This is officially my first blog. I plan to begin each blog with one word denoting my feeling as a prerequisite to the topic. My word of feeling to begin my first blog today is Anxiety.

The Britannica dictionary has two definitions for Anxiety. The first, Anxiety is fear or nervousness about what might happen. Like many people, I feel anxious when venturing into a new project or an anticipated event. This project of creating this PLE has been the impetus for my feelings of Anxiety. I have two critical questions. Will I learn the required technical skills to create a site worth presenting to the public? Will my content be worth the time of the public to read my thoughts and share my journey? My Ed Every Day comes from my recognition that there is something to be learned; every day, I greet the world with opened eyes, but it does not mean that whatever is to be learned that day does not come without my experiencing Anxiety. This project of self-regulation and personalization requires integrating formal and informal learning in an organized environment to be shared publicly, subject to both praise and criticism. Hence, my feeling of Anxiety..

The second definition of Anxiety is a feeling of wanting to do something very much. I want to successfully provide a professional and personal platform in this PLE to constructively inform and inspire while incorporating learned technical skills and providing a public glimpse of me in the social context of this site.

What have I learned thus far?
I have learned that in this process of learning and applying something new, something I have been reluctant to engage in, is that anxiety i
s a double-edged sword; my positive and negative. The good. The bad.

What is good about Anxiety and the stress that rides along its side is that it gives heightened alertness and energy that propels us to do our best. In my Anxiety, I researched several articles to assure my understanding of online identities and the perceptions of online personalities. While I have yet to find a specific person or persons I would like to fashion my online presence after, I found areas I would emulate and of no consideration whatsoever. I want to create an online presence that will actively develop relationships with my readers and create value in what I have to share. In that good part of Anxiety, I want to provide a socially positive online presence and for my readers to feel and experience my online personality.

The bad Anxiety is the time and impact in which Anxiety overly challenges or overwhelmingly extends into my overall well-being. I have embraced Anxiety as motivation and not a hindrance. I have accepted Anxiety as a part of learning, not a prerequisite to failure. I have reached out to clutch the newly acquired skills and sit back with an affiliate smile, celebrating my progress through the heightened success of the completed assignment.

In my analysis of the impact of Anxiety, I recognize the intrinsic motivation caused by fear, nervousness, and the desire to do something very much. Anxiety challenges. Anxiety builds resilience. Anxiety helps in the discovery of potential. Anxiety is the energy necessary for taking action. So, while my initial feeling of Anxiety began as fear, there was the ensuing feeling was that I wanted to do something very much; the successful creation and maintenance of this personal learning environment.

In my observation and perception of online personalities, I have recognized confidence in the presentation of their content and in their choice of presence, professional or personal. There is professionalism and a proficiency in understanding digital literacy. They have provided an opportunity for me to examine how information can be shaped and shared in various technological and digital forms and formats. “ Although people often think of social media as a space for non-academic interactions, blogs can be helpful tools for instructors interested in enhancing their students’ communication skills and increasing their students’ investment in learning” ( Oliver, 2016, p.1). As a teacher and educational leader, I will use my anxiety to create a balance between motivation and accomplishment and as pre-requisite to encouraging communication and learning with students and colleagues. I do not only intend to use “technology as an add on, but rather an opportunity to develop digital literacies” ( Hicks & Turner, 2013, p. 59).

As I anticipate the next feeling worth its presentation in this blog, know that my feelings are representative in my reflection of progress and in the freedom to experiment with ideas and digital media.

“Fear thrives in a place of inaction. Overcome your anxiety by taking one small step forward”. ––Sarah Boyd.

My first step so taken….

Davis, A., & McGrail, E. (2009). The joy of blogging. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 74-77.

Hicks, T., & Turner, K. H. (2013). No Longer a Luxury: Digital Literacy Can’t Wait. The English Journal, 102(6), 58–65. Taken from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24484127.

Oliver, K. Coble., R. (2016). Teaching with blogs. Vanderbilt Center for Teaching. Taken from: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/teaching-with-blogs.