Monday, February 8, 2010

blogging v microblogging

Blogging, let me count the ways and the blogs. I maintain (run, operate, publish ~ whatever) a clutch of blogs. Does anyone know the correct collective would be? Blogs are a flexible medium. There is no single definition or standard model for content, let alone a single straight jacket definition.

There are, however, misconceptions. I've heard most of them from people telling me what a blog is or sometimes what they think mine should be. I don't keep a diary blog. Nor are any of my blogs primarily opinion blogs, political or otherwise, although I do express opinions, which I think of as the personal voice thing.

Three are community blogs, briefly described in the the order of their appearance. One is basically informational + opinion (aka critical review, analysis) + reportage with research and as much backstory, all in all rather a mix of posts, emphasis on arts and culture, on whatever interests me. Another straight announcements without editorializing. The most recent, something of an experiment, supplements my static web pages for quick updates, comments, etc. as an experiment to keep content fresh, save updating time since blogging is quicker and more efficient than updating a static website and make the site more interactive.

Somewhat related to the community blogs: a poetry blog created for a local annual poetry event that goes into event information mode for the event but is a an all-purpose poetry blog the rest of the year. Rounding out the list is a personal but community grounded blog, recently reactivated and snarkier than the other community blogs. It went into hibernation mode while I was maintaining the local Chamber of Commerce web page to protect their sensibilities and avoid conflict of interest, eg by making critical commentary.

There are inactive teaching blogs created for an afterschool program I am no longer active in, another active but private (limited to class) created for an online ESL course that morphed over time into an online study group. It's a group blog: every student in the class/group is a contributor. Another, this one where I reblog these Multiliteracies reflection posts is - loosely - about the intersection of computers, teaching, writing, and language.

The advocacy blog: I contribute and have admin status for a blog for an national adjunct and contingent faculty advocacy group I am involved with. It's not my blog but I write most of the posts as well as anything on tech/ design & layout end.

Microblogging would be tweeting in various manifestations and extensions that include syncing, retweeting, tweetmeme or whatever I am using that turns blog posts into tweets and Fcbk links. I'm relatively new to tweeting but enjoying it. I have two accounts, one under my name, @VanessaVaile at http://twitter.com/VanessaVaile and the other for the faculty advocacy group, @NewFacMajority at http://twitter.com/NewFacMajority. Both support websites, with @VanessaVaile supporting multiple sites. I'm still in learning about and in test driving mode.

Personally, tweeting is a superb exercise in concision and self-tutorial in writing "txtspk." I did promise myself to learn another language this ~ just that I was thinking of it being Welsh.


Although I've been bookmarking pages on using Twitter in teaching and course management and sending them to Beyza as well as sharing EdTech list email on the subject, I can't honestly say I have a clear sense yet of how I would use plain vanilla twitter teaching other than for quick announcements. I am getting glimmers of sorts about using Twibe but need to spend more time with it.

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