Edublogger Etiquette
Friday, June 6, 2008[Originally posted on May 1, re-posted on June 6 - in an attempt to both garner additional etiquette sightings from you and to further generate additional conversation. Remember, I'm definitely not the guru on this stuff, but we are.]
In response to Sue Water's recent post and in follow up to our final discussion in OpenPD regarding a few of the intricacies of blogger etiquette, I have decided to write a series of posts concerning the matter. I will focus all discussion of etiquette upon what has come to be termed the edublogosphere - or educational blogging - because I think that we actually have our own standard, our own set of rules, and should (more often than not) set the proper example for others.
It is my hope that such posts promote a healthy discussion about current blogging and educational trends, as well as advancing us toward a normative view of edublogger etiquette - if that’s even possible.
Several items of note:
- The entire thread of edublogger etiquette posts (that I write) can be viewed by clicking here.
- Any comment addressing the whole should most likely be assigned to this post.
- All posts that I write addressing this topic will contain both a copy of the logo I've created for this thread and a link to this post (the index post, if you will).
- Adding your voice to the comments of any post.
- Adding your voice by writing a post on your blog or on any social network. Please tag related posts with the 'edubloggeretiquette' tag and feel free to include the logo.
Any posts I identify as being connected with this topic will be aggregated here:
- Citations
- Is linking to a photo an adequate way to cite the author?
- Image Attribution
- Is it necessary to use extensive citations in our blog posts?
- How do I cite screenshots of photos?
- What about Kwout? Are the citations that it creates for screenshots adequate?
- Deep Linking
- Is deep-linking to photos, icons, or other content appropriate?
- Embedding Video
- If a video is on YouTube, does that mean that it is now fair game for posting on a blog?
- Does it matter if the content of your post is educational?
- Does it matter if the original video doesn't specify copyright restrictions?
- Responding To Comments
- Are there rules of etiquette that intrinsically govern the way bloggers should respond to comments?
- Is there a time when a blogger might be exempt from responding to the comments of his/her readers?
- Healthy Debate
- How does one identify the line between a healthy debate and a downright ugly brawl?
- What rules are inherent to such discussions?
- Inappropriate Comments
- When does a discussion of a product turn into an unacceptable advertisement?
- As the creator of a blog, what should one do to discourage such behavior?
- Online Reputation
- How is an online reputation any different than a person's reputation in the physical world?
- How might actions taken online affect a person?
- How does one improve their online reputation?
- What kinds of behaviors taint an online reputation?
- Seeding the Conversation
- What is an appropriate "rule of thumb" when posting in a non-school-affiliated space that is nonetheless open to the public?
- Twitter & Self-Promotion
- When do a person's advertisements (on various social networks) for activities they may be promoting become an undesirable display of self-promotion?
- What are the rules of etiquette - if any - that might apply to the combination of educational blogging and Twitter use?
- Student Blogging
- Must precautions be taken when posting student information to blogs (and/or other websites)?
- Is there a set of rules that one could follow that would ensure that proper publishing protocol is followed, independent of the blogger's national, state, district, or school restrictions?
- What are your rules for publishing information related to children that you know?
- Thinking Globally
- If a blog is publicly and globally accessible, should its author consider the background and cultural diversity of its readers?
- What steps can and should be taken in connection with addressing a diverse readership?
- Enforcement
- If the blogosphere is "to maintain a set of communal standards" regarding etiquette, what mechanism of enforcement can be implemented?
- What are some ways that etiquette is currently enforced throughout the blogosphere?
- What are some steps that could be taken to ensure a more consistent mechanism of enforcement?
This is very timely. After discussions inhouse with Jeff Nugent and Bud Deihl, we had asked Sue Waters last night to poll her Twitter network regarding blog guidelines for organizations. Some edubloggers do not have disclaimer statements and some do. Some talk about students and colleagues by name and some use generic descriptors. I have only been blogging for four months, so I am still attempting to learn the Rules of the Road!
In terms of embedding Youtube videos I don't think the creators mind as long as they are referenced. Most click on the screen to get a bigger view which brings you to the original site of the video. Those posting to youtube want the video to be public and have the option of choosing to allow embedding or not.
Darren, I, too, am pleased to see you raising these issues in such an organized and comprehensive way. I like the idea of this index post, too.
One of the challenges I think more and more of us are facing revolves around the questions about "the line" between our professional and our personal lives. We spend a lot of time defining and dictating appropriate student use of networks, leaving a trail of acceptable use policies behind us, but I'm having a harder time tracking down the equivalent guidelines for the adults in our communities.
I'm supposed to be presenting on the topic of managing our online identity as educators this Monday (!), and would welcome anyone who has thoughts on that to take a look at my query on Relax. No, Really.
I'm heading over there myself to add an "edubloggingetiquette" tag...
Darren, just check your logo for the spelling of etiquette.
