Saw this link about the blogs! Kinda cool!
Friday, January 04, 2008 Horizons Project Promotes Community Blogging Blogging is about conversations. So is community development. So maybe community development could be about blogging… I thought I had a totally new dissertation idea there. Then I found out the smart folks at the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service have already beaten
Friday, January 04, 2008
Horizons Project Promotes Community Blogging
Blogging is about conversations. So is community development. So maybe community development could be about blogging…
I thought I had a totally new dissertation idea there. Then I found out the smart folks at the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service have already beaten me to it. As part of the Horizons project, they have 21 South Dakota communities blogging:
|
SD Horizons Community Blogs |
||||
| Armour | Bison | Conde | Estelline | Faith |
| Frederick | Hot Springs | Iroquois | Montrose | Murdo |
| Newell | Oldham | Philip | Presho | Sanborn Central |
| Scotland | Sisseton | Tripp | Tyndall | Wagner |
| Whitewood | ||||
I’ve added the list to the right sidebar as well. Take a look — there are a lot of interesting projects going on. (Gotta have data — check out the Bison demographics page!) The blogs serve a practical purpose as a convenient place for each town’s committee to archive their Horizons mission statements and other documents that the project might require. The communities can document their progress as they undertake projects to “increase leadership and decrease poverty.”
A quick survey shows that five of the participating towns — Armour, Murdo, Newell, Philip, and Whitewood 434 — have discovered the joy of hit counters. Whitewood is ahead, with 434 hits (not to mention a good spread of posts!), with Newell and Armour coming on strong. (Beware the SiteMeter, kids! Numbers can be addicting!)
There is also a state Horizons site coordinating the community blog efforts. On the humorous side, the latest post there has some priceless blog advice on not overusing the new text color shortcut (”don’t go crazy here–remember sometimes less is more!”).
I’m intrigued. Folks blogging not for polemics or imagined fame, but to share information with neighbors and promote the common good. Maybe these community blogs can draw out some ideas and plans that might not jump out under everyone’s gaze at a public meeting. Maybe blogs really can do some good, not just for geeky technophiles, but for every South Dakotan.
There may be a dissertation in there yet. I look forward to hearing from participants (including my friends in Montrose — keep on blogging!) about how community blogging helps them carry out their Horizons project goals.
Posted by caheidelberger at 22:33 
Labels: economic developmentme to it. As part of the Horizons project, they have 21 South Dakota communities blogging: SD Horizons Community Blogs Armour Bison Conde Estelline Faith Frederick Hot Springs Iroquois Montrose Murdo Newell Oldham Philip Presho Sanborn Central Scotland Sisseton Tripp Tyndall Wagner Whitewood I’ve added the list to the right sidebar as well. Take a look — there are a lot of interesting projects going on. (Gotta have data — check out the Bison demographics page!) The blogs serve a practical purpose as a convenient place for each town’s committee to archive their Horizons mission statements and other documents that the project might require. The communities can document their progress as they undertake projects to “increase leadership and decrease poverty.” A quick survey shows that five of the participating towns — Armour, Murdo, Newell, Philip, and Whitewood 434 — have discovered the joy of hit counters. Whitewood is ahead, with 434 hits (not to mention a good spread of posts!), with Newell and Armour coming on strong. (Beware the SiteMeter, kids! Numbers can be addicting!) There is also a state Horizons site coordinating the community blog efforts. On the humorous side, the latest post there has some priceless blog advice on not overusing the new text color shortcut (”don’t go crazy here–remember sometimes less is more!”). I’m intrigued. Folks blogging not for polemics or imagined fame, but to share information with neighbors and promote the common good. Maybe these community blogs can draw out some ideas and plans that might not jump out under everyone’s gaze at a public meeting. Maybe blogs really can do some good, not just for geeky technophiles, but for every South Dakotan. There may be a dissertation in there yet. I look forward to hearing from participants (including my friends in Montrose — keep on blogging!) about how community blogging helps them carry out their Horizons project goals. Posted by caheidelberger at 22:33 Labels: economic development