Comments on: 3 different conversations: blogs to fight poverty http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/ Participatory Web for Development - Web collaboratif pour le développement Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:57:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Monina Escalada http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-538 Monina Escalada Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:20:47 +0000 http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-538 As a development communication practitioner in Southeast Asia, I started a niche blog (http://devompage.com) which is a learning resource on development communication for students, teachers and development practitioners — extension specialists, field workers, and NGO staff. It contains reference materials from trustworthy communication sources, PowerPoint presentations, field photos and PDF files of reports and papers I have published with my research partners, discussions and personal insights about the work that I have done in more than 3o years. Since I started the blog, I have received substantive comments from readers who also share their views and experiences related to the topic of the posts. I think that blogs can play a positive role in knowledge management for social change in developing countries. As a development communication practitioner in Southeast Asia, I started a niche blog (http://devompage.com) which is a learning resource on development communication for students, teachers and development practitioners — extension specialists, field workers, and NGO staff. It contains reference materials from trustworthy communication sources, PowerPoint presentations, field photos and PDF files of reports and papers I have published with my research partners, discussions and personal insights about the work that I have done in more than 3o years. Since I started the blog, I have received substantive comments from readers who also share their views and experiences related to the topic of the posts.

I think that blogs can play a positive role in knowledge management for social change in developing countries.

]]> By: Christian Kreutz http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-293 Christian Kreutz Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:30:34 +0000 http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-293 I think it is possible to have knowledge sharing through blogs. Especially the rather informal and storytelling form of writing is conducive to share knowledge. However it needs the feedback of the community, a conversation around topics. This can be achieved through a network of bloggers, who present different perspectives, opinions and experiences. Nevertheless often blogs do not have this kind of interaction and offer a lot of information but do not achieve a knowledge sharing. My experiences from internal blogging in an organization showed me that group blogs can go quite far to grasp some "tacit knowledge". I think blogs have a great potential when used wisely. Here like elsewhere it is important to write clear, consistent to address your audience. Especially, because people tend to scan much more than read on screens. But on the other hand each blog and its post is just one little peace of mosaic for a topic. That's why linking is so important. I think it is possible to have knowledge sharing through blogs. Especially the rather informal and storytelling form of writing is conducive to share knowledge. However it needs the feedback of the community, a conversation around topics. This can be achieved through a network of bloggers, who present different perspectives, opinions and experiences. Nevertheless often blogs do not have this kind of interaction and offer a lot of information but do not achieve a knowledge sharing. My experiences from internal blogging in an organization showed me that group blogs can go quite far to grasp some “tacit knowledge”. I think blogs have a great potential when used wisely. Here like elsewhere it is important to write clear, consistent to address your audience. Especially, because people tend to scan much more than read on screens. But on the other hand each blog and its post is just one little peace of mosaic for a topic. That’s why linking is so important.

]]> By: Anja Barth http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-267 Anja Barth Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:32:21 +0000 http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-267 Thanks Christian for that interesting comparison. Still the question is pending to what extend you can achieve knowledge or experience sharing with a blog. As you correctly pointed out blogs are quite successful if they are opinion driven and trigger reactions in this way. Another extreme is a very well connected small bloggersphere where all the bloggers know each other but the exchange with the “world outside the blogs” is quite limited. Beside the blogs that are (sometimes) an interesting information or opinion providing platform do you see blogs as a possibility for information and experience <b>exchange<b>? Thanks Christian for that interesting comparison. Still the question is pending to what extend you can achieve knowledge or experience sharing with a blog. As you correctly pointed out blogs are quite successful if they are opinion driven and trigger reactions in this way. Another extreme is a very well connected small bloggersphere where all the bloggers know each other but the exchange with the “world outside the blogs” is quite limited. Beside the blogs that are (sometimes) an interesting information or opinion providing platform do you see blogs as a possibility for information and experience exchange?

]]> By: Shanta http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-261 Shanta Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:55:58 +0000 http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-261 I appreciate the reference to my blog, endpovertyinsouthasia.worldbank.org. Comments in important development blogs such as yours are one of the ways we can have the two-way conversation about how to end poverty in South Asia. Thanks also for pointing me to William Kamkwamba's blog, which is fascinating. Look forward to further dialogue. I appreciate the reference to my blog, endpovertyinsouthasia.worldbank.org. Comments in important development blogs such as yours are one of the ways we can have the two-way conversation about how to end poverty in South Asia. Thanks also for pointing me to William Kamkwamba’s blog, which is fascinating. Look forward to further dialogue.

]]> By: Web2fordev: Blogging against poverty — 3 options « Identity Unknown http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-258 Web2fordev: Blogging against poverty — 3 options « Identity Unknown Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:54:36 +0000 http://blog.web2fordev.net/2007/10/08/3-different-conversations-blogs-to-fight-poverty/#comment-258 [...] Oct 8th, 2007 by Ryan Lanham different conversations: blogs to fight poverty [...] […] Oct 8th, 2007 by Ryan Lanham different conversations: blogs to fight poverty […]

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