa 2006), I was warned about using non reviewed/accredited sources of information. Blogs are rarely accredited or backed by a creditable organization and therefore lack the power to be trusted for face value. In opposition peer-reviewed journals can be taken for their word (mostly). Having to fact check everything contained in a blog can be more burdensome than it is worth. Do you feel the same way?
Chaser, I find myself attracted to and engaged with the longer posts that stake a position, offer analysis, provide evidence, and relate them back to whatever the point of the post is. Yet I do agree with you that many people today gloss over anything longer. In addition, don’t forget Twitter’s 280-character limi
DeleteI agree! I think the longer blog, I do not read,I too, scroll on by!
DeleteI think if I choose to blog, it would be from exeperinces that I have had. I do not want to take the extra time looking up reserach unless I feel that is validates a point or something that I refer to that I felt contributed to my experinces. Hope that makes sense.