I’m back on the grid now, more or less, sitting in the Maine maritime Academy in Castine, Maine — a beautiful little town next tome some beautiful water, dotted with beautiful sail boats, some made of fiberglass and some made of polished wood.
I checked in at registration around 3:00 and was immediately accosted by six — seemed like more — ed tech mentors asking about conferences that they should attend. I listed just a few of my favorites and then just got them talking about what they looked for in a conference. I don’t mean to imply that this was an unpleasant experience. It’s just that after a day-long vacation with my wife, well I just wasn’t prepared 😉
Then, one young woman asked (and I paraphrase quite poorly), “When you blog all this material, what’s left to teach? What can you offer in person that’s better? Again, I was still too addled by the drive up from bangor and an entirely disturbing book (fiction) on my ipod to give an adequate or even coherent answer. I remember during my early days of blogging, that I was fairly guarded about what I would share, fearful of giving away the services that are, in part, my bread and butter. But that concern drifted away over the months — to where the revenue aspects of what I do no longer filter what I blog about.
Still, I suspect that the question was even deeper than that, and I think that it could raise some interesting discussion. So what do you think?
“What does blogging replace?”
“Does it replace anything that was already there?”
Photo Citation
Stinson, Peter. “Blogging.” Tidewater Muse’s Photostream. 20 Jun 2007. 1 Aug 2007
Hi David,
I have been reading your blog for two months. For me, the interesting part of your blog is getting some insight into your current thinking. Education speakers that I see as a math teacher and text author are very polished and stick to a very rehearsed presentation. Also, it is enjoyable to see part of North America through your eyes. My only business travel in the past two months has taken me to Winnipeg and Edmonton, Canada. The vistas in Maine are more impressive….trust me.
Blaise
Unless you blogged 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and even then – your blog couldn’t possibly reflect your continuously evolving philosophy. And the interaction at a conference/workshop would further influence, expand, lead your thinking into new directions or permutations. “Static” can never replace “living”. Even while your fingers are still on the keyboard they are recording a reality that is past.
David,
Blogging replaces the absence of information. It replaces “not knowing.”
Hi, David.
Blogging doesn’t replace anything. I think that blogging for some is all about processing information. For some blogging is very similar to thinking outloud. For some, it is getting their thoughts out there. Getting their thoughts out of their heads, down through their fingers onto the computer screen so the rest of us can read what they have to say.
For me blogs are an inspiration. They always make me think. I like thinking. Thinking is good.
I think sharing as much as possible will only help you. More people will be able to find you. I sure wouldn’t have found you by any other means. A blog with great ideas equals more speaking engagements.
When you speak in person, there is unique value that doesn’t exist in a blog. It’s more real. You become more real and much more memorable to people. It sounds vague but there are a lot of little things going that you can’t see with the naked eye. Some examples… how genuine you are, body language, emotion, authority, and so on.
I’m sure I could get a good impression of you with this blog, but it takes much longer than if I saw you speak in person.
That’s just my 2 cents worth :).
I think blogging adds a dimension to learning that wasn’t always available in the past. It allows others to hear the bloggers reflections, thoughts and feelings that usually go unheard as they occur only in one’s head. I have found many “liitle jewels” in blogs that I never would have considered before. NECC was an example of this and I thoroughly enjoyed the thoughts and reflections of fellow attendees and I even discovered new blogs through blog links and references. Blogging enriches, provides a greater variety of points of view and often encourages a lively debate and does it in a more spontaneous way. Blogging is different and provides for somewhate different kinds of learning opportunities than face-to-face provides.
And…out of nothing more than curiosity what was the “disturbing” book on your iPod??
I agree…blogging does not replace anything. It adds a discussion that could never happen in a large lecture hall. It reminds me of what happens after a lecture, when a few people approach the speaker and then end up having a cool discussion. Only the discussion on a blog is open to whomever wants to take part. I like that part of it.
I find, with my kids, that they will post comments about stuff they would not say outloud. I have some really quiet kids that are great bloggers, it gives them a voice.
The quick answer to “if you blog all this material, what’s left to teach,” is — band!
The longer answer of course is that this question represents another symptom of what I call the information fallacy. Only the smallest percentage of the educational experience is related to the delivery of content or its access.
Knowledge is a consequence of experience. As someone who has taught online for more than a decade, I know that you can create experiences both f2f (face-to-face) and online, but that requires that you stop confusing information with learning.
You can’t blog band or ballet or science experiments or computer programming or field trips or mathematics if you treat those discipline as verbs, actions. You may of course blog ABOUT experiences, but that is NOT the same as doing science or music or math or ballet or drama or photography, etc… All experiences result in learning and knowledge, whether it is what schools value (via curriculum) or not.
