blogging/podcasting = lecturing in a new format?

A good buddy of mine is a prodigous podcaster. He's also very involved in this network. He's also one of my favorite mentors in the W2.0 world. He's shared all sorts of ideas and fueled fires for not only my my thinking, but also for my students. Recently, he's asked me to begin a podcast. I've got a podcast going for my students to show their stuff, but he wants me to begin my own thoughts and ideas.

So I've been wondering a lot of things lately, but this is most pressing: why does a person blog or podcast? I've received a lot of information about why various people do this, from "this is how I learn about myself" to "I think that this is an efficient way to get my message out," to "it's a great way to continue my career advancements." (more than one cited the last reason).

I've noticed that some people blog and some podcast. Some do both. I wonder, if speaking out loud to space where you may or may not have someone dropping by is the same as lecturing in front of a classroom? I know that some who only blog and/or lecture at conferences tend to talk about the collaborative nature of this world and how our schools should do the same. But they're not living it. Why not?

I've been blogging on/off here for a bit now and really like the social network blogging. I get regular feedback. I don't have to keep an audience, nor do I have to "drum one up." The audience is here and if I step out for fresh air for a week or two, the audience continues their discussions without me. It's like a great party where you can excuse yourself for a few moments and then come back w/o missing too much of a beat. Whereas the lecture format of blogging/podcasting on an individually-hosted site is similar to a lecturer professor who steps out of the classroom to get some air and when he comes back in a much shorter amount of time, his class is gone.

Basically my point is if we're supposed to be fostering collaborative work with students and schools, shouldn't our innovation leaders be role modeling?

I challenge you to notice the lectures and "1970-style" workshop/break out session environments in your next conference for innovation in education. Note how the speaker interacts with the audience. Come back and tell me if I was right or wrong.

If you want to hear more, listen to my GingerSnapz! podcast on this very topic! (yep, an individually hosted podcast!)

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Comment by Sylvia Martinez on July 31, 2007 at 9:45am: Somebody smart once said that the first uses of any new technology simply replicate old uses. You are right about blogging/podcasting being egocentric at this point, but I the power is out there somewhere. Obviously in a classroom, the goal would be to move the egocentric behaviour to the kids (and they won't have a problem with that!) Kids making podcasts and writing blogs are always a better idea than transferring a teacher lecture to a new media.

Conferences are experimenting with this too, it's going to be interesting! As with all experiments, there should be some massive failures, backtracking, and brilliant successes. Should be fun!

Comment by Ginger Lewman on July 31, 2007 at 9:57am: Great point! I love your attitude about starts/stops being an integral part of overall forward movement. And I agree 100% about blogs bringing studented-centered work to every day classrooms. Thanks for your input!

Comment by Paul Bogush on July 31, 2007 at 8:48pm: I podcast because I love talking deeply about everything education but only have one or two people in my school that I bump into once in awhile that also like to go deep and explore issues. So all I am left with is talking to myself. It has made me realize that while I have all these thoughts in my head I have don't have the ability to communicate them in some kind of organized coherent manner since most of my podcasts are the first time I verbally tried to communicate the ideas. It allows me to reflect more deeply on issues that I think are important. I do struggle with is this podcast for me or an attempt to make someone else see their own teaching in a different light. Do I create a podcast to grow listeners and create a niche, or do I continue to ramble and go off on tangents. Do I create a "pop"cast or stay on my indie track? I feel a why do I podcast podcast coming on...

Comment by Ginger Lewman on July 31, 2007 at 10:07pm: thanks, Paul! And thanks for the audio reponse! I was completely taken off-guard, and by your response, you did more to dispute what I was saying than anything you could have said. I'm not blogging to no one (despite my obvious double-negative difficulties).

Ok, I'm easing up on my condemnation...but not giving up on it completely. We'll have to see... :)

Comment by Sue Palmer on January 13, 2008 at 7:43pm: We are listening...:) And we are out there doing it too.. just too busy to let anyone know about it!

It takes time, and effort, above and beyond, and that's why it's easier to talk the talk then to walk the walk!

Sue P.