Making the Case for Blogging

As you make a case to adopt a specific technology, such as blogging, you should anticipate questions that address purpose, cost, value, and control. Below is a list of common questions you should be prepared to answer as you make the case for blogging.

Priorities

What problem does this technology help us solve?

Few people will adopt a technology unless you can convince them that it solves a problem they consider a priority. For example, rather than telling the provost that you want to use blogging because students at a competing institution use it, consider talking about how blogging allows you to help students develop skills in communication, critical thinking, and reflection. As you address the problem the technology helps solve, be prepared to convince listeners that this is a problem worth solving. If the problem isn’t an institutional priority, you may not convince anyone.

Remember that not all problems are instructional. Sometimes the problem to be solved is gaining media attention or convincing potential students that the campus is a cool place to be.

How does this relate to the institution’s priorities?

With ever-present resource constraints and accountability questions, a project has a better chance of success if it explicitly relates to the institution’s priorities. Is blogging part of ensuring that active learning is part of the student experience or helping students develop critical-thinking skills? Is it a mechanism for encouraging community and collaboration, even among distance learning students? Consider your institution’s priorities, and help stakeholders make the connection between those priorities and your project.

Effectiveness

Who else is blogging?

There are almost always questions that focus on due diligence—have you done your homework? Developing a list of others who use blogging, particularly among peer institutions, will be helpful. (However, if your institution wants to capitalize on being an early adopter, you may not find too many others on the list.) Beyond examples, be prepared to provide information about their experiences and lessons learned. For suggested guidelines, see the ELI Applying Technology to Teaching and Learning Tool (http://www.educause.edu/11816).

How do we know this works?

If you know what problem blogging is being used to solve, then you are positioned to provide evidence of effectiveness. For more on assessment, see “How do I know if it works?” in this guide.

How much will it cost?

All projects require resources, so be prepared to detail how much the project will cost, in terms of dollars, staff support, faculty time, and so on.

What are the other options for doing this?

Once you have defined the problem you are trying to solve, you should be prepared to address other options that might work. Looking at other options allows people to consider the trade-offs. As you consider other options, be sure to include implementation issues that may make other options more (or less) attractive.

Alignment

How does this fit in the curriculum?

For most teaching and learning activities, the assumption is that the technology will be integrated into a course (or series of courses). This means that it must be perceived to “fit” into the curriculum. Its fit may be determined by the learning activity it enables or by faculty adoption. If faculty won’t use the technology, it probably won’t fit into the curriculum.

Remember that not all learning occurs in classes; informal and implicit learning can occur at any time and in any place. If your use of blogging doesn’t hinge on the curriculum (such as students blogging about the student elections or service activities), make this clear.

Is this the way we want our students to learn?

Any time technology is introduced, there are questions about the value of an alternative approach and whether that aligns with the culture of the institution. An institutional culture that strongly values traditional instruction may not be as good a fit for blogging as an institution that promotes a tech-savvy image.

Are your assumptions correct?

Certain assumptions are made without our ever being conscious of them. For example, when we talk about using a technology (such as blogging), we often assume that it replaces something else (such as writing term papers). In fact, one tends to augment the other rather than replace it. As you consider a project, are there assumptions that should be addressed (blogging must be used by everyone, or blogging will replace term papers)?

Risks and Returns

What do we gain if this works? What do we lose if it doesn’t?

As you answer this question, remember that different stakeholders will be listening for different responses: students might be interested in the ability to share their thoughts with anyone on the Web; the president might be looking for a PR advantage; faculty might be interested in sharing their scholarship with new audiences.

Who are the supporters? Who are the skeptics?

As you weigh the potential risks and returns of blogging, consider not just who is likely to support the initiative and who is likely to be skeptical, but their relative influence. If the faculty senate is adamantly opposed, for example, it may be hard to convince the provost to champion the initiative.

What are the PR implications?

Colleges and universities are very public institutions. What kind of coverage will blogging likely receive from the student newspaper? The alumni magazine? The local media? Will the initiative fly under the radar, or will it be seen as a risk for the college?

Remember that some of the most influential PR comes from satisfied (or dissatisfied) individuals talking to each other. Even if it never reaches the newspaper, TV, or radio, what will be the tone of the chatter? Will it lead to the president’s receiving a complaint from a trustee?

What are the organizational and policy implications?

Although technology may be the vehicle, content, institutional image, and policy implications may complicate a blogging project. For example, will support for blogging (technology and user support) be centralized in the CIO’s office, or will it belong to the department? Is the content owned by the students? The department? The institution? Are blogs accessible just by those in the class, or can anyone (parents, the public) access them?

Policy implications can include issues such as security or privacy. Do users need to be authenticated to blog? Are all students required to blog, even if they don’t have a computer at home? Are there limits on the kinds of sentiments that can be expressed in a blog? What are the guidelines for correctness of grammar or factual accuracy? Are there special considerations to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act?

What happens if we do nothing?

Remember that there are risks from action and risks from inaction. For example, will the institution be perceived as behind the times if it does not use blogging?