Tuesday, January 8, 2013

New To This Whole Blogging Thing.... ish

If someone would have asked me 12 or so years ago if I would be a blogger, I most likely would have first thought it was some corny rip off of the famed Frogger video game franchise and said "No." Then, once someone explained to me what blogging was, then I would probably still have said "No." In years past, I never would have even considered blogging. In all honesty, back then who would really want to read a 'Dear Diary' moment about me on the Internet, especially when all of the dial-up Internet was needed to download those precious illegal mp3s on Napster. Speaking of Napster, the first song I ever downloaded was "The Saga Begins" by Weird Al Yankovic, which was a parody of "Episode 1" of the Star Wars movies, which sampled the song "American Pie" by Don McLean. Anyways, blogging was just something that never ever once crossed my mind. In my grade 12 year, someone I knew started to blog, and I can honestly say that I never once read one of their posts (I feel bad for that now come to think of it). I just never thought that I would want to sit down and read about someone's day, because I would rather just ask them about it in person.
Then the years rolled on and I realized that people were actually becoming famous for being bloggers, and that this blogging thing had become a huge phenomenon that I had apparently missed the boat on. None of my close friends were blogging, but they would read blogs, and knew people who blogged, but did not blog themselves. So, I decided to one day read a blog to see what the hype was about. So I began to read a blog made by a TSN broadcaster, and I found it awesome because of the hilarity that was contained within it. Despite this new found love for reading, I still never once thought I would blog myself... until I entered the Faculty of Education at Brandon University, and was told that I had to blog for part of my course marks, using a little site called Ning.
Well I can honestly say that I actually enjoyed writing blogs for that class, because it really helped extend my learning on what I had learnt about in that particular class. However, once the class was finished, my blogging trailed off quite a bit. To be more exact, it disappeared completely. I do not know why, maybe it was because the class was over, but who knows.
Anyways, I am using this class (Internet For Educators) as sort of my second chance. I want to make sure that I keep this blogging thing up this time, because I now truly see the benefit of its use. It is a great way for educators to share ideas, help each other through problems, and just stay in touch for sanity's sake. It's use within the Internet for Educators class will be highly beneficial, and I hope that it becomes an integral component of course.
So, to conclude my first post in just over a year... here is to a new second start in my technological career (so now the thing in the picture and I are going to figure out exactly what this RRS feed is exactly) .... CHEERS!!

4 comments:

  1. Hey Scott! Welcome to the blogging world :) I totally agree that blogging helps to extend the learning process beyond the classroom. I use my blog lots for personal reflection after PD sessions and certain classes. I have found it a really helpful way to make sense of all the information I'm learning and I have gotten some good feedback from readers that has helped me even further.
    I hope you continue to enjoy blogging and I look forward to reading more!

    Miss L
    Miss L’s Whole Brain Teaching

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  2. Welcome back to the blogiverse. You might like icethetics.info it's a hockey art blog that tracks upcoming jersey changes and also has a fan-made concept jersey a day.
    I also agree that reflective blogging is a great way to extend/solidify our learning. I've also found it very helpful as a record of learning that I can go back to to refresh my memory.

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  3. Hey there fellow blogging newbie! I never thought I would be a blogger either. I viewed it as a diary or journal, and I have never kept one of those. I think I am now approaching blogging in much the same way you are. I see it as a way to reflect upon and extend what we are learning about teaching in our classes and practicums. I also see it as a great way to share and seek advice from more experienced educators. Plus, I think we all have something to offer, whether it be a resource link, a lesson plan idea, or just some words of support to a fellow struggling teacher. I am looking forward to building my PLN alongside each of my classmates.

    Lisa

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  4. I too am a fellow blogging newbie!! I also viewed this as an "online journal" and never would of thought i'd see myself creating a blog of my own. I agree with you in your concluding thoughts in saying that you are noticing the benefits of blogging and that it is an excellent way for educators to share and collaborate. This is how I hope to benefit from blogging, and I look forward to reading other's ideas as well! Hopefully we can all use this many years after we have left BU to keep up with new ideas.

    Sarah

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