I just read an interesting post on the Common Craft blog. Leelefever discussed how many assumptions those of us who live in an online world may be making about the knowledge of the general population. It reminds me of the discussion we were having about ‘Are they really digital natives?’ a few weeks ago.

The discussion is a wider one than that just what is affecting us in schools. Interestingly, I have even noticed aspects of it in special interest groups I am involved in.  There is a very active community of glass artists online, and I think we all frequently forget there are many other talented artists who have no online presence at all.  It seems the web is not yet ubiquitous in any aspect of our society.

It is a large enough presence, however, that we do our students a huge injustice if we don’t adequately prepare them to good global citizens online.

Apparently its Day 18 in the comment challenge.  I don’t feel like I have done anywhere near 17 tasks though.  I feel like maybe I have hit a hump in the middle, but maybe for different reasons than some that have been mentioned across the challenge.  One of the common themes in the responses about the challenge has apparently been a reaction from participants about feeling uncomfortable commenting. Maybe not valuing thier response, not wanting to ‘butt’ into a conversation etc etc. 

 My motives in participating in this challenge were perhaps a bit different.  I feel very comfortable commenting in many different types of blogs. I didn’t feel I needed encouragement to pursue some of the areas raised in the tasks. I joined the challenge to make myself go back to spending more time reading blogs, and to network with a group primarily consisting of edubloggers, who may read and participate in my blog.

I guess sometimes, like when I was considering completing the ‘31 Days to a Better Blog challenge’ its offputting to feel that there are very few people reading, and certainly commenting on your blog.  It all starts to feel a bit pointless sometimes.

In Day 17 we were supposed to analyse the comments on your own blog.  So very many of my posts have 0 comments - the most independant comments is 3 (I have 6 on a post, but 3 are my replies). The most responses are definitely related either to this challenge, or post I have written in direct response to another blog post. I feel like I want to do much more than rehash or highlight or even respond to what others have written, yet it is so hard to get some momentum on your blog.

Most days when I spend time on the comment challenge, I start by checking the participants page on the wiki, and picking a few new blogs to click on, that I havent read before.  It seems that with over 120 participants, a few more people would be getting regular comments.  Having said that, thanks to the die-hard folks who have been regularly commenting on as many blogs as possible. En masse you deserve the commenting award!

So, what has the challenge meant to you?

I just read an interesting observation on Graham Wegner’s blog, Teaching Generation Z . In his post Duty of care in an environment of innovation, he quotes Peter Simmond’s Outdoor Education analogy.

“Peter Simmonds, our DECS Learning Technologies Projects manager was an all day attendee on that Friday and he used the Outdoor Education analogy to good effect. To paraphrase his words, outdoor education could potentially be a very risky undertaking (think rock climbing and kayaking as two examples) but the educators involved have developed such well developed protocols and guidelines that the risks have been diminished to their very slightest and are now considered to be safe activities for students to be involved in. Teaching and learning online activities also would benefit from the development of protocols and guidelines that would turn the use of blogs and other online tools into a safe, highly valuable and essential learning practice. Doing so without this happening is like trusting your ropes will hold you down the rockface because of your experience rather than taking the time to check and ensure that the activity will not end in disaster due to human oversight or negligence. “

I had not heard that analogy before, and I find it incredibly apt. Its an important one to consider, both from its understanding that we can make online activities safe, if we put adequate protocols in place, and also in that they can in fact be dangerous if we do not take adequate care. Whilst it’s great that teachers are enthusiastic about blogging and other web 2.o tools, those that rush in without adequate care and preparation jeopardise it for all. Similarly, a lack of understanding by school administration can cause concern where none need exist.

It’s important for all of us that teachers educate themselves about the issues and ensure they are overcome before diving into blogging with their class.

That’s the question that Day 9 of the comment challenge asks. It’s an interesting question that is discussed here on the blog Eloquation. 

