Self Reflection

        I have been planning on writing a review or reflection about my blog so now seems like a good time to do just that.  I’ll admit that I was very skeptical of blogging and the idea of a PLN in general.  I am so accustomed to traditional learning practices that it just seemed unnecessary.  I was sticking to the old saying: “If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it”.  However, I think it has proven to help with my education way more than I ever thought it would.  I have been able to explore websites that I have never heard of and discuss education issues with people I have never met.  That has been a pretty neat experience.  These resources have proven valuable for researching education issues in all of my current course work.  For example, I am currently writing a paper which discusses the helpfulness of writing in science classrooms.  I have been able to synthesize the information I have gathered with my PLN (Ning discussions, blog posts, resource suggestions, my own writing, etc.) to help formulate opinions and find sources.  In essence, I have learned how to utilize my PLN.

            I would like to take an opportunity to look at my PLN and give my analysis in regards to a few issues.  I would like to examine my blog posts, my site traffic, my connections with others, and how my blog compares to others.  I hope to receive lots of feedback from others on these subjects as well.

Blog Posts: B

          My blog is certainly not flashy, but I do like the posts which I have been able to publish.  Looking back at all of my posts, I have been able to see a rise in quality and subject matter.  When I first began to blog my posts were just short little paragraphs about sources I have found and how to use them.  I’m not saying that is a bad thing at all, but I do like the subject matter and quality of my newer posts.   I think my latest two posts are my best.  My latest, “Good Riddance to Bad Teachers”, talks about the current state of education in this country.  It specifically talks about a Newsweek article which bashes the tenure of teachers.  I thought that post was very current and pertinent to many of my readers.  I also thought my entry entitled “This Ain’t English Class” was a good post because it brought real classroom experience into my blog.  I discussed how students do in fact view writing as a separate subject from the rest of their school work.  Much of the work I have done this semester has discussed this, and to combat it first-hand was a blog-worthy experience.

            As far as consistency with my blog posts goes, I have tried to post at least once a week.  Many classes which meet once a week, like LLED 420 at Penn State, require some short writing assignment every week.  I think of my blog as a place to do a weekly assignment of my choosing.  I think a weekly blog post is not too much to ask of a student, and at times blogging can be more convenient and interesting than traditional work.

Connecting: C

            Making blog posts and looking at blogs and discussions has been pretty easy and straight forward to me, however, connecting with others has been difficult.  I do receive some comments, but not as many as I would like.  For instance, my latest post discussed how at least some of the public has a problem with how teachers receive tenure.  I thought for sure that most of my readers would have some opinion on this topic.  However, I received one comment from someone who is not even one of my regular followers.  I have intentionally left some of my posts short to leave room for discussion, but I may need to lengthen them to create discussion.  I will admit that I do not comment on others’ blog posts regularly, and commenting is something that I will definitely need to work on as my PLN project draws to a close.

            The English Companion Ning has helped with connectivity immensely.  It is a great place to have people in the field give feedback on issues.  It also greatly increases traffic to my blog.  I posted a link to my last blog post on the Ning and had 22 hits that day.  I also had a reply within 40 minutes.  I am going to try to use this resource in order to increase not only my blog traffic, but also my connections to people in the English education field.

            I have looked toward my site stats when critiquing my blog.  As of this post, I have 11 posts.  These 11 posts have received 15 comments.  I have only had 280 total views as of this post (though I have been posting regularly).  I usually see peaks and valleys when I look at my traffic charts.  I will go several days with only a few views, and then see that I have over 20 hits the very next day.  This usually corresponds with activity on the Ning or a new post.  I will try to connect more on the Ning in the coming weeks to increase my traffic which will hopefully increase the discussions on my posts.

Blog Stats Summary Tables

Total views: 280

Busiest day: 22 — Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Views today: 6

Totals

Posts: 10

Comments: 15

Categories: 1

Compared to Others: C

            Having looked at many different blogs, most of which are those of my classmates, I see three types of blogs.  Some people have gone way above and beyond what I would consider an ‘A’ PLN.  They post VERY often and comment on almost everything they see.  They also demonstrate a mastery of how to use networking sites that others don’t demonstrate.  The second tier of PLNs are those who blog regularly and add to discussions every now and then.  I would consider myself in this group.  I don’t slack, however there is definite room for improvement (as highlighted above).  Finally, I have seen some PLNs that have only a few posts.  These people are also completely mute as far as participating in discussions goes. 

            If I had to grade myself on my PLN performance right now I would give myself a C+.  To me, my PLN is slightly better than mediocre.  After reflecting on the components of my PLN, and looking at others, I see room for improvement.  In the coming weeks I hope to have more thoughtful posts on my blog and on the English Companion Ning.  This will hopefully allow me to connect more, and hopefully my thoughts can help others who read my content.