Blogging to learn..

Mrock4

Since I began on my CCNA in 2006, I had read CCIE blogs, and were fascinated by the idea of professionals writing to others..in order to learn. I decided I would do the same once I reached that point. I'm slowly getting there, so I finally took the plunge a couple of weeks a go. I must say, so far I really like it! I've always had an interest in teaching IT/networking, but didn't know if I would have a knack for it or not. While I don't feel I'm particularly gifted in teaching, I think having a blog to help others would be a footstep in the right direction. I am forcing myself to write up articles on subjects that I dislike or do not understand. So far it's working alright, although I am quickly working on being more organized, as my first post was generally too generalized and I felt kind of jumped around. I feel the second installation of it is geared in the right direction. Once I knock the ONT out it'll be 100% aimed at the CCIE written blueprint..

Just a random post. I'm pretty excited about the journey of attaining a CCIE. I thoroughly like the idea of documenting the adventure so I can look back on it in 18-24 months and say "wow, look how much I *didn't* know!"

How do you all feel about blogging as it relates to learning? I know some of you have blogs..I would be interested in exchanging links if anyones interested.

Turgon

Mrock4 wrote: »

Since I began on my CCNA in 2006, I had read CCIE blogs, and were fascinated by the idea of professionals writing to others..in order to learn. I decided I would do the same once I reached that point. I'm slowly getting there, so I finally took the plunge a couple of weeks a go. I must say, so far I really like it! I've always had an interest in teaching IT/networking, but didn't know if I would have a knack for it or not. While I don't feel I'm particularly gifted in teaching, I think having a blog to help others would be a footstep in the right direction. I am forcing myself to write up articles on subjects that I dislike or do not understand. So far it's working alright, although I am quickly working on being more organized, as my first post was generally too generalized and I felt kind of jumped around. I feel the second installation of it is geared in the right direction. Once I knock the ONT out it'll be 100% aimed at the CCIE written blueprint..

Just a random post. I'm pretty excited about the journey of attaining a CCIE. I thoroughly like the idea of documenting the adventure so I can look back on it in 18-24 months and say "wow, look how much I *didn't* know!"

How do you all feel about blogging as it relates to learning? I know some of you have blogs..I would be interested in exchanging links if anyones interested.

I like it. A few others do too seemingly, I suppose 70000 views can't be all wrong! I like the replies I get from people on my thread who drop in to say hi or send me a PM. I find that peps me up during the grind. It's nice to put something back and see the progress or lack of at times, and it's a great feeling to chalk off a lab and reflect on a few things. Quite a good motivational thing for me personally. Damn I have a lab again tonight..time to load configs

aragoen_celtdra

I blog. And I find a lot of benefits from doing so.

I started blogging my experience when I began studying for CCNA. My original intent was to use it as a central repository for all the information I have learned so far and somewhere I can go back to review them. However, after a few months of doing so, the results of my blogging started to evolve into something more than just a place for note-taking.

Here are some of the observations I've made over time - I'm sure Turgon would agree to some of these points:

1.) Blogging not only helps the blogger but the reader of the blog as well. I've had people leave me comments or send me emails saying how they've used my study notes to compare with theirs and fill in some gaps they might be missing in their own studies. I for one use other people's blogs to compare and get a healthy gauge about how fast or how slow I'm progressing. I know others use mine to compare where they are at in their own studies as well.

2.) I've often used it as a motivation for me to keep going in my studies. It didn't start out that way. In fact it was a little frustrating at first having to maintain a blog and study at the same time. But as I look back to some of my post, I can definitely see where I've been and where I am at now. And seeing how I've progressed steadily over the year (as clearly documented in my blog) gives me motivation to keep the learning going.

3.) Blogging is somewhat of a partnership between you and your readers. I don't have a a lot of followers on my blog like a commercial web page would have - I have somewhere in the 50s that read my blog regularly. But I have developed some sort of obligation to those few who follow me. I provide them with updates and they provide me with feedbacks on how I'm doing. When I pass an exam, they give me the proverbial "pat on the back" and say "way to go". That is enough fuel for me to get motivated even more. And if I fail (which hasn't happened yet, and hope it doesn't ) I'm sure they will also be there to pump me up and push me to keep going.

