Thinking about blog commenting, I've realized some things that I never given a second thought to. First off, I am a lurker (though I never even knew it). I am guilty of reading blogs and not contributing to the discussion. It was interesting to me that only 1% of blog readers are active contributors. Blogs are an excellent way that we use technology to network and create communities of learners. Without meaningful, well-thought out comments, the discussion would end at the beginning of the thought. I now realize that as a responsible blogger, I must not only read the blogs of others, but also contribute my ideas and thoughts via commenting.
Which brings me to my second realization--I do have something valuable to contribute. Meredith Farkas' article on blog commenting discusses the reasons why so many people don't post comments. While my personal reason hasn't been that I don't want to share my thoughts and knowledge with others, I have been operating under the assumption that I don't have anything worthwhile or valuable to share. I now realize that as long as my comments are well thought out, they may be valuable to someone. Who am I, after all, to determine what may or may not be helpful or thought-provoking to others?
Blogging is such an effective tool for communication. Now I realize that it's not simply a one-sided forum. In order for a blog to be as effective as it can be, it must generate provoking, two-way dialogue. I invite you to, please, post comments on mine.
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I am leaving my lurk-comfort zone to say that I feel the same on all points you make in this post. Commenting is the only way for blogs to truly bring about the type of exchange of ideas they're created for-otherwise it's the same ol' top-down, sage-on-the-stage blah blah blahing we've had forever in education.
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