This post has a similar theme to my previous post. My thoughts were concerned with the dread of those who seemingly wish to manage or mould the world of education blogging.

Kate Olson has expressed concerns for those who wish to establish a set of rules for Twitter. I am an infrequent user of the tool yet Kate’s post echoes similar views ‘out there’.

Kate writes:  “I also don’t limit my blog reading to education blogs or twitter interactions to educators, so I’ve been rather frustrated when I see educators (and social media users, for that matter) try to make rules for twitter based on their particular use for the tool.”

I agree with Kate. We do not need rules.

As with my previous post I repeat my comment on Kate’s blog below. It sets out how I feel.

“Good post there Kate. You made a good point in your earlier post regarding ‘blogging rules’ back in February and as I indicated back then I feel that there is an edublogging hierarchy out there that is trying to establish a set of rules for all of us to follow. The ten commandments of the blogosphere. Thou shalt blog in my own style and image, sort of thing. Conservative, as opposed to progressive or even laissez-faire, thinkers. I hope I am not hauled up before the blogging inquisition for these statements.

It is a little weird at times. Sometimes I feel myself getting caught up in it as well and when I feel the tug of that conformist whirlpool dragging me in I don my flippers and swim away.

I agree, there are some twitter users and even bloggers who give the impression that they wish to set the agenda and hammer all of us into a square hole when we are all shaped in a variety of different ways. I am shaped like a rhombus.

Perhaps the ‘rule makers’ are frustrated educators who have a secret desire to be school principals or heads of department. They have an inner craving to be the principal of “Edublogger College” or “Twitter High”. [Not that I have anything against principals. I read a number of excellent blogs composed by principals, enlightened principals. Peter, if you are reading this, I like you too. Tee hee.]

Last night I was thinking wouldn’t it be wonderful if one could change their twitter avatar with a single click to reflect one’s mood or motive, like emoticons. You could have a bank of your own Twitter avatars at your disposal. If you are tweeting on a serious note then your avatar may be wearing a tie. If you are relaxing then there might be a can of beer or a cup of coffee in the avatar’s frame.

I giggled to myself as I thought about that multiple avatar idea further. What I was planning to do was to copy the twitter avatars of a number of the people that I follow and, using photoshop, replace just their face with my own. Then I was going to use the amended avatar and tweet in the style of that person, still with my original ID of course. Sometimes I feel people take Twitter and edublogging far too seriously. It would have been mischievous conduct but what the heck. They cannot put me in prison, can they?

Nadine, Harold, Christine, Sheryl, Taylor, Diane and Mindelei all have the right idea in my opinion. Yes, there is no need for rules. As I commented on Darren Draper’s (Drape’s Takes ~ a great blog by the way) recent blog posts (here and here) concerning Blogging Etiquette I do not need a set of rules or norms to guide me. I have a set of principles in my own conscience that I follow. That is enough.

Heather, I do not feel that with twitter and also with blogging that there should be some ‘social norms’ to follow. If a twitter user is inappropriate in any way simply block them. Let the masses decide. The same with bloggers. If they are a nuisance or inappropriate then all you need do is unsubscribe. Let the dynamics of the net decide their fate, not a set of rules or social norms. Who decides the ‘social norms ‘anyway?

Blog on Kate and tweet as if the sun had just risen!”

There is no need for rules. We are all grown up enough to be sensible. Blogging and the occasional tweet appeal to me because there are no ‘rules’. Theoretically I can blog and tweet when I want, how I want, and on whatever I want. Of course I endeavour to be sensible. No ten blogging commandments for me.

If users of Twitter want to set up ‘rules’ then they can establish their own little social network api and call it Bitter, Flitter, Nitter or whatever.

I just commented on a post by Darren Draper regarding a set of rules or standards for education bloggers. I felt a sense of unease as I read terms like normative view, rules, standards and proper mentioned in the same stream of consciousness as healthy discussion. I do not sense that the discussion is healthy. The discussion throughout the edublogosphere in some orbits feels mandated. It seems as if a creed or set of commandments is being established by an edublogging hierarchy. I have commented elsewhere regarding my concerns that the ‘edublogosphere’ is being steered by the few and the rest must follow in its wake. I sense that now in particular.

Anyway, I reproduce my comment on Darren’s blog below for your reading pleasure.

Hi Darren,

How are you? An etiquette for the manner in which we publish and write online certainly has some merit. We can be sensible and fair.

Yet, I hope that adopting a normative view does not result in an education blogging environment that is antiseptic and possesses a “white picket fence” look and feel.

When it comes to my own writing I endeavour to do the right thing according to principles I have developed myself over time.

I do believe in etiquette. I even occasionally send emails to the staff at school regarding email etiquette.

Yet, I feel the blogging environment is different. Do we all need to adhere to a ‘set of rules’ or ‘standards’ and set a ‘proper’ example? What does the word ‘proper’ actually mean? Will the edublogosphere determine whether or not one’s blog is proper? Who will measure the suitability or rightness or appropriateness of one’s blog? Is that not up to the blogger?

