create

getting setup - (create) – providing the opportunity

A web-log (personal online writing space) … written in chronological order – most recent ‘posts’ first. Others can add comments to the posts.
Used for as many interests as there are in the world.
Google it! http://blogsearch.google.com/
Now education is catching up.

Blogs are often centred around a theme using the authors own voice

[Two hints:
Right-mouse-click allows you to ‘Open in New Window’ and ‘Copy Shortcut’
‘Alt + Tab’ will show you what other windows you have open.]

Click on each picture and follow it on your own blog as you create it in http://edublogs.org/
Students can make their own blogs with http://learnerblogs.org/
(scroll down to the bottom ogf the page for some screenshots)

’create, connect – blog’ on day one
[click to enlarge - click the back button to return here
- hover mouse over picture to read]

changing colours ball

I made http://connect.edublogs.org/ in

http://edublogs.org/ Click this link to create your own blog.
(right click to open in new window)
For now click ‘Create your edublog’ in the bottom left corner - have a look at the help files when you have time

Add your username and email
nb your username cant be changed eg connect (as in connect.edublogs.org)

Your title can be changed later – click sign up

Email notification with your username and password to get you going
nb use http://ed.sa.edu.au to log into your DECS school

Free wiki with Wikispaces – ignore for now
(Filtered in DECS schools and preschools)

The dashboard – make your blog do what you want it to do from here

Click ‘Users’ – add your name, info and change your password

Update your profile – always save changes

’Options’ New tagline – change the words under your blog title eg my ‘Al Upton and the miniLegends’ blog has the tagline
’seeking connectedness, convenience and contact’

Change the ‘times in the weblog should differ by’ to 10.5 hours in SA

In ‘Presentation’ you have the default theme

You can change the ‘Header Image and Color’ (sic)

Sidebar Widgets for when you want to play later on with more features

In Presentation I use and recommend the ‘Regulus’ theme

Presentation Regulus theme – explore some options

Current Theme Options – choose a new header and colour

Settings info and remember to save

Now click on ‘view site’ (on the right of your blog title above)

Blog beginnings – congratulations!

In the dashboard click ‘Manage’
now edit ‘Hello World!’ for your first post

Add a title, some words in the post body
and upload a picture if you want

To add a picture to the post, click in editor/body of post - then click ’send to editor’

Click ’save and continue editing’

Scroll down to Post Preview. If it’s okay, scroll up and Save

In ‘Write’ add a ‘New Post.’ You can also add a category then publish eg SA class blogs, collaboration, literacy … (these make useful tags and are useful later)

In the right hand menu – under Meta - click ‘Site Admin’ to get back to the dashboard

In ‘Write’ add a ‘New Page’. Give it a title etc then click ‘view site’
In the right menu for ‘ New Page’ is ‘Page Parent’ – here you can choose where to put the new page IE sub-pages, a hierachy

In the dashboard click ‘Blogroll’ then ’Add Link’
try adding these examples
htttp://connect.edublogs.org/
Description: ’create, connect – blog’ eTeacher event
htttp://alupton.wordpress.com/
Description: Al Upton’s class and resource blog
htttp://ccclearning.edublogs.org/
Description: Al Upton’s educational dialogue blog
Think about which category you want the links in – you will have created these when you made posts or when you go into ‘Manage’ – ‘Category’

Click ‘Manage’ then ‘Pages’ then edit the ‘About’ page. Add some details about you, your class and your shared blog

http://connect.edublogs.org/
Develop your blog and please cionsider sharing your journey and learning.

***

For more go to http://edublogs.org/ My resources page and http://alupton.wordpress.com/resources/web2-showcase/ read this url to see where it goes.
Good luck and remember to ask for help or send in ideas.
Comments to my posts and pages are great and I am notified of them all.
Emails are also welcome. al.upton@glenelgsr7.sa.edu.au

Best strategy: Read other peoples blogs. If you like what they say, check out their blogroll to see who they are interested in. Make a comment. Link back to your own blog.
Collect blogs you want to follow easily – take a one stop shop approach eg Bloglines
Cheers, Al

Click here to read a great summary by Stephen Hargadon of his interview with Will Richardson
http://stevehargadon.blogspot.com/2007/01/educational-blogging-with-will.html
whose bloglines can be found here http://www.bloglines.com/public/wrichard
It’s a great place to start looking around.

[nb I have planned to create a number of tutorials to support this event and possible extentions of it eg invite an expert who uses blog with their class (esp overseas) to join in an videoconference discussion, create new pages like FAQ - frequently asked questions ... How do I make a comment? How do I add a picture? etc.
For much more right now go to my resources page on my class blog http://alupton.wordpress.com/resources/ - Al]

changing colours ball

edublogs.org for as many extra blogs as you need
extra blog success