One effective use of a blog is to use it for professional purposes. Look at the blogs written by professional football coaches, for example, or sports writers. They use the blog as their platform for reporting the news, airing their opinions on important events or rule changes, and to educate their readers. I think that you might do the same in your work. What if you blogged to your players? What information might you want to share with them? Many coaches do a weekly blog--it could be a summary of the week's events, or it could be your thoughts about some particularly difficult concepts of the game that players often have trouble processing. What do you think?
That makes sense. So, it sounds like a blog is basically just a place that we can chat about a topic or make an announcement? ...So, let me try to give an analogy of what a blog might be in my terms and then you can tell me if I'm close. ---- If, for example, you and I and another person named "Joe" wanted to discuss a topic, then we might just exchange emails back and forth, over and over, adding our thoughts to the topic and responding to each other. Then, one of us could invite another person "John" to the discussion for his input. So then, the four of us (you, me, Joe, and John) would all be responding to each other or arguing or whatever. Now...it sounds like a blog is just like that except the posts and responses are posted online onto a website somewhere in hyperspace?? Is that a good analogy or not? Also, that is my next question, can anyone just get onto my blog? Can anyone just see it? Or, can anyone post to it? Or do outsiders have to have an invitation or can they find my blog be chance (surfing)?
I write a weekly lifestyle for a newspaper. I decided to blog about the same issues, especially since the paper is hidden in the dark ages and not yet online. It gives me different exposure.
Now that I am learning more about these social networking tools (from IDT 744), I have become much more aware of blogs and their functionality. I never realized that there are so many blogs all over cyperspace. Also, I can see how blogs could be a great way for reflection for students or teachers. And, like Dr. Whitehouse posted, maybe some day, in the proper context, I might decide to use a blog as a coach. So, overall, I think I have learned what a blog is and just how many people use blogs regularly.
I just put a "Voki" on this blog (see upper right). It might be useful on a blog or website for an auditory learner or person that does better hearing than reading.
I view a blog to be nearly the same as an online journal that you do not mind others seeing, or that you actually encourage others to read.
I know that a number of coaches and athletes blog about the inner workings of their sport, but I often wonder if there is not a publicist or other media personnel who actually posts (or at least approves the post). Can you not imagine an angry coach posting a comment about poor officiating? Or a coach making a small comment about an athlete's injury or poor performance in practice? One statement could land the coach in trouble with the conference, the other could cause people to assume you are providing gamblers with inside information.
Yes, I agree with Mike...an online journal is a good way of saying it. Or, it can be just about anything you want it to be, but most of all it is just a way to make your thoughts visible and invite the thoughts of others.
Well, now that the semester is just one day from completion, I guess this is as good a time as any to put a summary post to my intial "What is a blog?" question. As mentioned throughout the previous posts, I see the blog as a way to get information to whatever audience you want it to be...and give that audience the opportunity to respond back, give alternative ideas or opinions. It could become an online discussion, or an online argument, or just a posting of upcoming events, or a posting of facts, or a posting of opinions, or a posting of events (such as a lot of newspapers). I have noticed a lot of newspapers actually have blogs now...interesting. Or, like Boehke said in his post (above), it could be just an online journal.
I will say--after having this class and reviewing the final projects of a few of my classmates--that a blog can be a really good educational tool, mainly because of its collaboration functionality. Students and instructors can easily give feedback or reflections; and blogs are a great forum for discussions.
.jpg)
Well, this is funny. I'm the only person following this "blog" and I don't even know what a blog is.
ReplyDeleteOne effective use of a blog is to use it for professional purposes. Look at the blogs written by professional football coaches, for example, or sports writers. They use the blog as their platform for reporting the news, airing their opinions on important events or rule changes, and to educate their readers.
ReplyDeleteI think that you might do the same in your work. What if you blogged to your players? What information might you want to share with them? Many coaches do a weekly blog--it could be a summary of the week's events, or it could be your thoughts about some particularly difficult concepts of the game that players often have trouble processing.
What do you think?
That makes sense. So, it sounds like a blog is basically just a place that we can chat about a topic or make an announcement? ...So, let me try to give an analogy of what a blog might be in my terms and then you can tell me if I'm close. ---- If, for example, you and I and another person named "Joe" wanted to discuss a topic, then we might just exchange emails back and forth, over and over, adding our thoughts to the topic and responding to each other. Then, one of us could invite another person "John" to the discussion for his input. So then, the four of us (you, me, Joe, and John) would all be responding to each other or arguing or whatever. Now...it sounds like a blog is just like that except the posts and responses are posted online onto a website somewhere in hyperspace?? Is that a good analogy or not? Also, that is my next question, can anyone just get onto my blog? Can anyone just see it? Or, can anyone post to it? Or do outsiders have to have an invitation or can they find my blog be chance (surfing)?
ReplyDeleteI write a weekly lifestyle for a newspaper. I decided to blog about the same issues, especially since the paper is hidden in the dark ages and not yet online. It gives me different exposure.
ReplyDeleteNow that I am learning more about these social networking tools (from IDT 744), I have become much more aware of blogs and their functionality. I never realized that there are so many blogs all over cyperspace. Also, I can see how blogs could be a great way for reflection for students or teachers. And, like Dr. Whitehouse posted, maybe some day, in the proper context, I might decide to use a blog as a coach. So, overall, I think I have learned what a blog is and just how many people use blogs regularly.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI just put a "Voki" on this blog (see upper right). It might be useful on a blog or website for an auditory learner or person that does better hearing than reading.
ReplyDeleteI view a blog to be nearly the same as an online journal that you do not mind others seeing, or that you actually encourage others to read.
ReplyDeleteI know that a number of coaches and athletes blog about the inner workings of their sport, but I often wonder if there is not a publicist or other media personnel who actually posts (or at least approves the post). Can you not imagine an angry coach posting a comment about poor officiating? Or a coach making a small comment about an athlete's injury or poor performance in practice? One statement could land the coach in trouble with the conference, the other could cause people to assume you are providing gamblers with inside information.
Yes, I agree with Mike...an online journal is a good way of saying it. Or, it can be just about anything you want it to be, but most of all it is just a way to make your thoughts visible and invite the thoughts of others.
ReplyDeleteWell, now that the semester is just one day from completion, I guess this is as good a time as any to put a summary post to my intial "What is a blog?" question. As mentioned throughout the previous posts, I see the blog as a way to get information to whatever audience you want it to be...and give that audience the opportunity to respond back, give alternative ideas or opinions. It could become an online discussion, or an online argument, or just a posting of upcoming events, or a posting of facts, or a posting of opinions, or a posting of events (such as a lot of newspapers). I have noticed a lot of newspapers actually have blogs now...interesting. Or, like Boehke said in his post (above), it could be just an online journal.
ReplyDeleteI will say--after having this class and reviewing the final projects of a few of my classmates--that a blog can be a really good educational tool, mainly because of its collaboration functionality. Students and instructors can easily give feedback or reflections; and blogs are a great forum for discussions.