Maha posted a live blog while Laura was having her dissertation defense. I have on my desktop about 3 or 4 draft blog posts waiting for me to finish. At this rate I will have only 3-4 posts each semester. But ideas can’t wait! Blogs are more exciting when they capture moments in time, the lived experience, half-baked thoughts, burning questions, and, of course, the not so burning questions.
Maha was saying that because Laura is a public scholar, we already know about her research. We know the process: the challenges, aha moments and tensions she had as she refined her chapters. Not all of them of course, but even having a glimpse of the process through Laura’s voice humanizes the whole research process. So this is more than having a Twitter presence, it’s about having a human presence. And it brings academia back to where it really belongs: the everyday life people.
I can’t wait to check the Tweets at night, join the conversations and be part of Laura’s defense. Thank you Laura for being a human OER and congrats on completing this part of your journey!
Completely Different Readings 
I was definitely thinking human OER when I was in that moment. And thinking of ur upcoming defense, tho i know UK ones don’t have a presentation or audience! But there are other ways to be public/open and ur doing some of them
Thanks Maha:) You’ve always been such a great friend/colleague in my dissertation journey! Our program (Learning Technologies at the University of Minnesota) is actually quite open about dissertation defenses. @apazureka had hers live streamed few years ago with a Q&A option. It’s hard to think of a defense with only two people!
Oh right! How could I forget ur doing PhD at Minnesota rather than UK. Momentary lapse. My age is showing lol
Hi Suzan,
I really identify with your sentiment that blogs are more exciting when they capture moments in time. I’m in the process of writing my first post having finally set up my own blog and was struggling to think of an introductory topic – I’m just going to highlight my feelings and reasons for doing so. Thank you.