Blogs are an interesting source of information and ideas in teaching because they have a personal, real 'teacher-to-teacher' talk touch that you can easily relate to.
In this first post I would like to invite you to visit Nik's Learning Technology Blog. It is a teacher targeted blog on technology tools that can be used for English teaching, found at https://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/
It is simple, easy to navigate with no unnecessary distractions. The background is simple, although I am not sure if I like the fact that it is black - and mind you, black is one of my favourite colours. I wish posts were accessible through the menu bar too, so the reader would not have to scroll down to find the list. You can tell what the blog is about from the title, but I would have loved to see an introductory 'about' section. I think it helps engage the reader.
It is apparent that the author has solid professional background. You can see some of their publications, 'products' (mobile applications) and the fact that the blog has certification. This could explain why posting on blog has not been so regular in the last years compared to the first years following its creation. In addition, other than the information about other blogs by the author, it is sad that there is no more information on the 'about me' page because it would be assuring to have more information about the person behind the posts.
Nik's blog is about teaching tools, but it is also an inspiration on how much a teacher can do to contribute to the ELT field through blogging, writing materials for example. By showing the pros and cons, it invites the teacher to reflect on the tools and see how they could make adaptations to their own context. It is definitely professional development material, very worth visiting.
Have a look at the blog and share what you think. Also, what other blogs would you recommend? Let us know in the comments.
Stay well and see you next week.
Cândida
Hi Cândida! I love your blog! You have entered the 'blogosphere' with confidence and style and your post is a joy to read.Your first point about blogs having a good teacher-to-teacher feel to them is so true! Especially where there is no commercial subtext, they can be a huge source of support and information. I also agree with you that an 'About' section is important which is why I really like yours - so much useful information there (which I didn't know!). Nik Peachey has a lot he could put in his, I'm not sure why he doesn't do it! The layout of your post is simple and attractive - the screenshots work well for the overall design but are a bit small to see what they are of - perhaps labelling them would be helpful to the reader. Overall a brilliant start - well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tilly for your comment and recommendations.
DeleteHi Candida, I love the theme you have chosen for your blog. The color gives a soothing effect on me. Additionally, your review of Nik was also well-detailed however, I want to suggest that, in your future posts, can you write a short subtitle to organise your ideas more effectively? Lastly, I love your 'About me' section as well. I think it gives the audience more confidence to trust your judgement seeing that the blogger is a professional. Hence, I'm updating mine as well. So, thank you for doing a wonderful job out there.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bolape for reading and for your comments.
ReplyDelete