100,000th Visitor

The Clyde Street blog passed a small milestone this morning.
At 6.35am (AEST) a visitor from the United States became the 100,000th visitor to the site.
In the last three and a half years I have written 574 posts on a range of topics linked to teaching, coaching, learning and performing.
I have found the WordPress platform the perfect host for my blogging.
I am fascinated by the potential and actuality of sharing openly. I see blogging as an invitation to others to explore ideas.
Looking back at all my posts I realise that I have a detailed record of my thought process since June 2008.
In this time the five most visited posts have been:
A post from the CCK08 MOOC that has attracted gardeners.
An analysis of goals scored at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
A discussion of the life and work of Lionel Logue.
A post about Erica McWilliam and the 21st Century Teacher.
Medal Predictions for 2012 London Olympic Games.
Some of the posts of unexpected interest have been about krumping, John Ruskin, W E H Stanner, Hill 60 and yarn bombing.
I see a number of my posts as alternatives to peer review publication. Whilst I realise that the numbers of visitors to a post are not indicators of its impact I am excited by the possibility that readers can access information that is freely and openly available on the public web.
Since I started posting at Clyde Street the amount of data available for secondary analysis has grown enormously. Blogging provides a vibrant opportunity to engage with these data.
I have noticed a significant change in search behaviours since 2008. WordPress provides an excellent dashboard to monitor these trends. I use a lot of Creative Commons images in my posts and these images provide an anchor for search activity. I do try to be very clear about my tags and images but sometimes feel I disappoint searchers when my sense of a tag and image does not meet theirs.
One on my CCK08 posts exemplifies this. I used an image of the Twelve Apostles from the Great Ocean Road in Victoria to help me develop the theme of ‘stacks’. I get a lot of hits on this post relative to its content but it has taught me to think carefully about ambiguity in tagging and categorising.
I hope to continue blogging as a personal discipline. I am keen to encourage the development of e-portfolios and this Semester at the University of Canberra have an opportunity to work with students to initiate their work in this area.
Whenever I write a blog post I am mindful that it is a voluntary public act.  I am staggered by the quality of blogging available to us.
I am elated that 100,000 people have visited Clyde Street and hope that not all visitors have arrived through a misdirected search.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Congratulations – an interesting and well ‘constructed’ blog. I especially like the links to your students blogs.

  2. Very exciting meeting you earlier! Your observations are inspiring and your presentations were something I aspire to! Your a legend Keith, thank you for sharing.
    MJ

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