Reflection on creating a blog

This introductory post is my introduction of myself to you, as well as a reflection on the process and purpose of maintaining a blog to support my learning.

I am an Educational Developer at the University of Tasmania, where I spend much of my time providing advice about the use of technology in order to enhance student learning. I am also completing a Masters degree which will qualify me to teach in Secondary and Senior Secondary schools in Australia. I am very interested in the opportunities that the use of technology, and particularly online technologies, provide for both teachers and students to enhance learning and facilitate self-directed learning.

The process of setting up a blog was a relatively simple one, and the resources  provided in the OCL4Ed mOOC were useful. I have set up blogs before, but I have not maintained one for longer than two or three posts. I would imagine that for someone who is not accustomed to setting up tools for themselves online, the basic set-up would not be too intimidating, but the large number of options available in relation to tools and settings could prove slightly overwhelming.

For myself, I hope that maintaining a blog will support my learning by giving me an audience for my ideas and thoughts on the topics to be covered, as well as helping me to incorporate ‘blog-writing’ time into my day.  The process of bringing together information and ideas from other sources, combining them together to draw conclusions, adding my own thoughts and ideas, and forming them into a coherent whole, should be one which enhances my learning in the area.  I also hope that by tagging and sharing my blog with other participants in the OCL4Ed mOOC, I will receive useful comments and feedback on my musings which serve to further develop my understandings.