Interesting idea - the defining of etiquette in the arena of edublogging is nigh on impossible in my opinion. I think what is attractive about blogging and connecting in this way is the lack of "you shoulds" and "thou shalts" around the place. I really do feel that we (the diverse and multi-connected array of edubloggers who defy categorisation as a collective) are better off relying on self governance and common sense rather than defining what Codes and Rules could or should be. Edublogger etiquette is too broad to pin down and too open to contextual interpretation - people find their own way, find their own comfort level of participation and connect with so many outside influences that this topic could really be a bit pointless.
It could be that as I am so accommodating and diplomatic in my non-online life that I resist strongly any attempt to define how I should conduct myself in my online interactions. It's the only place I can have a go at some agitation and "going against the flow."
Hi Darren,
How are you? An etiquette for the manner in which we publish and write online certainly has some merit. We can be sensible and fair.
Yet, I hope that adopting a normative view does not result in an education blogging environment that is antiseptic and possesses a "white picket fence" look and feel.
When it comes to my own writing I endeavour to do the right thing according to principles I have developed myself over time.
I do believe in etiquette. I even occasionally send emails to the staff at school regarding email etiquette.
Yet, I feel the blogging environment is different. Do we all need to adhere to a 'set of rules' or 'standards' and set a 'proper' example? What does the word 'proper' actually mean? Will the edublogosphere determine whether or not one's blog is proper? Who will measure the suitability or rightness or appropriateness of one's blog? Is that not up to the blogger?
There are times when I wish I had a completely anonymous blog where I could truly vent my spleen and express my frustrations with the environment that I occasionally find myself transecting. As it is, my blog is public and I am constrained by that fact. Yet, my humble blog still affords me an outlet and even a hint of 'anarchy' given the constraints of the workplace. I feel 'free' when I blog. There are no rules other than the principles that reside in my conscience.
One hopes that to be accepted as an edublogger one does not need to adopt a normative approach together with a set of rules or standards determined by others and thus be considered 'proper'.
Some online writers may even consider the development of a standard 'edublogger etiquette' not an as an advancement but as a retrograde development.
Sure, do the right thing. Be fair, be reasonable, acknowledge others, and do not rip off the works of others. Surely we can figure that out for ourselves and simply allow the dynamics of the net and natural attrition to filter out the bloggers who do not do the right thing, whatever one considers 'right' to be.
If a blogger is not setting a 'proper' example according to one's own principles then why subscribe to their blog? Simply unsubscribe. Natural blogging selection.
Best wishes, John.
TeachTech
Graham,
I'm still laughing as I type this but I thought that you of all people had learned that spelling is often a matter of opinion!
Thank you for marking my mistakes - ugh! :)
Darren, I think I learned not to make fun of my own ignorance in a public forum. Plus you have used the correct spelling throughout the post - plus I'm sure I'm a sufferer of impostor syndrome (nearly spelled it imposter) where some people (you may even be one of them) attribute higher meaning to my words than the actual reality.
Graham, I'd be very interested in your take on my interpretation of your message ( http://tinyurl.com/54zfeo ). I'll admit that I may have misread your intentions, but I also think there's an issue here that is very important. If I were from Australia, I know I would question why there is so little content representative of my own culture - as I know you have in the past.
Wikipedia and Google are only glaring examples.
Graham, I think you need to give yourself more credit. You've certainly earned it in my eyes.
Britt, the whole reason I started this thread was to help teachers just like you. The rules of the road can be very difficult to learn if the only way to learn them is through experience.
Shelley, your post is a perfect example of the kinds of questions I hope to raise in this thread. I'll link to post as soon as I can.
Darren:
I am extremely impressed with you posts on Edublogger Etiquette. As a releative newcomer to the Edubloggosphere, I found your post informative and useful.
I am also amazed at the fantastic logos that you have created. Would you care to share some of your secrets? I would love to know how you created them.
I spent a total of 10 minutes creating the logo in Photoshop - too little time because I originally spelled 'etiquette' incorrectly!
The colored "Our Takes" was done in the Impact font, with an Arc styled text warp.
The "EduBlogger Etiquette", which I think actually makes the logo what it is (the lines remind me of elementary school, when I was learning handwriting etiquette), are simply regular text in a special font called "SchoolHouse Printed A". I've also applied the default "Bevel and Emboss" effect to this type layer.
Probably more info (or not nearly enough if you've never used Photoshop) than you ever wanted to know. You can download the photoshop file yourself (ourtakes.psd), if you're interested:
http://tinyurl.com/6fy37g
@Graham I’ve enjoyed reading your conversation with Darren. The spelling of words and the interpretation of their meaning seem to form the meat of your discussion – a fascinating discourse. By using the term “actual reality” are you suggesting that there exists a state more real than reality itself?
Ka kite
Ken Allan
Middle-earth
I have found the information you have provided to be so helpful to me. I am a middle school teacher learning to do things that I hear students talk about all the time. Providing information about such things as citations, ways to comment, tricks and tips does a great deal to help newbies like me. I will definitely be checking back for more info and ideas. Perhaps in the future, I will be able to offer something new to you and your fellow bloggers.
Thanks for the information!