What better way to explore Phi Theta Kappa’s 2010 Honor Topic, the Democratization of Information: Power, Peril and Promise, than to start a blog?
This blog is, in actuality, a proposal to create an Alpha Theta Delta chapter blog for members of Central Arizona College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. This is the democratization of information, in action. This blog can open doors that we never knew existed. It can reach students who attend classes strictly online, are unable to attend meetings or are unsure what Phi Theta Kappa is. It can bring members from different campuses together and alert (and remind) the entire chapter of events, activities and meetings. It’s a great way to advertise and a fun way to bring the chapter alive!
What is a blog?
Blogs are one of today’s most utilized ways of receiving information. Simply put, it’s a website comprised of “posts” and “pages” used to inform. There’s a blog for everything from politics to socks! Organizations utilize blogs to entice stockholders to invest. Charities utilize blogs to spread the word for their cause. There are parenting blogs, teaching blogs, engineering blogs, blogs devoted to sports, blogs devoted to specific illnesses, blogs devoted to guitars, blogs that advertise movies, blogs that advertise bands, blogs that advertise soft drinks, blogs used as diaries, blogs used as lecture notes, blogs used as editorials, blogs for students, blogs for scientists and blogs for Phi Theta Kappans! If you can think it, there’s a blog (or at least a blog post) that covers it.
Why have a blog, if we already have a Blackboard?
Central Arizona College’s Blackboard is a great resource, especially with a multi-campus school like Central Arizona College. However, Blackboard presents several key problems, specifically in relation to the democratization of information. It lacks simplicity and limits the information to the Blackboard classroom format. It is not cell phone friendly and some might argue it is not user friendly. A blog is all of these things. The simplicity of ‘posts’ and ‘pages’ allows members to read just the articles or dig deeper for information found in the blog’s “pages”. This blog would NOT replace Blackboard. Blackboard has many elements that a blog lacks. The discussion board, ability to upload documents and ability to easily contact other members are essential elements that our chapter needs. This blog would just enhance the Alpha Theta Delta experience!
What would we post about?
The possibilities are endless and completely customizable. As a chapter we could decide to include as much or as little information as we would like. Posts could be comprised of event announcements, meeting re-caps, chapter-wide news and updates, campus specific news and updates, officer elections, award announcements and articles on topics relating to the current Honor topic. Posts can include pictures and should we chose to upgrade, videos. As a chapter, we will need to decide what content we want and what we don’t. The “pages” are a great place to provide information and links that don’t require constant updates (such as contact information, meeting times/rooms, officer information etc.).
Who would post?
Again, as a chapter, we would need to decide. One of the main things other chapters have utilized Phi Theta Kappa blogs for is meeting re-caps. Thus, the secretary would post a quick summary (after posting the full minutes on Blackboard) of the meeting’s key points. Write-ups could be included in the form of a blog. Frequent updates will keep the page fresh, so contributors need to be committed to writing articles on a fairly regular basis.
Please take a moment and check out the sample pages I’ve included on this sample blog. Then checkout www.wordpress.com, www.blogger.com and other blogging sites and see what they have to offer. There are millions of features that could be used to customize our blog.
The power is ours, should we chose to use it.
This blog is, in actuality, a proposal to create an Alpha Theta Delta chapter blog for members of Central Arizona College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. This is the democratization of information, in action. This blog can open doors that we never knew existed. It can reach students who attend classes strictly online, are unable to attend meetings or are unsure what Phi Theta Kappa is. It can bring members from different campuses together and alert (and remind) the entire chapter of events, activities and meetings. It’s a great way to advertise and a fun way to bring the chapter alive!
What is a blog?
Blogs are one of today’s most utilized ways of receiving information. Simply put, it’s a website comprised of “posts” and “pages” used to inform. There’s a blog for everything from politics to socks! Organizations utilize blogs to entice stockholders to invest. Charities utilize blogs to spread the word for their cause. There are parenting blogs, teaching blogs, engineering blogs, blogs devoted to sports, blogs devoted to specific illnesses, blogs devoted to guitars, blogs that advertise movies, blogs that advertise bands, blogs that advertise soft drinks, blogs used as diaries, blogs used as lecture notes, blogs used as editorials, blogs for students, blogs for scientists and blogs for Phi Theta Kappans! If you can think it, there’s a blog (or at least a blog post) that covers it.
Why have a blog, if we already have a Blackboard?
Central Arizona College’s Blackboard is a great resource, especially with a multi-campus school like Central Arizona College. However, Blackboard presents several key problems, specifically in relation to the democratization of information. It lacks simplicity and limits the information to the Blackboard classroom format. It is not cell phone friendly and some might argue it is not user friendly. A blog is all of these things. The simplicity of ‘posts’ and ‘pages’ allows members to read just the articles or dig deeper for information found in the blog’s “pages”. This blog would NOT replace Blackboard. Blackboard has many elements that a blog lacks. The discussion board, ability to upload documents and ability to easily contact other members are essential elements that our chapter needs. This blog would just enhance the Alpha Theta Delta experience!
What would we post about?
The possibilities are endless and completely customizable. As a chapter we could decide to include as much or as little information as we would like. Posts could be comprised of event announcements, meeting re-caps, chapter-wide news and updates, campus specific news and updates, officer elections, award announcements and articles on topics relating to the current Honor topic. Posts can include pictures and should we chose to upgrade, videos. As a chapter, we will need to decide what content we want and what we don’t. The “pages” are a great place to provide information and links that don’t require constant updates (such as contact information, meeting times/rooms, officer information etc.).
Who would post?
Again, as a chapter, we would need to decide. One of the main things other chapters have utilized Phi Theta Kappa blogs for is meeting re-caps. Thus, the secretary would post a quick summary (after posting the full minutes on Blackboard) of the meeting’s key points. Write-ups could be included in the form of a blog. Frequent updates will keep the page fresh, so contributors need to be committed to writing articles on a fairly regular basis.
Please take a moment and check out the sample pages I’ve included on this sample blog. Then checkout www.wordpress.com, www.blogger.com and other blogging sites and see what they have to offer. There are millions of features that could be used to customize our blog.
The power is ours, should we chose to use it.
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