David Warlick has an article in EdTech:Focus on K12 that identifies 3 categories of teachers who blog (independent, professional, and instructional) and then proposes related practices schools might employ.
When I first read this piece, it struck me as a thesis or dissertation waiting to happen. One of the things I value about researchers is that they typically must offer their methodology for review and this requires that they move beyond generalities. In a situation such as this, they must operationalize what they propose should be counted as what!
Rather than identifying categories of teacher bloggers, I would guess the reality would be that teachers author posts falling into multiple categories. Many “tag” posts accordingly. Most of us who do not attach a blog to a specific class include professional development posts and personal posts when the mood strikes us. How would you classify this blog? Some posts are about pedagogy and some about educational tools. Some posts also address politics and other general topics as interpreted by someone whose vocation is that of educator.
Warlick’s comments are helpful and he makes the effort to point readers toward sites he feels provide relevant advice for each blogger category. However, and this may be the liberal in me talking, there seems to be a very cautionary tone that reminds me of the old days when expectations might imply that teachers should not be seen in the local pub. I like the advice “Don’t be stupid”.
In fact, if it is possible to identify a pool of teacher authored blogs, it would be interesting to know what proportion of posts reviewers feel are potentially inflammatory, contentious, etc. With some data in hand, we might then consider whether a serious problem exists. What rate of inappropriate comments or what proportion of hot heads is tolerable? How do attempts to set the rules for educators desiring to participate in the discussion of controversial issues influence the effectiveness of the web as an open forum?
I think teachers should be allowed to blog on any topic a radio talk show host or a television news celebrity is allowed to discuss.
