There are all sorts of issues of netiquette that regularly come round for discussion, but I think I’ve found a new one. Michael Gorman posted a private password-protected class discussion on his blog today.
Now, obviously, at one level it’s his blog, and he can do what he wants with it, without regard for any particular group of users.
However, blogging is in all sorts of ways a communal activity, even if the community is entirely virtual and voluntary in its associations. Nonetheless blogs become “successful”, in the sense of being worth maintaining for all except the most egocentric and introverted, because in a variety of ways other people interact with what is said. That interaction might be via comments or other posts, but there is a conversation which has both silent and vocal participants. I suspect few of us would choose blogging, though, if there were not actual active commenters, rather than putative silent readers.
It seems to me that putting a private post on a blog sits oddly with what blogs are for, and how they work. It’s not, after all, as if there are not other and perhaps better means of classroom discussion on the web, such as Google groups.
Is this a breach of blog netiquette? Or am I alone in feeling mildly peeved at being “sent” an RSS feed that says “I’ve put up a blog post you can’t read.”
{ 6 comments }
Clayboy,
Information that is “above” or “over” someone’s head is information that will not be processed. That is, if someone is not educated in a certain realm then the information is irrelevant to them. But, I am with you, as far as freedom of information, because without that then there could be an unaccountability that creates an atmosphere of suspicion or demoralization. All people should be privy to information in free societies, unless it is information that would subvert national security. This is what ethical standards demand…isn’t it?
Huh… you obviously never were on LiveJournal!
I’m with you Doug. Moreover, it would be very interesting to see Gorman’s teaching in action.
I don’ see a problem with this – all he has done is to use the most convenient platform he has to host a conversation for a private group. If it was a seminar in a private room I would not insist that it was broadcast on the internet.
As I see it all he has done is install such a room on one post on his blog.
You could argue that it is in the wrong place, ie that his private site should be elsewhere, but I wouldn’t see that as being a major problem.
He even flagged that up in the headline, so that RSS and Twitter users would know.
With all due respect to all concerned, I had no intention of offending or annoying anyone; the RSS situation never occurred to me. I used this as an easy mechanism for class discussion. Perhaps others have the time to investigate and set up various electronic fora; some of us do not. In any event, I will consider finding an alternative forum in the future, or a way of stopping the RSS feed.
I would seriously suggest taking a look at Google groups for a very easy way of setting up student support, or possible a private WordPress blog. OTOH some commenters think you’re fine just as you are, so don;t feel obliged to take any notice of my grumbling!
Comments on this entry are closed.