There are times when I wish I had a completely anonymous blog where I could truly vent my spleen and express my frustrations with the environment that I occasionally find myself transecting. As it is, my blog is public and I am constrained by that fact. Yet, my humble blog still affords me an outlet and even a hint of ‘anarchy’ given the constraints of the workplace. I feel ‘free’ when I blog. There are no rules other than the principles that reside in my conscience.

One hopes that to be accepted as an edublogger one does not need to adopt a normative approach together with a set of rules or standards determined by others and thus be considered ‘proper’.

Some online writers may even consider the development of a standard ‘edublogger etiquette’ not an as an advancement but as a retrograde development.

Sure, do the right thing. Be fair, be reasonable, acknowledge others, and do not rip off the works of others. Surely we can figure that out for ourselves and simply allow the dynamics of the net and natural attrition to filter out the bloggers who do not do the right thing, whatever one considers ‘right’ to be.

If a blogger is not setting a ‘proper’ example according to one’s own principles then why subscribe to their blog? Simply unsubscribe. Natural blogging selection.

Best wishes, John.

My dear readers, please feel free to comment. Tee hee!

Last Saturday afternoon Alan Soong, a friend of mine in Singapore, took Westley Field and myself on a tour around Kampong Glam and Arab Street [Gallery]. During the afternoon, as the heat increased, after all, Singapore is only about 1.5 degrees north of the equator, we decided that a cool dessert was in order.

We took an air-conditioned taxi to Liang Seah Street, between North Bridge Road and Beach Road. Alan led us to a classy little establishment. It was called “Remember Me”. [I had forgotten the name as I was writing this post and coincidentally Alan has just come on via Skype to plan some future workshops at NTU. He reminded me of the name of the eatery. How could I possibly forget?]

We three sat down at a table. We perused the menu and we ordered our rather exotic dishes. We consumed a variety of desserts. I had a red bean dessert. Yum.

Then Alan pointed out this dessert called Hashimi which included lizard saliva as an ingredient. Westley wondered what process was involved in securing saliva from a lizard. I kept envisioning the skinks and blue-tongue lizards that inhabit our garden. Of course there are larger “lizards” like Malayan Water Monitors (Varanus Salvator ~ don’t ask me why I remember that) or even the Komodo Dragons with their bacteria laced saliva.

Anyway, I ordered a bowl. It arrived on the table. The dish had a lid.

I carefully took the lid off the dish.

It looked quite fine. There were these wispy, ghostly remnants in the jelly. Was that the saliva?

Anyway, I ate the whole lot.

It was rather tasty. I enjoyed the dish. I will not be looking for lizards in our garden to milk them of their saliva. The proof is in the pudding.

Last week at the conclusion of the workshops at NTU I climbed into a taxi and made my way to Suntec City in the heart of Singapore. I headed down to the basement and to McDonald’s. Yes, McDonalds. That is where members of the Macintosh Evangelists at Nanyang gathered. [I had attempted to add a hyperlink to the acronym, Me@n, but the post editor would not let me.]

The old hands share some sage advice

It was a great evening. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I even consumed a cheeseburger and some chips (French Fries). We talked about everything under the sun. Politics, publishing, pricing, food, travels, countries, life and Macs, among other topics. I met some new members and caught up with some old members. I think I was the oldest member there, in terms of age, not membership. There were a variety of Macs present, a few cameras and a pair of B&O earphones that I had received from Singapore Airlines as a gift

The jury listen intently

Now, I think, the following tasteful people attended the meetup: Puay Ann, Ivor, Laurence, Kenneth, John (sg), Choon Chai, Kian Chai, Hanx, Yezdi, Colin, Kevin, Hamish, Julian, Jermyn, Marcus, Benson, John Larkin and Siva. I hope I did not make a mistake with the names on the gallery. Please correct me if I am wrong.

There are also galleries of the event created by Laurence and Kenneth. I have created galleries of earlier meetups:| April 12th, 2005 | April 13th, 2004 | November 9th, 2002 |

I look forward to the next one in July! Will you be there?

During the last couple of days I have sorted through photographs taken during my last two trips to Singapore in February and April of this year. I still have a few photographs to organise. I have created a number of new galleries and added them to the galleries of my main web site.

April 2008 ~ Singapore

Kampong Glam and Arab Street with Alan and Westley.
Workshop at Singapore Airlines Training Centre.
Hwa Chong Institution Workshop and Presentation.
Macintosh Meet-up with the team from Me@n.
Nanyang Technological University ~ Read-Write Web Workshops and Presentation.

February 2008 ~ Singapore

Friends and Food ~ eating out with Tom Reeves, Westley Field, Siva, Airani, Anand, Vivien and Sheryl.
Good To Great 2008 Teaching and Learning Seminar, Nanyang Technological University.
Hougang Primary School.
Hougang Primary School Podcasting Workshops.
Chinatown.
Views of Singapore from the Peninsular Hotel. Day and night.
Changi International Airport ~ The new T3 Terminal.
First flights on the Singapore Airlines Airbus A380.

There were a number of other catch-ups with friends and culinary delights that I am going to blog about specifically in the near future, so please stay posted.