Ok, I figure blogging about the wrong thing is better then blogging about nothing so here we go. First, I don't use the Internet much for professional things. I don't even know what I would look for. I always just ask someone who has taught the subject before if I need information. That is not to say I don't use the Internet. I love the Internet. I love that it took less then 10 seconds to see if I really remembered what "gerrymandering" was. I love that I can get the Transformers DVD months before it comes out in stores. I think we are on the edge of the information age where all knowledge is at our fingertips. But, I hate blogs.
I don't like the randomness of blogs. Since anyone can write what ever they want, they usually do. You just have to go with the flow of the blogs. Sometimes you end up spending too much time wading through tons of stuff you don't care about to find one thing you do care about. I thought having an RSS reader would help, but it made the problem worse. Now, I have 119 posts I have to read. I know my classmates are all very intelligent and have very important things to say, but my feeble brain can't handle 119 different subjects.
I also don't think blogs are the next big thing. My friends and I had a blog a couple of years ago. We would each make posts and comment on each others posts, but it was too much work. Now, we just have one email thread that we write back and forth to each other. Everyone is on the list and we just "reply all." If we need to, we can attach pictures or include a link to funny websites. I guess we can't really go back and look at past posts, but nothing we say is that important anyway.
I know one of the big selling points of blogs is that you are "published"and the whole world can read what you are thinking. But, according to the CEO of Google, the average blog has one reader, the blogger. (10 things your blogger won't tell you) The world wide web is full of sites and the chances of someone random just stumbling on this one and reading it is very very low. (I would rather play the lottery)
Finally, I don't really feel like posting a comments on blogs is a conversation. I think a conservation is back and forth. I feel blogs aren't like that. Blogs are a lot more one sided. You make a post, and someone may comment on it and then that is it. And plus, it is impossible for me to blog about all my classmates 119 posts. I guess it's possible, but not likely. I think a bulletin board or even just plain old email is much better for conversations.
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15 comments:
Ryan what is your favorite color M&M?
Just kidding... I have some of the same feelings that you do. I don't hate blogs they have their spot, but it is hard to share information with a large group of people. I like the idea of a posting board.
I agree with a lot of what you say here. I wouldn't go so far as to hate blogging, but I do hate the randomness that springs forth from anyone that cares to say something. I believe everyone has a voice but if we all talk at the same time its hard to catch the worth while stuff.
Can I relate! I do believe that blogging has a benefit, but it is beyond me what could be the benefit of mandatory blogging.
I am right there with ya brother! Down with blogging:)
Ryan-
i agree. I am also new to Blogging but I too feel like this is very time consuming. I do not really search for Blogs to read unless I am instructed to do so, which is why I am responding to yours now! Good way to vent though!
I have to agree with how you feel about blogs. I am starting to see the worth they might ahve in the academic world but I would not want to use them for my persoal life. I would rather pick up the phone or take a walk or email a good friend. I don't think I have the most improtant thin gs nto say that the whole world needs to hear.
I agree that it is hard to blog on the all comments that are posted. I think one trait of an effective blog is to have a tight focus. Our class blogs are very general because of our inexperience but if were were all to focus on one small aspect of the course we might be able to blog on all the comments. Just a thought.
Very interesting what you all had to say. Time is so valuable that it is hard to spend time on something you are not into. A recent positive experiece I had looking at a blog was before I traveled to Bermuda this past summer. I spent a lot of times looking at peoples blogs and learned stuff I could never have learned from a travel book. It will be interesting to see how blogging does in the future
I too agree that blogging can take up substantial time. I think, though that for some people it provides a creative outlet and I also see the benefit to getting news out quickly for current events, etc. I do have to say that I don't fit into either of the categories listed above.
Blogging, as of yet, is still forming as a means of communication. The primary difference from blogging and simply putting up a web page is the interactive comments. As you moderate you're readers comments and allow them to to be viewed by others, and respond to them, the dynamic communication begins. This is, as you stated, only possible if you have more than one reader.
Blogging, as of yet, is still forming as a means of communication. The primary difference from blogging and simply putting up a web page is the interactive comments. As you moderate you're readers comments and allow them to to be viewed by others, and respond to them, the dynamic communication begins. This is, as you stated, only possible if you have more than one reader.
Great rant Ryan!
I have to agree that blogs aren't as good as threaded discussion tools for focused conversation. And keeping track of a bunch of blogs can be a pain, especially if you're not that interested in what others are saying.
I am interested in blogs for professional presentation. If you were to present yourself as a professional on a blog, how would you do it? What links would you put up? What work samples or papers would you put up, and how would you present it?
At the end of your master's program you'll put up a professional portfolio, showcasing the various products and reports that fulfill the program competencies. You could put it up once for faculty review, then take it down. Or you could keep it up for the world to see your work. Who knows what might result from it - a job offer, a collabroation with a person in your district or beyond, an invitation to present at a meeting.
I see blogs as a potential access point for professionals. You could do a webpage just as easily. A blog has the advantage of being easily maintained, free hosting, choice of templates - several advantages.
But you're right - they do have some disadvantages!
Ryan, you just started a popular topic, so......
I remember my teacher in the middle school told me once that bicycles should serve people. Why did we spend that much time polishing and cleaning the bicycles? It is the same with the Internet. We just use it as a tool when necessary. Blogging is just another tool for people to say what they are interested. I am fine with blogging, but don't care if anyone reads it or not.
Of course, if you are doing something you are not interested in, it is not going to make you feel any better. If you have the interest, anything that is boring to others could be fun.
I like Life Is Good's logo: do what you like; like what you do.
I agree that not everyone love blogging. Who has the time. It can be a lot of time if you can spend the efforts on the computer writing stories. I think if a paycheck went along with blogging, it would be even more interesting to do. Unfortunaely, I think most of the class blogs when end, when class ends... We shall see.
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