Wow, I’ve been blogging about web, communications and social media in higher education for 9 years (13 of blogging in total if anybody is keeping scores ;0).
I’ve actually been at it long before we talked about social media – yep, it was first called “new media,” then “web 2.0” followed by “social networking” to end up with the now widely used label of “social media.”
Oh, and if you’re wondering this is post #976 ;0)
Once upon a time there was a blog…
When I started this blog on February 12, 2005, I was working for a liberal arts residential college based in New Jersey: The College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ.
I was there at the right time and the right place as this blog opened up a world of opportunities and changed my professional life.
- It helped me connect with many colleagues working at institutions across the country and the world.
- It got me speaking invitations at conferences.
- It led to a regular column in a print magazine as Tim Goral, my editor at University Business, was a reader of this blog.
- Last but not least, it provided a strong foundation to launch the professional online school that Higher Ed Experts has become today.
Over the past 9 years I’ve seen many new technologies rise, spread, mature or disappear in higher education. I’ve witnessed the success stories of many professionals in our community as their influence was growing along with their expertise.
Is curation the name of the game?
In 9 years I’ve probably read a million posts (but I haven’t kept scores) about the latest tech trends and their impact on higher education, great ideas implemented in institutions – big and small – as well as best practices, “goals before tools” opinion pieces (hey, it’s the blogosphere) and all sorts of how tos and 7 ways to do almost anything.
While I don’t blog as much as I did in the early days, I spend a good chunk of my time reading everything related to digital communications in higher education and compiling the best selection I can for my Wednesday’s email newsletters (not subscribed yet? You’re missing out).
I’m now more a curator, because I believe this is what’s the most useful with the gigantic amount of content (often of pretty good quality) published now.
Yet, I miss writing about great ideas or new exciting initiatives on a regular basis – I’m an ex-journo, so my soul will always long for a good story.
And, yes, time is the main culprit. There’s never enough of it.
It seems that the community still needs general curating – although a few are already doing a great job curating content on specific niches (Meet Content, Social Media for Colleges) now. The consultants or firms serving the higher education market have also provided a great deal of valuable content as part of their content marketing efforts over the past 2 years. A trend embraced by the professional associations (CASE, High Ed Web, Educause, etc.) serving this community.
More is better, right?
Well, not always, as there is now so much to read that it is easy to miss important things. So, that’s why I spend the time you can’t spend to make sure I get everything important lined up for my newsletter readers.
What is my question, again?
So, I have 2 big questions for you (I know I said one in the title of this post ;-) after 9 years of blogging:
- Where does collegewebeditor.com fit now?
- Where should it go?
I don’t want to let my blog go (I can’t, it’s truly a work of love – if not art) – that’s a certainty, but I’d love to give it a new beginning, make sure it brings value to your work and your career in higher education.
You’ve all given me so much by reading, commenting or sharing on social media over the past 9 years or so that I’ve always seen you as the main stakeholders of this blog.
And, I want to thank you again for this – no, really, I insist.
So, what can I blog for you, my dear reader?
- What is missing today in your professional information diet?
- Do you want more curation or more original reporting & research?