Blogging as a learning media

Sandeep Gautamhttp://the-mouse-trap.blogspot.com

Blog as a platform

Private and unsupervised; Read at leisure and at one’s own pace and inclination just like a book

Hyperlinked and divergent. Enabling discovery of new related content like google search

Subscribed by self as per one’s expertise level, and thus not thrust-upon like emails

Updated regularly and thus relating to state-of-the-art as opposed to static websites

Opportunities for interaction/ feedback/ commentary thus enabling a two-way interaction

Blog as a media

Unbiased coverage as less financial interests involved as compared to Main Stream Media (MSM)

No compulsion to cover all types of content. A blog can focus on a niche area in its area of expertise. More authoritative.

Due to idiosyncratic interests, a collection of blogs covers wider range of topics than an MSM subject-area experts team. Content earlier ignored, now finds expression on blogs.

Multiple perspectives on the same issue, by multiple independent subject area experts.

Due to ease of creation and maintenance, attracts newer content-providers that earlier relied on journalist to get their message across.

Blog as a repository

Content archived and dated; though modifiable on a later date.

Content tagged, organized in categories and searchable; enabling sifting through what is relevant to self

Public commentary more rigorous, immediate and substantial than private anonymous peer review.

More and better (video) supplementary information can be placed on blogs than is typically present in academic journals.

Science blogging

A community built around carnivals, blogrolls, wikio lists, hosting sites (scienceblogs.com/ scientificblogging.com) etc.

A motley collection of working scientists, grad students, professionals, journalists, and enthusiasts.

Commentary on peer-reviewed papers (researchblogging.org) with app. references.

Aggregation of Science blog feeds/ prizes like 3QD prize Open lab since 2006(collection of best science writings

published by lulu.com) and science blogging conferences

Social networks: FriendFeed/ Twitter.

Blogs as lifelong learning

Interesting and diverse daily content Expert opinion and commentary Articles directed at newbies/ layman- just right to pick up

a new subject In-depth analysis and coverage with added interactivity Online experiments, demonstrations etc. Up to date and state-of-the-art information about a

subject Writing forces you to develop and mature your thinking Comments move you out of your comfort zone.

The Mouse Trap blog

Focused on psychology, neuroscience, cognition

~500 subscribers, ~500 followers on twitter, google major driver of traffic

3yrs, ~350 posts, diverse range as well as focal areas (autism/psychosis/ stage theories)

International audience, mostly students from universities.

Challenges of niche blogging

Directed at layman/ experts? Populist and controversial vs. sidelined, but

important? Too restrictive a niche/ too dilute a focus (and

expertise) Developing expertise/ exploiting existing

knowledge? Passion vs. social responsibility? Peer niche bloggers- competitors or

collaborators?

Emerging trends in Science2.0

Twitter and easy sharing of links Feature length articles that can be converted

into books (NERS) Online experimentation (cognitive daily, Richard

Wiseman) Journalistic assignments in MSM –print-web

symbiosis Open access online publication with blog-style

post-publishing comments and discussions. Citing of blog posts in scholarly articles Collaboration and online science databases etc

Tips for starting a niche blog

Passion , passion and more passion! Offer something original – either in presentation

(SciCurious) or content Add value to the content provided by others Connect with peers and audiences Read a lot, think a lot and write a little – in that

order. Don’t be shy. Jump in and join the conversation! Be prepared for a long haul!

Thank you!

Questions, comments?