North Alabama Technology Conference

What’s your name? Where do you teach (or do what you do)? Talk about blogging What do you know about blogging already? Why are you interested in blogging? As of now, what do you think you’ll do with blogging? Are you comfortable with “technology?” (Careful—this is a trick question)

What’s your name?

Where do you teach (or do what you do)?

Talk about blogging

What do you know about blogging already?

Why are you interested in blogging?

As of now, what do you think you’ll do with blogging?

Are you comfortable with “technology?”

(Careful—this is a trick question)

To gain an understanding of what blogs are and how they are used in the classroom Establish, format, and use an Edublogs blog To be able to work with a variety of blogging platforms To have a working knowledge of blog terms Fortunately, teachers are good swimmers

To gain an understanding of what blogs are and how they are used in the classroom

Establish, format, and use an Edublogs blog

To be able to work with a variety of blogging platforms

To have a working knowledge of blog terms

Fortunately, teachers are good swimmers

Let’s look at some, then we’ll discuss them Classroom 2.0 wiki page on blogs Some features that most blogs share are Posts Pages Links When should a teacher use a blog in the classroom?

Let’s look at some, then we’ll discuss them

Classroom 2.0 wiki page on blogs

Some features that most blogs share are

Posts

Pages

Links

When should a teacher use a blog in the classroom?

Once again, let’s take a look at some blogs before we discuss them (Introduce Dr. Felix’s material) How many blogs will I have? Classroom, professional, and personal

Once again, let’s take a look at some blogs before we discuss them

(Introduce Dr. Felix’s material)

How many blogs will I have?

Classroom, professional, and personal

Websites and wikis Blogs are a form of (gasp) social networking Myspace and Facebook and texting, oh my! I’ll have a “web presence?” Anonymous blogging or not? The Clever Sheep—” Take Ownership of Your Identity” Links from your blog (including themes)

Websites and wikis

Blogs are a form of (gasp) social networking

Myspace and Facebook and texting, oh my!

I’ll have a “web presence?”

Anonymous blogging or not?

The Clever Sheep—” Take Ownership of Your Identity”

Links from your blog (including themes)

Before we start, make sure you have… A blog URL (or two) that you want to use www.yournamehere.edublogs.org A name for your blog This may be different than the URL An email address A password

Before we start, make sure you have…

A blog URL (or two) that you want to use

www.yournamehere.edublogs.org

A name for your blog

This may be different than the URL

An email address

A password

Updates and changes can occur at any time Appearance may depend on the browser, local settings, and the whims of fate There’s almost always a help button to click on—this is a great feature to be familiar with!

Updates and changes can occur at any time

Appearance may depend on the browser, local settings, and the whims of fate

There’s almost always a help button to click on—this is a great feature to be familiar with!

Check email and get password Password will show up on next screen and you’ll get a second email.

Check email and get password

Password will show up on next screen and you’ll get a second email.

This is part of the dashboard Let’s discuss each of the major areas that we can see

This is part of the dashboard

Let’s discuss each of the major areas that we can see

Where you select to write a post, page, or link POST: An entry to the blog that is part of the main section of the blog. Posts are “bumped down” every time a new post is written. PAGE: A “static” page that is not part of the main section of the blog. Pages “stand alone” and are viewed one at a time. LINK: a hyperlink to another website. These links are found on the sidebar.

Where you select to write a post, page, or link

POST: An entry to the blog that is part of the main section of the blog. Posts are “bumped down” every time a new post is written.

PAGE: A “static” page that is not part of the main section of the blog. Pages “stand alone” and are viewed one at a time.

LINK: a hyperlink to another website. These links are found on the sidebar.

Where you can manage your posts, pages, links, categories, tags, media library, blog imports, blog exports, and forums. Whew. Let’s look a little closer at categories and tags. (We’re not going to look at imports, exports, or forums today)

Where you can manage your posts, pages, links, categories, tags, media library, blog imports, blog exports, and forums. Whew.

Let’s look a little closer at categories and tags. (We’re not going to look at imports, exports, or forums today)

CATEGORIES: When you write a post or page, you can assign it a single category for later reference (you can show posts by category). A post for homework might be categorized as “homework.” TAGS: These are similar to categories, but can include several words. The post above might be tagged “homework, math, extra-credit” Video time: “Information R/evolution” by Michael Wesch

CATEGORIES: When you write a post or page, you can assign it a single category for later reference (you can show posts by category). A post for homework might be categorized as “homework.”

