It’s been so long since I’ve blogged. When I did post more regularly I didn’t post as often as I’d like to, many posts didn’t make it beyond draft. They never got published for various reasons but probably largely due to overthinking and striving for some sort of perfection. Thinking about those drafts reminds me of a 2012 post from Alan Levine asking “why you are not blogging”. He highlights that blogging is conversational, not about composing a paper. Of course Alan is right, the value of re-reading those old posts is often in reading the comments. That said revisiting the unpublished drafts has also been helpful and there was value in noting down the things I was reflecting on.

I pretty much stopped blogging when I moved to a central leadership role, and a sense that I maybe needed to be more careful about sharing my reflections. Through the Covid lockdowns I kept thinking I need to get back to blogging but there never seemed time to really stop and think.

With growing concerns about the future of Twitter I’ve read a few things highlighting again the importance of having your own digital space and encouraging a return to blogging. So as we start a new year I feel drawn again to getting back to blogging. I’m hoping that this time I really will follow through with posting and follow Alan’s advice and make it about conversations.

It seems like we’re in a time of transition having come through the peak of Covid. There’s more engagement with digital education but there’s also a long way to go and lots of issues to be carefully considered. It’s been interesting reading half finished drafts from years ago that seem as relevant now as they did then. As we start 2023 there’s also the rapid evolution of AI tools like ChatGPT generating hysteria.  Making time to think, to explore, reflect and engage in critical discourse feels more important than ever. With growing levels of complexity on so many fronts it feels like we can’t afford not to carve out time to think.

So, first post for this year written, let’s hope I can keep it up.