I appreciated the suggestion to read the article on our list by Dr. Dennen, titled "Becoming a blogger: Trajectories, norms, and activities in a community of practice." I selected this article because I have for many years, while in academia, considered creating a blog.
I appreciated the stories contained in the article and I focused on why they started blogging.
Case 1 - This individual couldn't remember why they started and didn't expect to actually gather an audience.
Case 2 - This individual lurked blogs for a long time and then decided it was time to contribute.
Case 3 - This individual was interested in a certain topic and started seeking help and information. Then she changed her focus later.
Case 4 - This individual felt it was a way of belonging and an opportunity for bravery.
Case 5 - This individual wanted to comment on a blog that didn't allow for comments. So she set up her own blog to respond.
Case 6 - This individual blogged to connect with friends.
In looking through this list, I tried to recall why I considered blogging in the past or decided not to.
A couple times I considered blogging sounds similar to some of these individuals - for a need to voice a concern, seek others who may have similar concerns, and try to support the next generation. One example was when I was first eligible to apply for full professor. I was discouraged from applying because of my role as a wife and mother. This was by a full professor who was also a wife and mom. I think she meant well but I was thinking - we really need to talk more about how to be supportive. I eventually wrote an editorial on maintaining a positive climate instead.
However, more times it has been about finding a way to share information. I don't know why I thought a blog would be better than a website, social media page, etc. Perhaps because I am working on being concise and at the time didn't know how to design a website. One relates to prescriptions drug benefits for Medicare an area I frequently discuss with community groups. There are so many special situations and exceptions, it seemed a blog might be a good place.
Another it was just a way to connect to other individuals and learn. For example, when my husband and I were acting in a sandwich situation between our parents and kids. I would drop my daughter off her developmental preschool therapy and run across the street to check to see my my father in law had his therapy yet.
To start this course, I wanted to try blogging without too much purpose. I even wanted to blog without to much editing. Just be here. I appreciate seeing all the EME6414 blogs and different personalities and ideas.
The article discusses in different ways a blogging community. The article ends with "the desire for community played a role in everyone's decision to blog to varying degrees." (Dennen, 2014, Discussion and Conclusions section)
Next step for me - to find a blogging community. What are you thinking? What is next for you?
I've always wanted to find a blog community but still not sure what kind of a community I'm looking for. Sometimes I read bloggers from Turkey but this's not something that I do particularly during the pandemic (--me using pandemic as an excuse again). I hope you'll find a blogging community! Let us know if you find one as the course progresses! Just curious...
ReplyDeleteThanks I will. I found this article in case it is interesting for anyone else.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.tots100.co.uk/2015/01/12/blogging-for-beginners-joining-the-blogger-community/
Hey Cariann! This was a great read! Thank you for helping to sum up the article as well.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think I still fall in the category of Case 7 - blogging as a way to keep up with the class, and I am not sure post-class if this habit will continue to stick. However, I am starting to see the value of blogging and moving forwards, I can see myself logging my subsequent learning journals in blog form instead as it forms a much more convenient way to access my learning! So if i were to keep blogging, it would be in more of a knowledge sharing community of the modules that I am taking that particular semester!
That is a great idea Kelvyn, I have tried to share information with my colleagues that I am learning but never thought to do it in a blog format.
ReplyDelete