The more that I researched blogs, the more I was pleased to know that "lackluster" is not a requirement. I found many examples in which blogging possesses voice and a reflection of one's personality, possibly even an extension of one's personality. Scott Hambrick's blog was, in my opinion, an example of a blog that demonstrates personality. The author truly lets his audience know what is important to him. And apparently what is important to him is his family and his activities in his church community. He shares some of his thoughts about the EDIT class that he is taking with personal reflections about the use of technology in the classroom and such like, and on occasion he mentions Richardson’s blog. While the purpose of this blog seems to be to reflect on topics from the class, it is clear that he is also very passionate about his faith, family and friends.
In the same regard, I very much enjoyed the format and content of Rosenfeld’s blog. While it is quite informative and discusses a variety of educational topics, Rosenfeld uses a distinctively personal and positive tone in his writing. Rather than rattling on about all of the negative things going on in the educational world, he discusses the positive aspects and speaks very highly of the people he works with, making note of his pleasure in the successes of his students’ and teachers’ efforts. Additionally, his entries are filled with fresh and innovatively progressive ideas and approaches to instructing students. An account which I enjoyed was that of his summer program. The idea of assessing student without letter grades spoke volumes about the author’s desire for students to engage in authentic learning experiences without being tested to nauseum. It was clear to me from some of Rosenfield’s entries that he advocates of performance tasks and and hence, the act of making learning an educational and fun experience!
Speaking of fun, of all of the educational bllogs that I researched, I would have to say that I found Warlick’s blog to be the most interesting and enjoyable. The content, voice, and layout were all exceptional, in my opinion. From the comments on his blog page, it sounds like the author is an extremely energetic and enthusiastic educator. He finds enjoyment in his profession, appears to be very animated, and incorporates humor into how he expresses his thoughts and ideas. He does not seem to take himself too seriously, in a manner of speaking. In short, his blog has personality.
Some of the items I found most striking in his blog were the tag cloud, the “here’s where I am blogging from,” and the photography sections. The “where I am blogging from” demonstrates how progressive the use of technology has become, making it so much easier to communicate with anyone at anytime about anything! The photography section is a wonderful example of how every day can be a learning experience and the importance of capturing those experiences so as not forget them and turn them into memories. Hambrick really uses his blog to show how the process of blogging can be creative and fun, while being informative at the same time. His blogs have a narrative feel and his very distinct voice spoke volumes to me about how using blogging to think critically as well as make personal connections with your intended audience.
The last blog that I researched is a blog to which I am already a follower. I am an avid rock climber and engage in many other outdoor activities, as well. Hence, I enjoy reading the blogs made by my friends, Joe and Arun, who live in Boulder, Colorado. The three of us share a strong passion for the outdoors as well as for traveling. While I tend to recap my adventures in an annual newsletter at the end of every year, Joe and Arun have chosen to write immediate, thoughtful accounts of their explorations. Their blog is a very personally narrated account of their adventures. However, analyze it more carefully, and I actually find that I learn something new about my friends’ passions, thoughts, and opinions about the places they have been.
I enjoy reading Joe and Arun’s blog because of its comprehensibility. Additionally, it is quite user friendly, and the images that they choose to go with the narratives make the accounts all the more interesting. Their voices are distinct, so much so, that I can tell which entries were written by Joe and which ones were written by Arun.
Joe has been climbing for quite some time and has climbed in a numerous places worldwide including Oman, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Thailand. I, for one, am thankful for his wealth of knowledge on the subject, and that he chooses to share his knowledge in this way. Accounts about rock climbing, have a natural narrative flow, such that when he is describing the ascent of a climb you feel as if you are actually climbing it with him. Whether he intends to or not, his detailed accounts of types of climbs, needed gear, and critical analyses of the pros and cons of the difficulties of each climb, make his blog an effective way for climbers of all skill levels to research amazing climbing areas, without having to read through an entire climbing guide book.
This blog inspires me to continue traveling and seeking out new adventures. When I cannot embark on quests with them, I just open up their blog to see what new and exciting places I should seek out for my next climbing and outdoor adventures. Joe is currently embarking on a mission to rock climb in every state. I am anxiously waiting to read his accounts on these adventures!
Upon reflection of my research on blogging, I realize that I had, for one, never really considered the idea that a blog could be used to relay information or organize general facts about topics, but I am now also aware that blogs can serve as an alternative way to exercise critical thinking. Only until looking at some of the blogs for this module, have I witnessed blogs organized in a way in which an individual’s intent is NOT to treat the blog as an online journal of written accounts. After reviewing the blogs for this module, I became more aware that blogs can be much more detailed and complex than I had ever imagined. I became extremely excited about the benefits of using blogging in the classroom. Especially the thought of how blogging has the potential to give educators the freedom to grade from any location. If assignments are completed online, not only are they more easily accessible, the hassle of carting papers assignments back and forth from home to school would practically be eliminated. It would follow, that the confusion of losing papers and whether or not assignments have or have not been completed would practically be eradicated, as well. Upon reflection of the readings in the text, one of my newest missions as an educator is going to be to make my language arts program, as “paper-free” as possible! :)
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