Glenn Groulx

Hi Sylvia,

My interpretation of blogging differs from Will Richardson's perspective.

I think that what Mr. Richardson is describing is not having to do with blogging per se, but with the cognitive process of sense-making, a key component of critical thinking. His continuum describes the levels of critical thinking, most of which can be supported by current blogging tools to various degrees, depending on the pedagogy (instructional strategies) used.

I think that dismissing journaling and annotating resources as not part of blogging is surprising. However, I think we need to place the cited content in the context of which it was originally written. The dismissal of reflective, metacognitive writing (where links are absent) is underplaying/distorting a crucial motivation for why many bloggers capture their ideas. Briefly put, if it is using a blogging tool, it is "blogging".

I referred to level one blogging activities, called berry-picking, many of which are covered in Will Richardson's continuum of blogging.

Background Reading: Berry-picking activities

Take a look at these posts demonstrating berry-picking:

exemplar one: link log

exemplar two: significant learning

exemplar three:

Hi Jo Ann,

Welcome to the blogging seminar!

I am very interested in learning more about using blogs for individual and collaborative artmaking, storybuilding and storytelling. This has tremendous potential for use with learners.

Looking forward to talking with you.

Glenn

Hello Michael,

Thank you for this link.

I am an adult literacy instructor teaching English and Computers at Northwest Community College, in Prince Rupert, BC. I work with First Nations students and support remote delivery of upgrading courses for adult learners living in remote communities. This example of connecting off-campus leaners with on-campus learners is an amazing example of how to integrate blogging into instruction.

Blogging, for me, involves explorations, where learners engage in guided discovery learning. I use the image of the collection of kites flying high all tied to their guides by a string.

I was asked at a conference about the issue of assessment for students who are blogging. I came up with a tentative idea of tethered assessment - rather than placing assessment first, and then preparing an activity to match the outcomes, as is done in formal learning, blogging encourages us to engage in praxis, to perceive assessment in terms of how well a previously encountered event or activity has prepared us for the current event or activity. In effect, learners assess their learning based on how well it "fits" into the current requirements. A useful learning activity, then, for a blogger, is one that has had high relevance to current conditions, and one that has been referred to repeatedly over time to inform current/future practice.

Just an open thought- discussion?

Glenn

Hello Caren,

Welcome to the seminar!

I have noticed that some bloggers change their focus over time, and emphasize their more personal side and shrink their professional blogging blogging activities, or shift it into lower gear.

How has your own blogging style changed over time?

What kind of coordinating activities do you engage in to manage your contributions across multiple learning networks? (Here is my response from my own blog).

Looking forward to the discussions!

Glenn

Hi Jeffrey,

Welcome to the seminar!

I consider the blogging space a liminal space, a performing space, and a transformative learning space.

I think that a part of becoming more comfortable in the blogging space, especially blogging in the open, is deciding what type of blogging belongs in what space. For example, for me, my blogging activity within the AU Landing has a specific focus: academic activity.

But I have a personal blog, which I don't feel comfortable revealing to the open public at this point. It is embedded in a private sandbox within my literacy blog, at http://edublogging4literacy.edublogs.org and most of those posts will probably one day be made available to the public, but when I am ready, not before.

Recently, I was talking to a colleague about how I have been wanting to enjoy slow-blogging, engage in reflective thoughts and introspection. I really enjoy using the blogs for chronicling my learning journey. Some of my learning is done in the most surprising places in surprising conditions. I keep a private dream diary, and record and archive my ideas on a voice recorder while walking (long, quiet walks far from traffic and noise).

Sometimes I blog for myself, allowing my learning path to take me in different direction each day, and I open up the blog reader for personal growth one day, and open the edublogging blog reader the next day (or open up and read several RSS aggregators on the same day and compile posts on several topics for several blogs).

I think we need to give ourselves more permission to blog for oneself, to engage in pure play with ideas. Sometimes I blog for just me, sometimes to a larger purpose, and I feel a bit odd addressing my diary (I have seen this done in personal blogs, though; for example, take a look at The Random Thoughts of Louis Schmeer).

Looking forward to discussions with you.

Glenn