I like reading other people's blogs, discovering people's inner thoughts. I have always admired people whose blogs attract people's attention, make people want to follow it day by day. It is just like watching a soap opera, you peep into someone's life.
But I have always thought that blogging is not for me... No, no. For several reasons: 1. A quotation I read many many years ago rings in my ears "Only fools trust their thoughts, personal lives to diaries" and well blogs are a kind of a diary. 2. I don't think I can write so creatively. 3. I don't have time to be bothered about it and etc. etc.
On the other hand I am much aware of the value of reflective writing in learning and teaching, and as a teacher trainer I always recommend it to teachers. But not to myself...
Therefore I was trying to pospone the day when I will actually create the one. Almost the whole week, I looked through Donna's instructions, visited several blogs of the participants but did not dare to create my own. I have noted that Tariq found some themes in the Internet so I should search as well. I have also noted that Sebnem is quite an experience blogger, so I need to learn from her.
But today I decided today or never, otherwise I will fail the course.
Started following Donna's instructions first, but then the instructions on the site were self-explanotary. Good thing is that I like reading the instructions and following them! So that was very easy! Now I am looking forward to making it more attractive and will think how to motivate other teachers use blogs.
But here is a question that worries me: Who do you write your blogs? To yourself? or to others? Or to both? In each case I think the perspective, the content, the language changes.
Ok, let's try to write it to both to me (so that I can return to my notes later) and to others (this means I will have to try to organise my thoughts in a neatly way).
Reflecting on the week, I can say that I am happy that the course has started. This is my first experience of participating in an on-line course. So I am trying to adapt to the new environment. I liked several things:
1. I liked Donna sending us clear instructions and regular reminders on what should be done by when.
2. liked my course participants, they are from diverse countries, cultures, contexts. I look forward to making good friends with them.
3. I liked Nicenet, it is a simple but very handy tool for group communication. I really liked that each class can get their key to access the specific discussion. I should try that out with my class.
4. I flagged my country on the class map. Though first I couldn't find where I can write the comment and just wrote short sentence and it was saved. I couldn't delete it or edit it, so I created a new comment. Ah, one more thing, I am from Tashkent, Uzbekistan but currently in Cairo, Egypt staying with my husband. So when I visited Tariq's website it showed that someone from Cairo is visiting! I should have confused people. But I don't know how to deal with that! I think I should announce everybody that I will be accessing from Cairo.
5. I have read the ground rules and commented on the Nicenet.
6. I really liked the rubricks for the discussion comments. Actually I have never thought that we need criteria for that, but yes, that is very useful and necessary.
From my experience so far and the recommendations from the previous course participants I have noted several points:
1. I have to be more active, write more comments (of course excellent ones :)) as I have discovered they will be assessed.
2. I should try to do the tasks as soon as possible, otherwise I have to read everybody's comments! Like it happened in Nicenet introductions, I had to spend about an hour only for reading the introductions before I posted mine.
3. Everyday I will have to devote at least an hour or two and follow all the news, posts etc.
4. I should start thinking of the final project.
Ok, looking forward to the next week tasks!
But I have always thought that blogging is not for me... No, no. For several reasons: 1. A quotation I read many many years ago rings in my ears "Only fools trust their thoughts, personal lives to diaries" and well blogs are a kind of a diary. 2. I don't think I can write so creatively. 3. I don't have time to be bothered about it and etc. etc.
On the other hand I am much aware of the value of reflective writing in learning and teaching, and as a teacher trainer I always recommend it to teachers. But not to myself...
Therefore I was trying to pospone the day when I will actually create the one. Almost the whole week, I looked through Donna's instructions, visited several blogs of the participants but did not dare to create my own. I have noted that Tariq found some themes in the Internet so I should search as well. I have also noted that Sebnem is quite an experience blogger, so I need to learn from her.
But today I decided today or never, otherwise I will fail the course.
Started following Donna's instructions first, but then the instructions on the site were self-explanotary. Good thing is that I like reading the instructions and following them! So that was very easy! Now I am looking forward to making it more attractive and will think how to motivate other teachers use blogs.
But here is a question that worries me: Who do you write your blogs? To yourself? or to others? Or to both? In each case I think the perspective, the content, the language changes.
Ok, let's try to write it to both to me (so that I can return to my notes later) and to others (this means I will have to try to organise my thoughts in a neatly way).
Reflecting on the week, I can say that I am happy that the course has started. This is my first experience of participating in an on-line course. So I am trying to adapt to the new environment. I liked several things:
1. I liked Donna sending us clear instructions and regular reminders on what should be done by when.
2. liked my course participants, they are from diverse countries, cultures, contexts. I look forward to making good friends with them.
3. I liked Nicenet, it is a simple but very handy tool for group communication. I really liked that each class can get their key to access the specific discussion. I should try that out with my class.
4. I flagged my country on the class map. Though first I couldn't find where I can write the comment and just wrote short sentence and it was saved. I couldn't delete it or edit it, so I created a new comment. Ah, one more thing, I am from Tashkent, Uzbekistan but currently in Cairo, Egypt staying with my husband. So when I visited Tariq's website it showed that someone from Cairo is visiting! I should have confused people. But I don't know how to deal with that! I think I should announce everybody that I will be accessing from Cairo.
5. I have read the ground rules and commented on the Nicenet.
6. I really liked the rubricks for the discussion comments. Actually I have never thought that we need criteria for that, but yes, that is very useful and necessary.
From my experience so far and the recommendations from the previous course participants I have noted several points:
1. I have to be more active, write more comments (of course excellent ones :)) as I have discovered they will be assessed.
2. I should try to do the tasks as soon as possible, otherwise I have to read everybody's comments! Like it happened in Nicenet introductions, I had to spend about an hour only for reading the introductions before I posted mine.
3. Everyday I will have to devote at least an hour or two and follow all the news, posts etc.
4. I should start thinking of the final project.
Ok, looking forward to the next week tasks!
