Posting comments on others' blogs is a little scary - my ego sometimes gets in the way - I don't want to come off sounding trite, trivial or inane. However, I get excited seeing that there was a comment posted - it's a validating feeling and especially if one is on the pc at 12:30, suddenly it doesn't seem so inanimate or that these typewritten words or just dying in a the void of a vacuum somewhere. At the same time, it can feel a little unfulfilling if its a conversation that I want to continue - like right away because I have a stream of questions that came up due to the other person's comments. However, I love feeling that sense of cyber-community, riding that Cyber-Wave!
The comments I have received have served to keep the curiosity alive and keep exploring for even better videos and to seek better ways to organize them. Actually, blogging and commenting serve really to make "all of this" less overwhelming.
Students will take to it quickly and enthusiastically as really evidenced by their attraction to texting, IMing, and their participating in social sites like Facebook, etc. Blogging taps into their need for social contact and validation. However, I also see that we can't be surprised if we see versions of "cyberbullying" rearing its head and be prepared to deal with it.
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Blogging IS a bit scary, I think, since I can't see the other person's reaction. I feel that I have to edit myself to make sure I get the message across, as I intended. I do also, like that sense of connectedness that this medium provides.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought up cyberbullying. This seems to be a growing problem for my middle school students. They even managed to find a few holes in classroom blogs, and began posting inappropriate comments. We visit all grades in my building now, to educate on Netiquette and Internet safety, and make the students aware. As positive online activity continues to grow, unfortunately so do the negative uses.