“Writing is monologue; blogging is conversation” (Richardson, p. 30). This simple statement describes the major difference between writing a blog and any other type of writing. The reason that bloggers share their opinions and ideas is to start conversations about a topic that is of interest to them. A blog doesn’t end with what the author has shared. Ideas are expanded on and questioned through the comments that follow by both the readers and the author of the original blog. In this way the comments actually become a part of the blog. When readers return to the blog or new readers visit the blog they not only read the initial post, but all of the related comments and conversation below it.
The reading and writing of blogs has in a way become its own type of literacy. When writing a blog authors include not only their thoughts and reflections on a topic, but links to help their readers become more informed about the subject they are writing about. Readers of blogs must know to read the blog itself, any linked articles, web sites, blogs, and the comments and conversation sparked by the original post. Many of these readers also become writers within the blogs they read as they add their opinions, reflections, and questions through the comments below the initial blog posting.
Obviously, the blogs visited for this assignment were only a small sample of what is out there. There are many types of blogs and many uses for blogs that I have not explored yet. I am looking forward to learning more about blogging and how it can be used effectively in the classroom.
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for
Classrooms. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oak, California: Corwin.
Rouse, D. (2005). 20 Types of Blog Posts – Battling Bloggers Block. Retrieved
January 25, 2014, from http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/11/29/20-types-
of-blog-posts-battling-bloggers-block/