Wednesday, October 10, 2012

A blog about blogging...


It is really interesting to look back at articles discussing ‘History and the Changing Landscape’ as it relates to History and the Internet.  The articles I am reading today are from 2007 and can be found here:   http://www.historians.org/Perspectives/issues/2007/0705/index.cfm

Something that was mentioned multiple times is blogging.  It seems as though blogging had just emerged on the Internet scene and was causing quite the ruckus. 

One article written by David Voelker:  Blogging for your Students discusses all of the ways to use blogs in the classroom.  Voelker was discussing how a teacher would use a blog in a classroom environment.  He would instruct students to read his blog and use the comment sections to begin discussions and to evaluate students understanding of the materials.  He also posted instructional blogs and links for information.    

Another article written by Anthony Grafton:  Clio and Bloggers takes another approach to blogging.  He sees blogs as “virtual café in cyberspace, one where the conversation is extremely lively and you can learn a great deal simply by listening in.”  The first blog he mentioned the Invisible Adjunct is no longer active but was a place where historians and others came together to comment on her posts.  There would be discussion threads opened and new ideas and thoughts would emerge. 

This Blog led him to History Carnival, which is still active. History Carnival showcases different history blogs each month.  The blog that was featured on September 1st was The History Tavern.  The Hosting Blog would compile blogs based on a theme of their choosing and then post the blogs.     

Blogs are more than just a Weblog, where users make log entries, (as Voelker was kind enough to define in his article).  They are a meeting place where historians come to challenge ideas, share funny sketches (seriously, check this out) or seek advice.  They are a vital part of our community. 

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