Blog #8 Reflection on Blogging

I have read blog entries periodically for many years. I even set up a blog for my old job. But I never posted a blog until this class. I have since found that blogging is a great way to share information and sources with like minded people once you have their attention. If no-one is following you then who is reading your entries?

To me blogging feels like an electronic form of a private journal that you have chosen to make public. It can be introspective, thought provoking and educational. Reading the blogs of my classmates has often introduced me to new avenues of research and illustrated many different points of view on one topic. Will I continue to blog? Right now, I know I will continue reading blog entries of classmates and others beyond Full Sail but I doubt I will make very many entries of my own. However, if teaching a class I could most definitely see incorporating blogging into my course.

Of the many Web 2.0 tools we have been introduced to I must admit a few stand out and have even been incorporated into my daily routine. Communication-wise I find it wonderful to keep an iChat and Skype window open. Before I would often feel isolated when sitting at the computer working for hours on end. I now find that I no longer feel isolated as available friends, family and associates are a click away for answers to questions or conversation. Indeed, it has allowed me to reconnect with friends and family overseas in a way that negates the distance between us both in time and geography.

Within the corporate world I see tools such as Zoho providing distinct advantages. These collaborative tools provide efficient ways to manage document production across team members. The collaborative nature of these tools eradicates confusion over the current version of a file, keeps all team members on the same page, and helps establish ongoing open dialog for the team. In the past I have often had to incorporate many changes, often conflicting, from several individuals into one document. An arduous and time-consuming process that is now effectively obsolete.

Using these tools in education however requires more consideration. Many schools have severe limitations on accessing these tools. Fear of predators, hacks and destructive viruses keep many classrooms from using Web 2.0 features entirely - despite the potential benefits they provide. Access beyond the classroom is also a concern. Although many students may have computer access at home, many more do not. Even at the college level many students access is limited to campus computer labs or libraries where the tools are inaccessible and blocked by administrators.