I just posted this as a comment on Britt’s blog (from Virginia Commonwealth University), but thought I’d put it on my own as well–writing a comment helped me solidify my own ideas.

The idea behind the purpose and audience of a blog is one I wrestle with briefly–and then move on because I feel impelled to write or I will forget what I was thinking.

My blog has multiple purposes and audiences, but I have just left it under one umbrella for my own sanity.

1) I write for my students to show them models of how to blog, how to summarize and respond to research, and post screencasts for “how to’s”–mostly technical stuff.

2) I write for my students’ parents to explain my rationale and keep them informed.

3) I write for my colleagues (known and unknown) who might be interested in adapting the project.

4) But it seems mostly I write for myself to get down the teaching reflections that sometimes find their way to a post-it note (and sometimes not). I’m trying to be deliberate in my reflections.

5) And the added bonus is when someone I don’t know does read my blog and adds insight that I would never have had if I had just written in my journal.

So while I don’t expect to become a world famous writer, it’s nice to know there is the possibility of a wider readership than just me. And with that wider readership, the possibility for collaboration.