Decisions… February 4, 2008
Posted by Lance in Behaviour, Starting Out, blogging, learning.add a comment
I spoke earlier about not being sure what my “voice” was on this blog. I think I have come to a decision: I’m letting go of all the pretence and seriousness. I enjoyed the initial writing of this when I wasn’t trying to prove anything. Instead I am going to try and find that light-hearted tone and just see where this takes me. I was a lot happier with the results in the early stages (and a lot more productive too), and I am no expert, so why try to be?
This is not to say that I am going to try and make this into a comic blog (I know I’m not that funny), I’m just not going to take it all so seriously. I want to have some fun. Besides, I figure that this still fits the sub-title of this blog; “tentatve steps into web 2.0 and social networking”. I’m still finding my way and I’m still experimenting.
…if life seems jolly rotten
there’s something you’ve forgotten
and that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing”
Month Python’s “Bright Side of Life”
Small Hiccup … January 4, 2008
Posted by Lance in Behaviour, Starting Out, blogging.add a comment
As the song says, “You’re gonna to trip stumble and fall” After deleting the previous post (Online Tools vol 2) and rewritting it, and recreating the graphic in it, I have discovered that I really don’t know how to use the mentioned tool.
So, having some time on my hands and an overly developed stubborn streak I decided to keep trying. I know that it can work, as the post I originally saw it on had a working graphic, and the ones created by me worked in the kwout website. I think part of the problem lies in the fact that the edublogs site seems to be stripping the embed code out when I post (once again, probably something that I am doing).
After getting nowhere with this I did the next most obvious thing: I visited the kwout website and help blog … and found no help in the existing questions. I’m still waiting on a reply to my question to them, so we will see how it turns out.
Anyway, to the point (yes, I do have one, and I will get to it, albeit in a long winded and rambling manner). I have learned a valuable lesson here. I got a little excited by the potential of the kwout system (tool? toy? call it what you will) because I saw some potential in its use. What I should have done is to make sure that I knew what I was doing with it before I opened my mouth. (Not bad for someone who a couple of posts back was bemoaning the fact that he overthinks things and never just acts. Either I’m getting better at this or I don’t know myself as well as I thought).
So, it has been in my mind to take down the previous post until I figure out where I went wrong, but then I decided I should leave it up. I need the reminder that I need to do my homework before I post anything - I don’t need to be an expert, but a passing understanding would possibly be of benefit.
Looks like 2008 is off to a flying start, which reminds me: Happy New Year to you all.
Problems Dilemmas and Dichotomies November 30, 2007
Posted by Lance in Behaviour, Starting Out, blogging.add a comment
Last week I posted that I was having problems coming to terms with my apparent (OK, let’s be honest here: complete) lack of activity when it came to blogging.
Jeanette (of From the Principal’s Desk) left the comment that:
It doesn’t surprise me that you’ve struggled with your perspective on blogging, as I suspect any thoughtful blogger likely has done so. It’s a tool, and like any tool, there are times blogging will be useful, and times it won’t.
I started to reply to this, but after my reply started to ramble a bit, I thought to myself, “here’s your opportunity – this is where posts come from!” (I know – slow off the mark, but I am getting there). So please indulge me here while I divert from my original plan of looking at e-tools. After all, isn’t that the benefit of blogging? It’s dynamic.
Anyway, I think I have figured out what my problem was/is. I don’t know what I want my ‘voice” to be. When I started, it was just an experiment - I was playing, so the tone was very light. As I started to take the process a little more seriously, the tone subtly changed. I’ve been looking over the vast list that is my previous posts and I can see the change.
So, as I see it, I now have two key decisions to make: what is that I want to say, and how do I want to say it?
The first question is easy: I have no idea, but the ideas will come, of this I have no doubt, but the second is the difficult one. I can tend to be a fairly serious person by nature, with a natural propensity to over think just about everything, but I also try not to take it all too seriously. After all, as the man said, “no-one gets out alive”.
Perhaps the best option is to just write and see how it turns out?
After all, it’s just possible that I’m just over thinking all this. May have to ponder that one for a while.
… and Into the Light October 20, 2007
Posted by Lance in Behaviour.8 comments
Lat night I was lucky enough to have dinner with Sue Waters and Annelieske Noteboom from Challenger TAFE in WA. Sue is the driving force behind the Mobile Technology in TAFE blog site and was graciuos enough to allow me to join them on their last night in Melbourne. The evening was great, with conversation ranging from trends in e-learning to Sue’s total incomprehension of hook turns in Melbourne (she just could not get her head around the concept of moving to the left lane to turn right - how can that be hard?).
Anyway, after dinner, I was invited take a look at, and particiate in a ustream broadcast. For those who are unaware of this program, it broadcasts steaming video from your webcam to your audience, who interact via a chat system.
