I only Vote in Elections

Edublog Award time is upon the edublogosphere and, given some of the already interesting discussions that I’ve seen about them, I’m going to voice my own opinion – not as any kind of moral conscience but just as my own opinion.I’ve written about the edublogosphere and how, in a nutshell, it’s a case of some bloggers who have high profiles voicing ideas and thoughts and others following. For myself, it’s a case that there are blogs that I read regularly, blogs I find via other blogs and blogs I find doing searches just to see if someone new is around. I have also found a number of people who do most of their discussing in social networks which eliminates them despite their good ideas.

Why do we need these?

I get that we want to honour those who are doing exceptional work. We want to encourage people to use these tools, contribute to the blogosphere and a host of other things. I just don’t understand the why. With the Twitter becoming a tool I’m using as much as my blog, I’m wondering if we’re at a different point now. As teachers integrate tools and use them seamlessly with their teaching, there are new examples of Flat projects and people assisting others with these. The projects are becoming much more collaborative in nature with all kinds of people contributing to the overall success of the project.

Individual teachers might be using blogs but they might also see podcasting or use of ustream and video as being a better use of their time never making it to the point of posting because, face it, it does take time and dedication. As I talk about in my last post, some people are just very busy and being part of the edublogosphere isn’t one thing they do.

Doug Belshaw has been taking it on the chin for a few things lately. (Must of been his week!) If you go over to his post regarding his thoughts about the awards, you’ll see all kinds of comments from those who have very good points about why the awards are important to, well, the other stuff which has nothing to do with the awards. The main point, however, is pointed out by Karyn Romeis’ 

I don’t have a problem with the notion of the awards, I think it raises the profile of blogging per se and it always brings a few previously overlooked gems to my attention. That said, if Doug doesn’t like the idea, I think he should be allowed the space to say so and to give his reasons for saying so.

You can disagree with his reasons and give your own reasons. It’s unfortunate that the rest of the stuff comes up. Having said that, I’m not sure that I like what happens when people are campaigning to get their blogs nominated for various awards. I don’t believe that was the intention of the whole thing but I could be wrong. (Read through Josie’s comment on Doug’s blog. I don’t think it suggests that openly campaigning is what this is all about.

I really could care less. In reality, I’ve enough going on in my life as a father, community member and  principal without this. Right now we have an election going on in our province and I’m much more interested in that and how it could affect various parts of my life. I can see how this is important for some people and they see it as recognition for all the work they have done. Others see it as another “thing” to collect and put on the shelf – something to prove.

Sorry to all those out there, but I vote in elections. As for the awards, there are so many great blogs and writers that reducing it to a few just doesn’t do justice to the others. And if some of what is going on in the comments like found on Doug’s blog is what we get from having the awards, then I definitely don’t want any part of them. Doug shouldn’t have to put up with that just because of his opinion.

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