A Year in the Blogosphere…
18th October 2007
Hi – this is a quick post to say: how has this year been for students and other readers of this blog: In what ways has it been of useful / interesting / annoying – -etc…
I am also posting this to invite comments from those attending my E-Learn paper (in case you’re too shy to speak in the session).
I am about to go and do my presentation – so hope this post will gather some comments over the next few days…
Dave
An interesting and lively presentation – thank you!
Has it been a year already?!The best thing about the blog is the opportunity to soap-box on a variety of thoughtful issues. It kicked off last year with a discussion over whether contemporary Brits should apologise to contemporary Blacks over the atrocities of slavery previously waged in Britain. The issue had come to a head in celebration of a 200-year anniversary of the abolition of slavery. It was a lively discussion – I can still remember a guy saying an unequivocal “Yes apologise!” ….. and send chocolates as well. Other lively discussions included horse-racing and the well-being of horses (Cheltenham being home to a week of unsolicited gambling, drinking, carousing once a year at the race course) – some said, “well, thoroughbreds love racing so why not?” That response made my blood boil, or rather, my blood run cold; but, that’s part of the blogging experience. It’s like playground mentality – if a blog irritates me, I square my shoulders and write back, ‘Oh, yeah? Well think about this………..!’ (without resorting to name-calling) with all the heat of a playground bully. It’s great! I never was much good at playground scraps, but the blog has provided me with an environment where I can be scrappy, sharpen my ideas instead of my nails. Another discussion was whether studying Ethics and Philosophy made us ‘better’ or ‘good’ people. And I believe everybody concluded that it made us all better looking, so what else matters? (We’re deep). All those beautiful Greek philosophers, hey? And I do believe a number of people exchanged contact details, so popularity escalated after that blog.So here’s an opportunity to be opinionated, radical, wrong (sometimes I look back at what I’ve said and cringe), popular, ridiculous, humourous and downright brilliantly inspired.
Its great – I have really enjoyed the blog and have took part in most discussions to some level…A good way to broach subjects, and stimulate conversation. An excellent way of achiving those very conversations, and a good study tool too actually..Bravo – I will continue to use the blog far past my (hopeful) graduation!
Hi David,The blog has been great – I don’t think I have commented yet, but I certainly have read along with interest. Will you be posting your paper? Thanks and best wishes,Justin Whitaker (Bristol – Montana, US, and now London)