Learn To Blog (Revisited)

In July I wrote a post about a college course that included a blogging component. I went on to talk about the relationship between blogging and writing.

I was quite amused to find that the post had been linked to and my ideas described as very metaphysical. The linkers had interesting things to say. They, like me, wondered if blogging could be taught.

A month or two later I came across a blog for a Camosun College education course. The students all created blogs and communicated in a 'working blog'. This is the approach I took when I reorganized The Demo Blog. The difference being that many of my team were already bloggers.

I have been thinking about this for some time. I know that blogging can be taught because we all learned by reading books, or asking questions, or checking help pages such as 'Blogger Knowledge'. What I hadn't decided was whether it should be taught. Part of the fun for me was exploring and learning new things on my own. However, I also realize how important it has become in my life, and how much my cybersocial interactions have enriched my life.

This is why I began planning blogging workshops at the agency where I volunteer. Blogging may not be for everyone, but it might help others open up their lives a little.

At The Demo Blog we are informal and educate each other as needed. We write tutorials for members and offer suggestions. We treat each person as part of our team. Our Photoblog is a fun perk for members which allows us to express ourselves.

Currently we have more experienced bloggers than novices, but that will change (hopefully) in February. When the time comes we will have a pool of bloggers who are skilled helpers. Part of what we do is teach each other blog related skills. We then, are learning to blog.

We have written tutorials for each other and I am planning on posting them to a separate blog that will contain only lessons. I thought my idea was unique until a member directed me to Orangejack Blogging University.

Some of you might wonder why I am making such a fuss about this. Sure this is a nice hobby, but it is nothing to rave about - or is it? When I first wrote 'Learn To Blog' I said that the important issue was writing - which blogging was an extension of. This was only partly true. We write our ideas in a blog, but we broadcast our ideas to the world. Furthermore, we interact with each other through our blogs. Ninety percent of my online communication takes place in blogs or the comments and guestbooks of blogs. If Blogger and other systems didn't email me when comments are made my email would be scarce. Compare this with people who don't blog - most of their communication will be in email or instant messaging.

We live in a fascinating age. Where teenagers are the teachers and peers don't live in the house next door, but on another continent. By teaching and learning together we can 'share the wealth' and help document what is happening. Teaching requires an aspect of learning. As one teaches another he or she looks for answers and thus learns something.