Blogging - My New Learning Journal

When I initially started blogging, I had the same experiences as reflective practice writing assignments. I was suffering from anxiety attack, my heart was pounding and my tummy was churning. This was because I had been working with numbers for the last two decades of my career. Therefore, the reports I had written were mostly related to facts and data. Blogging was another task that was outside my comfort zone, especially having to write “touchy, feely” subjects. Some proponents of blogging would even suggest that blogging provides students a voice in a safe environment. I beg to differ. Unlike a personal journal, blogs are a public forum. Once it is posted, it will be accessible by anyone who has access to internet, which is about almost everyone. Therefore, words matter more so in a blog.

However, I reflected back to my initial career in the mid-80s in the advertising and marketing field. While I wasn’t a copywriter or an art director, my job was to “sell” the team’s creative ideas to clients. In order to “sell” with conviction, I had to infuse my own personality. I subsequently realized that it was no different than writing blogs, where I could inject my own “voice" by writing about topics I was passionate and enjoyed most in the PIDP course, I also realized that blogging gave me an opportunity to raise awareness about issues for those who have been marginalized in our society.

Once I started blogging, it brought back memories of reflective practice writing assignments which I truly enjoyed. Just like reflective writing, blogging helps learners to reflect and think critically. It provides learners with an opportunity to utilize language and writing principles that demonstrate analytical thought and comprehension. Additionally, it fosters creativity and enhances technology skills, where students learn how to incorporate images, videos and audio into their written words. According to the National Association of College and Education (2016), these skills are highly sought after by employers in today's competitive workforce.

Upon reflection, blogging has definitely opened my learning experience and widened my horizon. It has provided me with new skills for the 21st century, such as digital literacy, which are valuable as I plan the next chapter of my career.

Reference

National Association of College Education. (2017, February 28). Retrieved

from: http://www.naceweb.org/s11182015/employers-look-for-in-new-hires.aspx