I agree with several of the points Sameer makes about carrying on a discussion and responding through your own blog.  But his commenters also make some very valid points. For example, some commenters may not have their own blog, or they may not think their response or the issue is worthy of a full blog post of their own. 

Personally, I don’t see it as a black and white, either/or issue.  In the past, I have frequently chosen to respond to a discussion with my own blog post. That is what I do when I want to make a longer response to the issue, when I think it’s important enough to want to spread to more readers, or when I feel very strongly about an issue. I like to leave comments, however, when I have a small contribution to make, want to add support or validation for the author, ask a question etc.

It’s a little like the issue of tags and categories - the differences can be a little unclear, as they seem similar, but they actually fulfil quite a different purpose, and both can be very useful tools.

So I vote for leaving comments open AND for continuing some discussion on my own blog - that’s what I intend to do anyway.

On Day 7 of the comment challenge we were asked to reflect on the challenge so far.  I found it interesting that apparently most people haven’t cited time issues as the reason they might not have commented a lot in the past. Seems most folks are sometimes hesitant to express their opinions as comments. 

My own reduction in commenting this year has purely been a time issue - and related specifically to my lack of time for blog reading. Basically, if I read a blog post and have any thoughts on the matter, I’m happy to comment.  Not backwards about coming forwards, that’s me!

I’m not sure I can put my finger on specific things that’s I have learnt during the challenge so far.  I have certainly appreciated the fact that the challenge has given me the impetus to keep up with my edublog reading more consistently lately.  And I have found it interesting to track my comments through cocomment.

I spent some time yesterday using it to go back through all the ‘conversations’ to read the comments that came after mine, and in some cases, that caused me to go back to the post and contribute further.  It has been a very positive tool. 

I did find it difficult to find a post to disagree with, which was one of the challenge tasks.  I’m not sure I really succeeded - I made a comment that was mildly disagreeing with one blogger, but they have not responded at all. Ironically, they did email me with a helpful response about another comment I wrote on a different post, so the lack of reply seems fairly deliberate. 

Life has gotten in the way lately, and I’m a day or two behind on the challenge at the moment. I’m looking forward to posting about the Day 9 challenge - should blogs even have comments?  Check back tomorrow for that one…

Today is the first day in the new 31 day commenting Challenge.  Hmmmm, maybe it’s actually the 2nd day and I’m behind the 8 ball?  Anyway, we are starting with a little self reflection - the answers to 3 simple questions.

1. How many times a week do you comment?
2. Do you track your comments and how?
3. Do you comment on the same blogs, or try and add new ones each week?

Okay, this isn’t too introspective yet, I can manage this .

1. I have been commenting a lot less since I returned to classroom teaching. I used to have a lot more time and energy available for edublogging. I have fallen behind in both my reading and writing, and the blogs I keep up with and comment on are as likely to be friends or related to my artwork, than education related.  I probably comment a handful of times each week, but few of these are on edublogs at the moment.
2. No, I have never tracked my comments.  This challenge requests us to register for cocomment, so this will be a new process for me.
3. At the moment, I really only comment on the blogs already in my reader.  I don’t make a conscious effort to seek out new blogs to comment on, or even to comment a specific number of times. Basically, I comment when I think I have something to contribute - either adding to the discussion, or supporting a friend etc.

We were also asked to checkout the Lifehacker ‘Guide to Weblog Comments’ and have a think about the issues discussed there.  There are 12 main issues to consider, and I think I come off pretty well in most of them.  I consider myself to be a thoughtful, courteous commenter. In some of the artistic or personal blogs I read, I may be guilty of repeating earlier comments, or commenting for the sake of it, as I think that people do like to read positive feedback about artwork, or words of support about personal issues. But on the education blogs, I am quite careful to only comment if I have something to add to the discussion, I have realised since I first became part of the online world the danger of  posting when emotional, so that’s not a problem.

So, I’m quite happy with my personal audit, but I am definitely looking forward to the opportunity to focus on my blog reading in a concentrated way.

Bring on the next 30 days!