The Reluctant Blogger – Some Suggestions

Some students would prefer to blog privately, and set up their own private blogs independent of the class blog. They might choose to do this because they feel exposed and uncomfortable with what they perceive to be forced divulging of private thoughts. An excellent example of how tough it is to blog, knowing others are watching, is to blog in a foreign language. Try to place yourself in the place of these private-minded learners – what would motivate them to blog, and how could you blog to inspire these reluctant student bloggers?

Allow these students this option of opting out of the participation in the group blog.

As the instructor, you need to address these concerns, and provide an alternate set of blogging activities for these private bloggers.

Invite the student bloggers to keep a log of the resources they have found interesting. Invite them to visit the other students’ posts and recommend useful resources.

Invite the reluctant bloggers to comment on the blogging experience, and keep a record of one’s learning activities. For example, suggest that these students note down ways other students are using their blogs effectively. Also invite them to consider their learning goals, and identify some ways to reach these goals.

Ask the reluctant learners to follow another student blogger within the group blog, and respond to their ideas and posts within their own private blogs.

Again, for these students to feel comfortable blogging initially, you as the instructor need to blog in the ways you have suggested, and create blog posts that involve goal-setting, monitoring progress, considering the learning environment, identifying successes and challenges, etc. In effect, you need to be blogging as an effective model for your learners.