Yay, public speaking from the comfort of your very own home
I know that this is a popular topic, but seriously, what is with this blog being so damn scary? I fully agree with the concept of ‘the fear’ and I am so glad that other people are feeling it too. But I guess as they say, (not sure who ‘they’ is, I forgot) I’m feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
I wonder if this blog were anonymous (or signed off with ID numbers instead of names) whether that would make this whole experience a little less daunting…at least then I wouldn’t have the worry of being judged by my fellow classmates…that’s right, you.
Although I agree that this class blog idea is a great way to help us get first hand blogging experience, I think that the major (frightening) difference is that ‘crossover effect’, where on Wednesday you may very well find yourself sitting next to the person whose post you so scathingly ‘critiqued’ (or vice versa).
Maybe I’m just keeping the class blog and the actual class too closely related in my mind because for me this feels more like a speech made from the front of the lecture theatre (shudder) than a way to achieve a semi-anonymous discourse with my classmates…
I wonder if this blog were anonymous (or signed off with ID numbers instead of names) whether that would make this whole experience a little less daunting…at least then I wouldn’t have the worry of being judged by my fellow classmates…that’s right, you.
Although I agree that this class blog idea is a great way to help us get first hand blogging experience, I think that the major (frightening) difference is that ‘crossover effect’, where on Wednesday you may very well find yourself sitting next to the person whose post you so scathingly ‘critiqued’ (or vice versa).
Maybe I’m just keeping the class blog and the actual class too closely related in my mind because for me this feels more like a speech made from the front of the lecture theatre (shudder) than a way to achieve a semi-anonymous discourse with my classmates…
posted by Anonymous at 7:47 pm
3 Comments:
Actually, I don't think it's that different writing on the blog than discussing something in tutorial/class. Even though you might end up "scathingly 'critiquing'" someone here, you could end up doing the same thing in a real-life discussion? But here you can structure your thoughts and work on what you want to say so it sounds better! (Like this post I've re-written probably 5 times already..)
I never come up with good counterarguments in a real-life discussion, I always think of them two hours later...
In one way, I guess I think of this blog a bit like chatting, even though you know there's someone there (and who) it doesn't seem quite the same as talking. I can more freely say what I want here on the blog, as I also can say things more freely chatting with someone.
And on the judging-thing, I actually find it interresting to see who wrote the different posts, and I don't think you'd be judged any different in a real-life discussion. I actually think people come off better in writing.
But I guess we're all different. (Which is kinda good, think how boring the world would be otherwise!)
Emily ;)
Interesting post, Vanessa. And I agree with you, Emily (though of course it's easy for me to say!). I have a sneaking suspicion that if I replaced the blog assignment with a tutorial presentation (not the whole lecture class - just the tutorial), most people would find that more daunting or grueling. But I may be wrong. I am genuinely interested in people's responses to this as I think about how to run this course in the future - though you are, of course, welcome to wait until the totally anonymous course evaluations to make these points.
I think the Blog is a fantastic way to voice your opinions. You can talk for as long as you want, you don't get intterupted, and you don't waste other peoples time.
What might also be good is if we have extra time in tutorials we could even select a couple of them to discuss, (even better if the author is in that particular tut)
I personally don't have a problem with the anonymity thing. What have I got to be afraid of? The worst someone can do is sit there in class giving me the "evil eye", and if I can't handle constructive (or scathing) criticism I should never submit an essay to be marked in University lest I climb the Clocktower with my Lightning Gun...
Caleb (plays too much Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4)
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