Its very cool, but also quite surreal: you’re sitting there looking at yourself on camera, talking to your computer, reading what people are typing, all the while trying to look ohh so natural. Well, that’s the theory. If you are me, you’re sitting there looking at yourself on camera, talking to Sue’s compter, reading what people are typing, all the while with a goofy grin on your face feeling ohh so self conscious, wondering how the hell you got there? Think back to my previous entry : I am not the type of person to be in front of the camera; I am the camera man or director or the coffee boy - anything that is BEHIND the camera.
I cannot think of anytime that I have felt that uncomfortable or self conscious - I think it was worse than the first time that I stood in front of a classroom. I humbly apologise to anyone who was subjected to my stumbling efforts.
On the way home, I was ready to discount the value of this tool - embarassment will do that to you. But I have been thinking about it today (even went to the saved file, but couldn’t bring myself to watch it; the cringe factor was too high - maybe tonight, or tomorrow, or ……..). For those involved in distance education, this could be amazing (assuming of course an active broadband connection). I know there are other programs out there that allow similar interaction, but this was the first that I had seen. It is impressive technology.
Give it a look and if you’re brave enough, give it a try. And to those who were subjected to last night’s performance - sorry.
Emerging From The Shadows (from 18th Oct 2007) October 20, 2007
Posted by Lance in Behaviour.3 comments
I was following a thread on the Edna Groups boards a little while back where there was some robust discussion around those who follow discussion but do not interact or get involved. Yes, that dreaded and much feared creature: the “Lurker”.
Now, before I go any further, can I please emphasise that I am not talking about any particular person/persons /forum/community/ message board/etc. No offence is intended to any person and no accusation is being levelled.
Anyway, with that said, a good point was raised in that if we were to be sitting in a classroom and a student failed to engage and get involved would we consider the class to have been a success? Now, I say this was a good point, but it does miss one crucial point – does lack of interaction instantly translate to lack of engagement? I speak from personal experience when I say “Not at all”. I was (and still am) one of those who, while very interested in what is going on around me, will still prefer to observe and take it all in. Call it what you will: natural reticence, introversion, lack of confidence, whatever; the fact remains that I am engaged, without having to jump in every five seconds. Have you ever been in a session or meeting where there was that one person who constantly had to have their say, regardless of its relevance? Now that person is involved, but are they engaged? That is a matter for debate.
Mike Reed’s Flame Warriors defines the Lurker as follows:
Lurker does not participate in normal forum discourse, but he’s out there…watching, reading every message. He is usually quite harmless, and more often than not his silence reflects a natural reticence rather than sinister motives. If a fight breaks out he will quietly observe to avoid revealing his position. Occasionally, however, some mysterious impulse drives him to de-lurk and attack. This totally unexpected assault is universally regarded as an ambush, and other Warriors will turn on him savagely. Lurker seldom sticks around to fight it out, however, and after a brief exchange, he once again slips out of sight.
So why is it that some people are threatened by the Lurker? Is it the lack of adulation for their brilliance? (It is hard to bask in the glory of their praise if you’re not sure that they are there). Or is it the age old story that the extrovert can never understand the introvert?
One of the reasons we visit boards and forums is gather new knowledge and learn at the feet of the sages; and its amazing how much can be learned just by reading a post. In other cases, a forum can be quite intimidating to step into: there is a sense of community that can be hard or daunting to break into, especially if those who speak loudest (or the most) are perceived as intolerant, condescending or just plain rude. This can have a seriously detrimental affect on those who are hovering on the outskirts.
I have been visiting discussion boards and forums for many years now and have to admit, I am guilty of this. I say it loud and say it proud: I am (or have been … no, am) a Lurker! What got me going on this train of thought today was that I noticed the numbers under my picture in my profile: Discussions (20). I had to go and take a closer look at that one. Twenty posts in a month? It didn’t seem possible (I have been a member of some boards for months or years without posting that much!).
So what has changed? Honestly? Nothing. It turns out, the secret is to actually have something to say, a question to ask, or a point to make (in my case it was question to ask … and then another one … and another one … and another one …and another one … ). If not for that, I would still be lurking away happily in my shadows, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I would be much happier sitting in the shadows than jumping up and down screaming “Look at me!! Over here!! Look, I’m doing something interesting!” (Please refer to my earlier disclaimer – I am talking in generalisations here)
So, if you are one of those who think that there is something “suspect” about the Lurker – back off and leave them alone, they’re doing fine, and if you leave them alone, who knows, they may just creep out and ask you a question or teach you something.
On the other hand, if you are one of the Brethren of Lurkers, rest assured, you are not alone. Say it loud and say it proud brothers and sisters, “I am a Lurker!” (but not too loud – someone might hear you).
