Friday, August 28, 2009

Framing the Korner

My introduction to English 105 was sudden, abrupt, and all together unsought. I am a transfer student from a well-known Southern university. However, said school is not accredited, and as such, none of my credits transferred. So, I set out with a goal: avoiding freshmen English and the research paper. I'd suffered through that route once; I had no desire to do it again. English 105 was presented as a viable option, and so, here I am.

When I found out that this class was to center on blogging, I was especially intrigued. I had expected a rote literature course formed around discussion groups, or an in-depth study of English grammar. To be quite frank, I wasn't looking forward to it. Now, my view-point has changed completely. I am an avid writer, and have enjoyed various means of expression through out the years. I am a compulsive journaler, and have dabbled a bit in other venues. I'm ecstatic about this opportunity, and hope it will be a fun learning experience.

Since this isn't my first blog, I didn't experience any difficulties. However, there are few things that one must consider with every new blog, regardless of how many one runs. First and foremost, title. It has to be catchy, original, and easy to remember. Oftentimes, one's title is the first impression a visitor has of one's blog. The second aspect to ponder is blog design. Once again, one has to be conscious of the blog's readers. The design needs to be simple, yet catchy. It needs to be easy to read, and easy to navigate.

Those, honestly, were the hardest things for me while creating this blog. I chose a title that was personal, yet easy to remember, and I chose a stunning, yet simplistic, design.

There are a few differences between blogging and "normal" rote academic writing. Blogging is a bit more informal. It's more about the EXPRESSION of the ideas, feelings, and thoughts versus the actual FORM of the text itself. Basically, normal grammar rules and rules of syntax relax a bit. Blogs also tend to be much more personal. The format tends to follow a conversation, or a discourse, instead of a mindless, "Here are my ideas; I expect no feedback." The world of academia tends to be a bit "selfish" with her ideas. . . . . blogging is much more open.

So, welcome to the Kea Korner! If there's anything I can do to make your stay a bit more relaxed, fun, or easy, please let me know! :-D