Comment challenges this week
Day 4: Ask a question - this one I do every day. Whenever I make a comment I usually end with a question - I suppose this just automatic as I comment on so many student posts, that questioning is easy.
Day 5: A blog post I don’t agree with - this is one I am going to have to put off till later. My blog roll is usually only people who are of a like mind to me. Maybe I will head to a principal’s blog or a politician’s.
Day 6: Engage another commenter in discussion - this has been made simpler because of the co.mment and cocomment tracking devises. I found a great article on Christy Tucker’s blog about teen writing and blogging. The conversation went back and forward with her also visiting my blog on the way.
Day 7: Three lessons I’ve learned - I comment often on student blogs, but now I look at it, more often it is on their emails before they actually publish their posts. Most of my comments are on student blogs, but often from other schools around the world. Secondly - I need time to extend my network to find great blogs to comment on that are not necessarily on educational topics. Finally, thank goodness for cocomments and Twitter - a range of blogs to visit, read and comment on.
Day 8: A blog outside my niche - another challenge to do by the end of the month.
Day 9: Should we be commenting on blogs? The article made very interesting reading and certainly made me think about why I am blogging. On my personal blog, I post about my experiences using Web 2.0 tools this year but some of my posts end with a question or activity. To me, this means I welcome comments. But my class blog is a totally different place. Here I expect students to have a go at an activity, visit websites through the links and also to send me posts of things that interest them. When commenting, I expect them to show they are computer and internet savvy in what they say and how they represent themselves. I also expect them to comment on the topic or activity they have had a go at.
Day 10: Comment audit on your own blog - this will be interesting. I know in my first week of blogging, I wrote my 5th post on “Why is no-one commenting”. I didn’t realise at that time about developing a PLN (personal learning network), I had never heard of Twitter and I don’t think I had commented on anyone else’s blog. Well the comments started coming in after Sue Waters twittered about my post and these were the hints to improve my chances on receiving comments.
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Use Twitter
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Add some links to your posts - make a ‘ping’ to another blog - the blogger might then visit your blog
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Write for yourself and put your heart into it
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Make sure your ‘About’ page tells more about you as a person
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Follow a great example like Sue Waters for hints, info and mentoring
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Decide what type of blog you want - informational, reflective, thousands to choose from….
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Have a blog RSS feed so interested readers can follow you
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Have a picture of yourself on the blog - makes a more personal feel
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Write posts that give guidelines or how-to do something, provide explicit opinions on your profession
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Read and make comments on other people’s blogs
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Treat every post as a conversation - comment on comments from your readers
I took all these comments to heart and hopefully have improved my chances of having someone comment on my blog.
But maybe, you have a different opinion.
Feel free to leave your point of view.
I really like your list of summarised comments hints to improve chances of people comments but this is my favourite “Treat every post as a conversation - comment on comments from your readers.” Now I know I didn’t write that one but wish I had. What excellent advice.
Thanks for sharing the insights.
You know, you talk about having tasks for students but not so much for yourself (did I read that right?) and it makes me wonder about how much should really try to do what we ask our students to do.
I always try to do every project and writing assignment that I am going to give my kids — as much to troubleshoot as to share the process with them. I often talk through the problems I have run into and strategies that I have come up.
When it comes to blogging, maybe we should do the same, but with our PLC that develops through the various RSS feeds, Twitter, social networking, etc.
Just a thought.
Kevin
@Sue - that twitter you sent out way back in January certainly helped improve my blog and its readership. There were some excellent hints given and I felt I needed to share them on this particular challenge activity.
@dogtrax - maybe I didn’t write it very well but any activities involving Web 2.0 I will have already tested out before asking the students to use it - otherwise as you say, there could be problems - often I find the problem is I can do it as an adult but because of filtering either at school or at home - some students can’t get to that particular website or link.
Those filters … cause more trouble than their intended benefit, most of the time (but not all of the time).
Kevin
I’m glad my post was able to raise some questions and get some discussion going. It has been fascinating to see everyone’s responses to the role of comments on their blogs. As someone that has been blogging for almost ten years, it is quite nice to sit back and reevaluate things from time to time, particularly as technology and its uses change so quickly.
I love your summary of advice for getting more comments on your blog. I think it takes a while to figure out what kind of blogger you are and what kind of blog you’re writing. I definitely didn’t start to find my “groove” until I had been blogging for months, maybe even a whole year. It takes time to figure out what really inspires your writing and helps push your learning - which sounds strange since it’s your blog, but that’s definitely been my experience
I think you’re well on your way already!
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