TAGS: These are similar to categories, but can include several words. The post above might be tagged “homework, math, extra-credit”

Theme: the appearance of your blog including its layout and basic features Widgets: small programs that run (typically) in your sidebar Custom Image Header: allows you to place your own picture in the header of your blog

Theme: the appearance of your blog including its layout and basic features

Widgets: small programs that run (typically) in your sidebar

Custom Image Header: allows you to place your own picture in the header of your blog

This is where you view and approve all of the comments that people post to your blog entries School blogs will typically have moderated comments ; this allows you to ensure nothing inappropriate appears on your blog

This is where you view and approve all of the comments that people post to your blog entries

School blogs will typically have moderated comments ; this allows you to ensure nothing inappropriate appears on your blog

You can purchase additional features or storage capacity for your blog This might be desirable, but probably not now

You can purchase additional features or storage capacity for your blog

This might be desirable, but probably not now

Theme and widgets Profile

Theme and widgets

Profile

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory General Blog Title: This can be changed; your URL will not change Tag line: This shows with some themes Membership: This limits comments to members Time zone: We’re UTC-5 right now Writing You may want to increase the size of the post box to make it easier to see what you’re doing as you post

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory

General

Blog Title: This can be changed; your URL will not change

Tag line: This shows with some themes

Membership: This limits comments to members

Time zone: We’re UTC-5 right now

Writing

You may want to increase the size of the post box to make it easier to see what you’re doing as you post

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory Reading Front page displays: this causes the same post or page to be displayed every time the blog is opened

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory

Reading

Front page displays: this causes the same post or page to be displayed every time the blog is opened

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory Discussion Before a comment appears: This is where you control who can add material to your blog Comment blacklist: you can select words that will prevent a comment from being displayed

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory

Discussion

Before a comment appears: This is where you control who can add material to your blog

Comment blacklist: you can select words that will prevent a comment from being displayed

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory Privacy Miscellaneous I personally de-select “crop thumbnail…” Delete blog Be sure you understand what you’re asking for! Blog Avatar Give your name a face to go with it!

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory

Privacy

Miscellaneous

I personally de-select “crop thumbnail…”

Delete blog

Be sure you understand what you’re asking for!

Blog Avatar

Give your name a face to go with it!

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory Blog type Teacher: if you have a teacher blog, you can create student blogs in which you have administrative privileges Student: very similar to the teacher blog, but without the subordinate blog option Dashboard widgets This controls how users other than yourself see the dashboard

A few important settings that might not be self-explanatory

Blog type

Teacher: if you have a teacher blog, you can create student blogs in which you have administrative privileges

Student: very similar to the teacher blog, but without the subordinate blog option

Dashboard widgets

This controls how users other than yourself see the dashboard

Information on each of these can be found by clicking on the name

Information on each of these can be found by clicking on the name

Authors and Users More than one person can control or provide content to a blog Let’s take a look at a page that defines the various users (outline) A subscriber can simply see the dashboard and edit his or her own profile. They may be allowed to comment. Your profile This is where you change your password (an odd location, in my opinion)

Authors and Users

More than one person can control or provide content to a blog

Let’s take a look at a page that defines the various users (outline)

A subscriber can simply see the dashboard and edit his or her own profile. They may be allowed to comment.

Your profile

This is where you change your password (an odd location, in my opinion)

Your avatar Add users This allows you to add several users at once. Watch the role! Invites This is one way to announce your blog to the world; well, at least the part with an email address… Blog and User Creator There are simple and advanced options

Your avatar

Add users

This allows you to add several users at once. Watch the role!

Invites

This is one way to announce your blog to the world; well, at least the part with an email address…

Blog and User Creator

There are simple and advanced options

Teacher policy highlights Training (check, you’ve done that) Blogging service providers Manage (moderate) posts and comments Advise parents Notify local administrator Disclaimer

Teacher policy highlights

Training (check, you’ve done that)

Blogging service providers

Manage (moderate) posts and comments

Advise parents

Notify local administrator

Disclaimer

Student policy highlights Blogs are an extension of the classroom First names only (last initial if needed) No personal information Public space Links Teacher review

Student policy highlights

Blogs are an extension of the classroom

First names only (last initial if needed)

No personal information

Public space

Links

Teacher review

Student blogging policy statement Age appropriate explanation Parent signature

Student blogging policy statement

Age appropriate explanation

Parent signature

If there are no questions, let’s put together a list of our blogs

If there are no questions, let’s put together a list of our blogs

The biggest hurdle concerning technology usage in the classroom is… How will your classroom be different this year? (This does not have to deal with technology) In ten years, my classroom will probably… A topic of your choice

The biggest hurdle concerning technology usage in the classroom is…

How will your classroom be different this year? (This does not have to deal with technology)

In ten years, my classroom will probably…

A topic of your choice