Blogs for Learning

There is much positive information about using blogs (and ICT's) for learning but I can't find too much in the way of constructive criticism. From a very personal perspective I have loved the challenge and the joy when something works is tremendous and childlike. The draw backs however are;

• time consuming - one because I am so new to it all that I don't know what I am doing and everything takes twice as long. and two everything leads you to some other interesting thing that I swear I will only look at for a minute and ten maybe twenty go by and then that leads you onto something else. (I could always be lost in a library for a day or two so I suppose it is not too much different)
• frustrating - often there are glitches in the system, you `loose' your information, you spend time on a project only to find it is not compatible with what you are trying to upload it to
• senior moments - you forget your passwords and having written them down forget where you filed them on the computer - somewhere safe even from your own tired brain - sometimes I have even forgotten what I titled a page or wiki or weebly and cannot find it again!
• Is it really for a world wide audience? Who is really interested in the work produced except those who have a vested interest? I can envisage parents and teachers and even maybe other grades in other schools maybe even in other countries but everyone has their own business to attend to and are interested in the things they are interested in. I visit sites and blogs etc via photography, art or amusing videos, I would visit my children's school activities but not those sites that interest my husband for example (golf, kayaking, lean management etc). Even with our own course work, whilst I visit other students sites I rarely leave a comment as I feel nervous about this. This is why suppose when using blogs for education they need to have a direct purpose and be well scaffolded. maybe too younger children are not yet `grown up ' enough to censor themselves in unhelpful ways.
• Authenticity of information - any one can write anything and who knows what is true or how true or a little not quite true or nearly true and then you have true for one is not necessarily true for another
• Sensation and notoriety - a little opposite to what I said before; but with access to instant recording, reporting and the like we are a little like voyeurs and much of it is about nothing and doesn't seem to me to build community or connection. Often it seems like we are all sinking to a low level of communication, a mundane level and whilst we maybe tweeting a lot and face booking what are we actually physically doing to stay connected and build community. (I sound like one of those real old women now)
• Lack of fresh air, exercise and actual interaction with people; not to mention weight gain and bottom spread!!. - pretty obvious really but it is hard to get a balance between all the elements in one's life!