4.) This could be a positive or a negative, but bloggin helps me slow my studies down to the point that I'm really paying attention to what I'm reading or what I'm labbing up. I can read about 30 pages of new materials a day before I start losing my focus. By bloggin about what I just read, it forces me to go back and go over the materials again in a much slower pace - as slow as I can type it. This helps reinfore the material. It could be a negative in that it could really slow down your time frame. To illustrate, if I read 30 pages a day, I would've read over 200 pages in a 7-day week. On a given sitting I can only produce blog content on 10pages of reading material. Based on that rough caculation, it would take me 20 days to blog about 200 pages of material that I can read in 7 days.

5.) Accountability. You're accountable to what you say you will do in your blog, and to your readers who are following your progress. Of course, the readers might care less if you fail to progress but imagine your disappointment and embarassment you will have about yourself. Nothing like motivation through self-flagellation. LOL!

Aside from the time committment required to blog, the rest are only positives that I could think of.

Mrock4

Very good points!! I only have a couple of articles up, but am planning on putting two more up over the next couple of days. I'm trying hard to get content on there as quick as possible, as long as it's accurate, and neat. I checked my stats yesterday, and to my amazement had 850 views in the last 48 hrs. Not too bad considering it's a new site. I'm very excited, but now I'm trying to only put the best content I can come up with on there..which means more time planning, and double (and triple!) checking my sources before posting.

Turgon

aragoen_celtdra wrote: »

I blog. And I find a lot of benefits from doing so.

I started blogging my experience when I began studying for CCNA. My original intent was to use it as a central repository for all the information I have learned so far and somewhere I can go back to review them. However, after a few months of doing so, the results of my blogging started to evolve into something more than just a place for note-taking.

Here are some of the observations I've made over time - I'm sure Turgon would agree to some of these points:

1.) Blogging not only helps the blogger but the reader of the blog as well. I've had people leave me comments or send me emails saying how they've used my study notes to compare with theirs and fill in some gaps they might be missing in their own studies. I for one use other people's blogs to compare and get a healthy gauge about how fast or how slow I'm progressing. I know others use mine to compare where they are at in their own studies as well.

2.) I've often used it as a motivation for me to keep going in my studies. It didn't start out that way. In fact it was a little frustrating at first having to maintain a blog and study at the same time. But as I look back to some of my post, I can definitely see where I've been and where I am at now. And seeing how I've progressed steadily over the year (as clearly documented in my blog) gives me motivation to keep the learning going.

3.) Blogging is somewhat of a partnership between you and your readers. I don't have a a lot of followers on my blog like a commercial web page would have - I have somewhere in the 50s that read my blog regularly. But I have developed some sort of obligation to those few who follow me. I provide them with updates and they provide me with feedbacks on how I'm doing. When I pass an exam, they give me the proverbial "pat on the back" and say "way to go". That is enough fuel for me to get motivated even more. And if I fail (which hasn't happened yet, and hope it doesn't ) I'm sure they will also be there to pump me up and push me to keep going.

4.) This could be a positive or a negative, but bloggin helps me slow my studies down to the point that I'm really paying attention to what I'm reading or what I'm labbing up. I can read about 30 pages of new materials a day before I start losing my focus. By bloggin about what I just read, it forces me to go back and go over the materials again in a much slower pace - as slow as I can type it. This helps reinfore the material. It could be a negative in that it could really slow down your time frame. To illustrate, if I read 30 pages a day, I would've read over 200 pages in a 7-day week. On a given sitting I can only produce blog content on 10pages of reading material. Based on that rough caculation, it would take me 20 days to blog about 200 pages of material that I can read in 7 days.

5.) Accountability. You're accountable to what you say you will do in your blog, and to your readers who are following your progress. Of course, the readers might care less if you fail to progress but imagine your disappointment and embarassment you will have about yourself. Nothing like motivation through self-flagellation. LOL!

Aside from the time committment required to blog, the rest are only positives that I could think of.

Yep definitely agree with all that Aragoen.