A broader, better BlogHighEd.org

When Matt Herzberger and Brad J. Ward launched the higher ed blog aggregator BlogHighEd.org way back in February 2008, there weren’t a lot of blogs to pick from. Matt and Brad wisely limited the original list to a sweet 16.

They would add a new blog to the site every now and then, always with the buy-in of existing members, but as more higher ed types got into the blogging game in the months to follow, and as other, already aggregated sites languished due to their authors’ lack of interest, and as Matt and Brad got busier with other pursuits, it became more of a chore for them to keep the site current.

All of that changed this week, however, as Matt and Brad expanded BlogHighEd membership to 29 high quality higher ed blogs. They also weeded out the inactive blogs and updated their application guidelines to spell out minimum guidelines for member blog activity.

I’m very happy to see this expansion. Bigger isn’t always better, but with the higher ed blogosphere expanding (relatively) dramatically in recent years, I think it’s good for an aggregator site like this to incorporate more perspectives. The addition of new voices adds more value to BlogHighEd, keeping it fresher and giving blog readers more reason to visit that site on a regular basis.

Also, the way Matt and Brad run the site, consulting with existing members about new applicants, this aggregator also serves a curatorial role, offering a feed of what I and my fellow BlogHighEd members consider to be the best of the higher ed blogosphere.

So, welcome aboard, new BlogHighEd members. And if you haven’t paid a visit in a while, today would be a good day to do so. Also, don’t forget to follow @bloghighed on Twitter.