Amy Gahran at Contentious is doing a series on different types of blog posts, and she’s broken it down into seven basic categories:
Brings back fond memories of the blogging discussion that ensued here last May, and made me start thinking about it again. I think the difference between the Amy’s list and mine is that she focuses pretty much on form where I focus more on the content. And I still think the content is the determiner as to what is and what isn’t blogging.
That’s still what’s frustrating me about how I see teachers and students using Weblogs here. Few are actually “blogging.” It’s on my list to get with some of the English teachers and give them my pitch, the one that emphasizes the process and the benefits. At least we’re starting to see some research to carry along with us. And I mean, c’mon, just look at all these NJ Core Content Curriculum Standards blogging can satisfy:
Ok, well, maybe not that last one. But you get the point. Blogging isn’t going to necessarily satisfy the need to have kids write longer, more developed pieces (even though they could do that.) But it is a great way to lay the foundation for that, not to mention a valuable genre in it’s own terms.
Wil… I was recently asked to point out the value of weblogs in Development (read: developing nations) I guess some of these criteria apply, but I’m still working on compiling a list of functions specifically for this goal. Any ideas? blogging playing a role in third world education? Obviously its a tall order if you’ve got no computers to begin with.
Here is also a nice list posted by Anne Davis.
http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogInsights/2004/10/05#a668