OK, there goes another hour....or more...trying to get my head around commenting and co-commenting while blogging. I admit I am not a diligent commenter. There, I have said it! I applaud those who make the effort to comment and co-comment and keep the conversations going and I love to get comments on my blog! Even though I don't always comment back (another black mark against my name as a blogger). Is it time? Yes....but it is also a certain shyness I still have to be fully out there and interacting.....I think it is also a lack of confidence in what value I have to offer as a commenter. However, my aim is to be a 'Better Blogger' and here is one way we can do this.I wish to draw your attention to the Comment Challenge created by Kim Cofino and colleagues for the month of May, 2008. Kim has detailed instructions on her blog on how to participate. There are prizes and awards! (I think if you wanted to be a winner you would have started on May 1st however). There are daily activities posted on the Comment Challenge wiki. People are blogging about how to be a better commenter. There are even student and class participants from around the world. This is amazing!
So, what have I done so far? At last I re-found CoComment and added a widget to my blog to track comments I make. It has raised my awareness of how important commenting is and how as a blogging community we need to put in more effort to support each other and to foster conversations.
So, join in, put your name on the list of participants, create a CoComment account and get organized. This is not about being a winner, it is about participation and being a better blogger.
Technorati Tags: comment08 cocomment blogging kimcofino
4 comments:
I find Julie’s confessions of online shyness and lack of confidence absolutely, positively astounding. If someone of her caliber and talent, someone so well respected in her international community of colleagues, is ‘shy’ and ‘lacks confidence’, where does that leave the rest of us she is encouraging to begin a blogging, and commenting, life? I guess that leaves us knowing that we are being supported by someone who knows how we are feeling as we take our first steps and supported by someone so committed to elearning that she overcomes these feelings of reserve so that she can contribute to, and share, the important professional conversations that are taking place online.
Thanks Beverley (soon to be a blogging colleague within walking distance of my office at school!). Yes, you are fully supported and encouraged. It is the conversation that is king, the message rather than the medium as they say.
Julie, on the one hand, I'm totally amazed that you can find the time to do this when you are smack in the middle of the Horizon Project. On the other hand I've been on the receiving end of your supportive efforts and am not surprised by your selfless efforts to nurture professional growth.
Thanks for joining us!
Hello
I too was amazed to hear that you still feel a shyness in being "out there", I have found your blog stimulating and engaging and you have so much to offer through the links that you make. As a relatively novice blogger taking the challenge I am learning all the time. Together with a colleague we have recently developed a masters in advanced occupational therapy here in the UK to be delivered totally on line. A steep learning curve is an understatement! Your blog is full of ideas for resources and also supportive advice and guidance from yourself and others who have obviously been doing this for some time. thanks
Post a Comment