This week, we’ve been asked to carry on our regular discussion for Pam Berger’s IST611 class - Information Technologies in Educational Organizations – on a blog rather than on a message board. Cool! See questions and responses below:
1. The contributors in Mattering in the School Blogosphere differentiate between library blogs and librarian blogs, with each serving a different purpose. How, if at all, would you incorporate blogging into your professional career? And which type would you lean more towards – the library blog or the librarian blog?
I’ve been blogging for over a year now, mostly on personal family blogs but also on a company blog and the
Syracuse MLIS blog. So I am comfortable with blogging, I enjoy it, and I would love to incorporate blogging into my library once I have one of my own. As a blogger, I do think that with each different blog to which you contrubute, you have to think about your potential readers. It isn’t easy. Defining your “blog voice” and deciding what’s your point is critical. Once I have my own library, I would love to have a library blog where I post about new books, cool websites, fun projects, and general items of interest. I’m hoping to have the opportunity to teach students to blog. As Sara Johns stated in the Mattering in the School Blogosphpere article, as blogging becomes more acceptable it will become more ubiquitous (65). And students need to learn how to use blogs safely and effectively.
(I should point out that Sara Johns, quoted in this article, is my fieldwork/practicum mentor, and she’s really a fabulous person.)
As far as whether or not I’d have a separate librarian and library blog, I’m not sure I would. In reality, are they that different? I agree that the tone or focus of the two types of blogs will be different. However, because of the public nature of blogging, anyone can find your blog on the web so even if you are blogging as a librarian elsewhere besides the school Website, you are still representing your school, and you should post accordingly.
2. All of the readings give specific examples of ways to use blogs with students and in schools, as well as the positives and negatives of incorporating blogs into your school. What other issues or positive consequences can you foresee happening as a result of utilizing blogs in schools? Can you think of other ways to blog or use established blogs as a teaching tool?
The primary positive consequence I can see from incorporating blogs into a school is to encourage shy students that might not feel comfortable talking aloud in class. Blogs allow students time to formulate their thoughts before making them public. Blogs also allow students to find their voices and define what is important to them, encourage creative writing, and boost literacy. Although there is always a risk of students making inappropriate comments, I think it will be lessened by the fact that the blog process is so public and all comments will have students’ names on them. Plus, the blog can be set up so that the teacher or LMS has to approve the comments. I like the idea of using peer pressure in a positive way to improve students’ writing.
Mattering in the school blogosphere. (2007). American Libraries, 38(5), 62-5. Retrieved February 8, 2009, from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.
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February 11th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
You make a great point! Some students are not comfortable speaking in front of their classmates. These students may learn to contribute their creative ideas freely in a public forum using blogs. This asynchronous form of communication may be exactly what these students need to help them develop self-confidence and communication skills. Thanks.
February 13th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I love the idea that blogging will help shy students. I hadn’t thought of it, but you’re absolutely right: they can still articulate their thoughts as they would in a paper, but they have the added benefit of being able to post it up for the whole class to read. They don’t have to worry about stuttering or misspeaking, because they can always edit.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Hi Rebecca,
Wow, that’s really exciting that Sara Johns is your mentor! I bet you are learning some wonderful new tips and tricks about being a successful TL. I agree with what you say about blogs being most effective as a blend of library and librarian schools of thought. I will also add that I think great blogs are perhaps a blend of both.
I also agree that shy students may benefit from writing a thought in their blogs, but I hesitate to agree whole-heartedly. I think some students, knowing that many others (even those outside of their classroom) are going to be able to read their posts may be even more reluctant to contribute. I think that would have been me as a k-12 student. Saying something in class happens once and it’s over, whereas something written in a blog can be referred to again and again, and that may freak shy students out more.
Your posting really gets me thinking, because I know that times have changed, and this seems to be the generation for full disclosure reporting (yikes!). So, maybe k-12ers don’t have the same kind of shyness that would have prevented me from even considering communicating via a blog. I would love to talk about this with the “shy” students and get their feedback on it.
P.S.- You’re blog design is very nice- soothing and without lots of extraneous stuff everywhere. Plus, I love ducks! Great example of well put-together blog.
Jen
February 15th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
I agree. As someone who is a bit shy herself, I find that writing has always been the easiest way to express myself. I can appreciate the benefits that blogging would have on the more shy students. I also think that once their confidence has been built up by the creative expressions that blogging offers, perhaps interaction with other students will increase (talking about the latest blog, etc.). With this also comes a more confident speaker as well!