In light of some of my main points of learning since beginning this module, namely, the concept of the value-creation process, the power of micro-influencers, and the practices of community sourcing and multiple authorship in the communication of constantly-changing information, this first assignment- focused on blog publishing- has certainly broadened my experience and whetted my appetite in the online world. Terms like sub-community, interconnection and mutual learning were brought from theory to reality and I began to dip my foot in the realm of blogging and witness its potential.
The blogging platform is non-discriminatory and affords the opportunity to people from every background to communicate ideas worldwide. While blogging allows the student to develop skills in areas such as content writing, digital literacy, and communication (www.bloggerspassion.com), it can also facilitate college faculty in reaching wider and more diverse audiences. Some recommendations from academic bloggers with which I concur include; writing regular and concise blog posts, maintaining persistence in building up a web presence, channelling subject enthusiasm through the blog, using the blog to float ideas and get feedback, and using the blog as a means to foster intellectual development (McLeod, 2007). This is something which I can do right now and which can directly benefit me in my main area of study: writing and communicating through Irish.
Giving and receiving feedback in this assignment has been such a positive experience. As highlighted by King, students engage in high-level cognitive processing during the peer feedback process because it requires skills such as explaining, identifying mistakes and gaps, and providing suggestions for improvement (Rotsaert et al, 2017). This has certainly been a thought-provoking and validating experience for me.
References:
- Agarwal, A. (2019). Top 10 Blogging Skills You Need to Become A Professional Blogger in 2020. Retrieved from https://bloggerspassion.com/6-skills-every-blogger-needs/#4_Follow-up_Skills
- McLeod, S. (2007). Professors Who Blog. Technology & Learning. Vol. 27 (11), 50-50.
- Rotsaert, T., Panadero, E., Schellens, T. (2017). Anonymity as an Instructional Scaffold in Peer Assessment: its effects on peer feedback quality and evolution in students’ perceptions about peer assessment skills. European Journal of Psychology of Education. Vol. 33 (1), 75-99.
Rachael Kinkead (18202251) 