Thoughts on Blogging

Just realised that I was supposed to reflect on blogging in my first blog so here goes:

The Start of my Blogging Experience
I started blogging last year when it was a requirement of my Dip TAA course. I felt a bit insecure about the whole concept so I only shared my blog with my assessor to start with.
At first I wrote out my blog long hand and then edited it and keyed it in. That became a drag after a while and very time consuming so I tried just typing my blog straight in. This worked well as I had the security of being able to go back in and edit a blog at any time.
I got very positive reinforcement from my assessor so I continued.
Then I realised that I was blogging every day and not getting my work done - much as I am now!
I set restrictions on myself that I could only blog once a week. Then I got very busy and found that I was only only blogging for each unit I completed.
I was pleased with the feedback I received from my assessor - very positive with the comment that he always enjoyed my blogs.

Reflections on Blogging
I enjoy blogging and found that it enabled me to reflect on the unit I was in the process of completing.
I could reflect on:
- what went right
- what went wrong and why
- how I could do better
- how I felt about the whole thing
This reflection helped in my learning and also with my credit result!

Later
I tried to continue blogging as I had enjoyed it so much but found it quite difficult as you can see - this is the blog I started after I completed my study.
So I guess that I really have to have a purpose to blog or at least I find it easier if I am doing something that I need/want to reflect on.
I tried to encourage my students to use a discussion forum in wiki to create a reflective blog - not a very positive response. To be perfectly honest I am not comfortable blogging in a discussion forum - I feel a discussion forum is more for short questions/answers/reflections/comments.
I like to have a big space where I can put all of my thoughts down as you can see.

23 Things
This is great for me as it has got me into blogging again and given me a purpose to blog.
I look forward to taking the time to really investigate the aspects of blogging I have not taken the time to explore and really learn how to make my blog lot more attractive or at least interesting.

23 Things

Just attended the first session for 23 Things.
Sounds like it will be a great adventure if I make the time to take advantage of it.

Should do
I know that I should be doing this in WordPress but I already have this blog and was not really using it so I am here.

Intentions
I intend to take the time to add stuff to make this blog interesting but not today.

Gizzle
I have been in Elluminate sessions since 3.30pm - nearly 4 hours and I am hungry, stiff and my eyes have just about given up.

I do like the idea of 23 Things but I am not sure that I will be able to convince my e-leaders as most of mine are admin staff and are time poor.

MOOC

I had wonderful intentions with the MOOC even though I knew I was in for a busy time.
It didn't work!
I was teaching on Tuesday mornings so unfortunately I missed all of Carole's Elluminate sessions. Will catch up with the recordings.
I also missed a lot of Junita's Thursday sessions as I have a class that finishes at 8pm on Thursdays.
I did enjoy the session I co-presented on the Wednesday night.
Hopefully my chaos has been resolved and I can get back to normal. I have been teaching VCALs and have found it a consuming challenge to engage them and design assessment tasks to enable them to show what they know. Most of them are great kids and we all do our best for them but it just takes one disruptive student to destroy a carefully planned session.