EDLD 5301 - Research, Week 1 Assignment, Part 3 (2nd question) - "How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs"

As a child I wanted to know more. Regardless of the question posed, I wanted to find as much information as possible on the subject. While working towards a bachelor's degree in music performance with a vocal emphasis my voice teacher made me do intense research for each song I sang. Prior to learning a song I had to fill out a historical research paper focused on composer, subject, form, and analysis. I also had to translate the song poetically and literally, word-for-word, from it's native language to English, so that I could better understand the composer and lyricists intent in writing the song. The only problem with this practice was that it was pre-internet. It took me GREAT amounts of time to conduct the research necessary to merely find sources of information needed to complete my study. It was my dream to have a one-stop clearinghouse of information that was readily available to me, anytime and anywhere, to help me complete my tasks. However, we live in the golden age of research as that is what we have in the great and mighty internet: Information! The internet offers educational leaders with a worldwide platform where they can share ideas, disseminate information and resources, and communicate with constituents freely.

"Journals provide administrators with a tool for reflecting on their own thought processes." (Dana, 2009, p. 87). Many people do not consider themselves writers. The use of a blog is a great way to work on this perceived problem as "thinking out loud" through the written word can lead to greater comfort and ease in the medium. Blogging a journal, which can include written thoughts, videos, pictures, links to helpful sites, and charts and graphs, helps educational leaders stay in touch with a greater number of people. By utilizing comments, the leader can further review and gather up-to-date thought data. By influencing my sphere of influence I can re-create myself, hopefully in a greater sense, in those I influence. If each of those persons reaches out to there circles of touch, then a greater influence is made. The internet provides a literal world wide web of influence capability to educational leaders!