A Weekend of Adding Blog Literature - a mini-review

6 more resources (5 worthwhile):

1. Using blogs for English Language Learning at the University level has been documented (Bloch, 2007). Because of its low cost, easy accessibility, and the ability to distribute work to larger audiences, students are more likely to see themselves as authors. Bloch (2007) notes that there have been only two types of blogs: those that deal with issues of social and political importance and those that revolve around identity and more personal issues (p.4). In particular, online discourses foster a social community for bloggers and such community unite disparate backgrounds of English Language Learners (Bloch, 2007). Blogs united readers to writers and writers to readers. Of greater importance, Bloch (2007) reverses the questions teachers often ask when wondering about the uses of blogs. He turns it around and asks, “What problem do we have that blogging might be a solution for? (p.11). In conclusion, blogging is a form of literacy itself (Bloch, 2007).

2. Blog burnout occurs (Nardi, Schiano, Gumbrecht & Swartz, 2004), even if most blogges are aware of their readers(audience awareness). Nardi, et al (2004) acknowledge the five, major motivations for blogging: documenting one’s life; providing commentary and opinions; expressing deeply felt emotions; articulating ideas through writing; and forming and maintaining community (p. 43).

3. Blogging began to emerge in 1997 (Martindale & Wiley, 2006). Martindale & Wiley (2006) discuss that it is a tool that that has advantage over discussion forums (p.59). Because of post-course inaccessibility, course management systems alter the way students post. Blogging is more permanent and students are more motivated to write (59). Martindale discusses his multiple audiences when it comes to content. For him, there are six: himself, students in various courses, students in his degree programs, friends and coworkers, colleagues around the world and unknown readers of the world (p. 59).

4. For girls, weblogs address a dual nature of interpersonal communication and mass communication (Bortree, 2006). Content for girls tends to be talk about the day and what occurred over the weekend (p 30). They write for friends, but also recognize they are aware of the general public who may read their posts (p. 34). Because of the dual audiences, writers must be aware of how their words are presented. For the most part, blogs are used by teens to maintain relationships (Bortree, 2006), but more research is needed, especially with in-depth interviews with teenage bloggers for their insights.

5. In 1999, the total estimated # of blogs was 50 (Drezner & Farrell, 2004). There is currently no official organization to govern the blogossphere, so capturing “ideological consensus” doesn’t occur (p.33). Blogs are influential because they do affect international media coverage (p.34) and both journalists and pundits find what matters from weblogs. Because the Internet allows everyone access to information, those who blog can become instant fact checkers to challenge journalists and what is being reported (p. 37). They are a forum for citizens whose country may not allow political expression (p.38).

Bloch, J. (2007). Abdullah's blogging: a generation 1.5 student enters the blogosphere. In Language, Learning and Technology, 11.2. June, pp.128-142.

Bortree, D.S. (2005). Presentation of self on the web; an ethnographic study of teenage girl weblogs. In Education, Communication and Information, vol. 5, No. 1, March. pp.25-39.

Drezner, D.W. & Farrell, H. (2004). Web of influence. In Foreign Policy, December,
pp.32 - 40.

MacKinnon, R. & Zuckerman, E.. (2006). Gathering voices to share with a worldwide online audience. In Neiman Reports, v. 7, Winter, pp.45-47.

Martindale, T. & Wiley, D.A. (2008). Using weblogs in scholarship and teaching. In Tech Trends, Volume 49, Number 2, pp.55-61.

Nardi, B.A., Shiano, D.J., Gumbrecht, M. & Swartz, L. (2004). Why we blog. In Communication of the ACH, December, Vol. 47, No. 12, pp.41-46.