Blogging is not learning, although you certainly learn something by doing anything. A blog is an artifact of learning just like a worksheet or a test. You might call it second-hand learning.
If this explanation is too tortured, I might ask the original questioner, “What gave you the idea that you teach currently everything there is to teach? Or everything there is to know?”
Such thinking was impossible when classroom technology was a stick and dirt and the curriculum was fire. This seems to be represent the height of teacher-centrism.
“What does blogging replace?â€
For me, living in Brazil, its an attempt to replace the PD that I can’t get, in a small way its the give and take of ideas that make a difference.
“Does it replace anything that was already there?â€
For my special circumstances it replaces the sitting around in those rare free moments at a school sharing what works and what doesn’t, and the new idea you heard about.
It does not replace a thing for me. It offers the opportunity to have a conversation with folks of the same interest but differing views. That is what stretches my learning. The challenge of conversing with these other educators.
It replaces educators teaching on an island. It bridges these islands and connects learners and teachers that once could very well have been lost!
I was the one who asked the question, and it sort of occurred to me after something David said himself – too bad I can’t take the full credit for it.
I think that when you blog, people get to see that you have something to say, and if they like it enough – they will want to see you in person. Could this be added to your resume? Would be a great thing, wouldn’t it, if you are trying to impress someone, unless you post complete junk.
I’ve read your blog for quite some time and also attended your presentations. They are quite different. While the umbrella topics are the same, the content provides unique informaion. The presentations were polished and gave both the background for WHY you felt as you did…and then talked about what you thought were the ways technology could enhance education as we moved forward.
But that was just a snapshot of where you were at that moment. Your blog is more casual. It gives insight to how you revise your thinking as you encounter a range of individuals, explore and research, and learn more. So as you learn, we learn right along with you.
If I may be allowed an analogy…your presentation was like being served a great meal. Your blog invites us all into the kitchen for a group cooking experience.
David,
You do an excellent job of engaging participants in your spotlight sessions. As you know, it is impossible to hear from everyone attending, to talk with everyone individually when you’re the keynote (or even sometimes in a large workshop), or to deeply exchange ideas, and even flitting thoughts, with more than a few people.
Blogging provides the opportunity to do all of the above. AND, for those of us who are more on the introverted side of things, it’s possible to feel more a part of the conversation with less stress. In person, I might not be ready to jump into the conversation. Participating like we are on this posting gives me the needed time to process what I’m thinking, read over what I’ve written, and then, with much less trepidation click “I’m a human” and share my thoughts.
Much research has been done on this phenomenon in the context of asynchronous online discussions – I think we’re seeing much of the same principles at work in blogging community.
So why would I come to one of your sessions? Because I like you, you’re fun! ☺ And because I respect how hard you work to continually look for new applications of ed tech in education. Also, I believe in what you’re saying, I want to be a part of the army that changes American education. So I come for support; and as Bruna said, inspiration.
Keep doing what you’re doing and we’ll keep coming to listen … in person and virtually.
You are a master presenter. The blog cannot convey the spirit of your convictions in the same way as a conference experience. I’m not sure I would run to a conference to hear you speak just from reading your blog (and I do like your writing); but after hearing you speak–I definitely ran to your blog! Keep up the good work.
Blogging and speaking augment each other to create a better whole.
I find the hardest part of blogging is determining how honest one can afford to be. Education needs the truth, but the truth right now is that it is in a ‘dismal’ condition. How do you say that and not bite the hand that feeds you?
Blogging doesn’t replace teaching it enhances it. My student’s blog allowed them to take what was learned or discussed in the classroom and ponder it further – getting feedback from their peers in a safe venue. The kids in five different classes shared topics or book reviews and collaborated on current events.
Blogging creates an online writer’s workshop that is real and immediate. The kids who were avid bloggers ventured off and created their own blogs.
This didn’t replace me or change the rest of what I teach it just added color from many different directions.
Kia ora David;
Naketa here from NZ! NO right or wrong answer to your question I suspect…just a conversation, so here are my thoughts.
I think blogging replaces ‘Power’, Like in Thomas L. Friedmans book “The world is flat’, where the playing field is evened out. I think it reduces the notion of ‘Me Teacher’ – ‘You student’. In teaching there is sometimes the misconception that we have to assume the role as expert when in fact Web 2.0 and blogging encourages us to take on the role of learner and both parties (reader/writer) are enriched by their encounter with the other.
In terms of power, the accessibility to a wealth of information is retrieved with an internet connection and a computer. For me blogging about random things, sharing ideas, engaging in conversations etc is sharing of knowledge.
I agree with what bruna says “For me blogs are an inspiration. They always make me think. I like thinking…”
I do enjoy being challenged and blogs encourage me to do this.
Thanks for your provocation Dave. 🙂