questions for seeding midterm discussion:Weblogs and Wikis

Midterm Discussion 2007

questions for seeding midterm discussion

Part of this course is to push writing boundaries, and to test preconceptions about writing, about reading, about 'how' we think about writing in both electronic spaces and traditional spaces.

Our discussion over the next few days is not an exam or a debate, but a heuristic dialoge: an opportunity to think about and reflect on what you've been doing over the past few weeks. The questions on this page are some guides that I may call on to direct our attention.

See also MidtermReflection | MidtermDiscussionNotes26Mar2007

getting started

Think back to how you looked at these matters at the beginning of this course.

Think back to how you thought about blogs and wikis at the beginning of this course Go to the archives of your personal blog and read a few entries, and take note of what you noticed, what you valued and why you valued it.

Since the time when you wrote those entries,

What's changed about the way you now understand blogs or wikis - and how?

an example of the change

Nothing, really.

What's stayed the same - and why?

I've always valued humor in my entries, and try hard to keep that a constant in my blog-writing. With of course varying levels of success. My 'class blog', originally made for the class assignments, was called 'I'm Judging you', after and inside joke I have with GrantGartland. Similarily, my project blog is a feminist blog titled 'blogging with balls' hopefully I don't have to point out the irony

How are you spending your time on your projects?

Not nearly enough. I've only made two posts although both of them were fairly long. I have writen dozens of others, but none that I feel confident in posting. I really need to increase my workload for this class in order to get my work done

projects

What's going well? What's going better than expected?
well I've managed to be funny, it would seem, so I have that going for me. Also, I've been in communication with the writer of A Blog Without a Bicycle, which is great

What's going not so well? What unexpected problems have you encountered?
I just don't have enough time. Although Morgan has suggested I need to change my topic, that won't do me any good, it isn't the subject, it's my current work load. I need to get my butt in gear

What are you going to do next?
No.

writing spaces

Has keeping a blog/writing in a wiki changed your writing habits, and if so how?
No, my writing habits have not changed unfortunately.
who you write to (audience imagined and audience addressed), how you read your own writing. Do you write and run? return to it to develop later?
I make sure when I write in my blog for this class it isn't at all a personal blog, the most recent blogs I Have kept have all been of the 'friends and family' variety. That is about all.

Has keeping a blog/writing in a wiki twigged you into developing any new writing practices?
No, it really hasn't.

Has keeping a blog/writing in a wiki twigged you into developing any new writing strategies? that is, have you found yourself encountering new ways of addressing the new writing situations, eg: how you respond to others on a collaborative blog, or how to write a critique of a piece of writing posted to a wiki?
No, blogs are not a new experience for me, and I have always treated them in a semi professional manner. The only major difference is that I am more careful about my spelling.

Has keeping a blog/writing in a wiki twigged you into experimenting with any new forms or genres of writing - either traditionally recognized (the sonnet; the aphorism....) or (purportedly) new (the list, the linked essay...)
not really, nonfiction isn't really my thing, but this isn't the first time I've done it

Has keeping a blog/writing in a wiki changed your understanding of writing, or your understanding of your self as a language user?
No, again, blogs are not a new experience for me. I have been writing blogs for five years now, of different varieties and kinds. This is just another extension of that.

RedefiningBoundaries

realm of usefulness

As you see it now, how might you use a blog or wiki to support what kind of writing?

personal notebooks

Since this is sort of what a blog is in the first place, this seems like a natureal use for one. A wikki could also be used in a similar fashion if you wanted a more multimedia experience, I think

general online presence: news, reporting, commentary

This is kind of what I've used them for and am using my for currently

online collaborative projects (wikipedia, etc)

I personally would not use a wiki, it's just not how my brain works. I do however see how important and well (more or less) wikipedia has done. I think for projects like wikipedia, a general knowledge base, it's great. Or in a closed wiki for a group project.

literary genres (essay, poetry, fiction)

I have used blogs in this way. I think it can be a good way to publish your own work on the web with fewer steps than having your own website, it's far easier to update.

support

This has been another major use of blogs, to create social support networks. I think this is one of the best and most benificial way to use blogs

publishing

Similar to literary uses. It's not real publishing, but I know people who have gotten jobs as freelance writers for papers by having their blog get noticed. Others have made a living off of their blogs.

teaching

It would be a great way for k-12 teachers to keep up with parents, and keep them updated, or for profs to communicate with their students.

generative questions

You're now approaching a level of expertise that allow you to address these questions with some authority. So

In exactly two sentences, define a blog, distinguishing it from other forms of writing spaces, including a wiki and paper.

An online space with entries ordered in a sequentual manner generally expressing one's thoughts and/or feelings. Blogs generally only are acessed by the writers, but with the options for readers to read comments

In exactly two sentences, define a wiki, distinguishing it from other forms of writing spaces, including a blog and paper. see WhatIsAWiki

A wiki is an online space consisting of multiple pages, all interconnecting by subject links. Wiki's are generally open to the general public and can be edited by anyone

What do you think you as a language user can do best in a wiki / blog that you can't do in another writing space?

I think both allow more writer/reader interaction, and move writing out of the closed spaces of a journal into the world, it makes one more responsible for their words, and how they put them together.

Just what does the blog / wiki provide that good ol' paper and pencil can't?

Possibly and audience

Just what does pencil and paper provide that writing in a blog / wiki can't?

Privacy.

Just what changes about writing when you write in a blog / wiki?

It is not and never can be, 'just for you', it is a public medium, and makes you personally responsible for what you write there.

and so

What are you finding you're gaining by keeping a blog / writing in a wiki that you didn't expect?

It's been nice to hear from individuals about what they think about my work. Not that I have any audience to speak of, but it's always nice to get positive feedback

What are you finding you loose?

Everyone and their mother can see that I am behind in my work. I prefer my academic imperfections to be of a more private nature, this is a little like forgetting your lines on stage.

CategoryExercise

Weblogs and Wikis : MidtermReflectionKatieAase