Updating for the next class: CSE 697

I hope to be using this blog as part of our new class.  I still really like knowing whether my favorite blogs have anything new.  I also like having the headlines from my favorite news sites - for the same reason.

I'm curious to see whether the PLE will make this obsolete!

Here's to learning something new!

It's been fun . . .

Looks like we're at the end of this course.  I'm so glad to know more about what blogging is and can be.  The reality is much more simple than I imagined.  Though not ready to branch out into a permanent one, I can see that it will be an idea for further down the road.  I"m very anxious to help kids who don't have technology at their fingertips learn in school how to use all of it so they don't feel overwhelmed by it in the future.  So, I'm pretty sure I will try a blog for a class at some point in the future.

Thanks, everyone, for all of your comments and examples!  So much creativity out there!

Looking forward to continuing this journey with some of you in CSE 697!

jan

Answering some questions: weather links, blogs in a specific subject area

This is one more issue of this type of blog.  You can't easily answer a comment, so that the questioner knows your are responding to them.  I know some blogs will show posts in an outline form, but I can't figure that out.  So here go answers to a couple of the comments further down.

I can't seem to get a local weather report on my blog without signing into some site, without registering or giving out personal information.  I notice Sheryl has McMinnville-specific weather on her site, but I just haven't been able to figure out how to do that. . .

And, Bryndle, all I did to find history-specific blogs was google "U.S. History teacher blogs".  I had to spend a little time finding some that were useful to me personally, but the two I found, I'm using now for lesson plan ideas. It was worth the time for me. 

thanks for the comments, guys,
jan

Appreciation for Diverse Blogs - but is it for everyone?

It has been really interesting to see the diversity in blog-creation.  I've been inspired by some of the videos to broaden my subject area of "history" to include current events and even modern art - all of which can be easily tied to history.

On the other hand, I find myself on a roller coaster, trying to decide how valuable it is overall.  I suppose that is the answer.  It's not for everyone, but it's one of the tools a teacher can use if it fits.

 

Promoting a blog

First of all, I've decided not to download WordPress in order to have more options in creating a more interesting and fun site.  I am trying to keep my "footprint" online as small as possible.  As I've said before, I have real concerns about privacy.  Even though I won't be promoting this blog, I've done some research on how to do so if that's your choice. 

Fortunately, there is no shortage of help out there with simple and easy to follow instructions.  The most important two elements seem to be:  1)  submitting your blog address to search engines, including linking to twitter, facebook, and myspace, and 2) keeping your page up to date, fresh and interesting so it will get repeat viewers. 

Additional steps you can take are helpful.  Beginning with this site (e-blogger), there are instructions for adding your blog to a "blog-roll" where surfers go from blog to blog.  They also recommend that the title of your blog reflect the topic so searches for your type blog will find it easily.  You can also post your link on other blogs, especially those that share your interests or whose followers might be interested in your page.  Doing it this way will allow you to more specifically target the types of viewers you are interested in.   

I also had to find out what "pings" are.  Wikipedia provided a succinct definition:   "In blogging, ping is an XML-RPC-based push mechanism by which a weblog notifies a server that its content has been updated."  (Retrieved from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping_%28blogging%29)  This seems like an invaluable tool.  I definitely only visit those blogs that have posted since I was last online.  So, if I were creating a long-term blog, I would only want those blogs that have been updated to show on my page. 

An extremely important element in promoting your blog is constant maintenance.  People don't want to find 'dead' pages & yours will soon be dropped by viewers if they aren't finding things that are interesting, useful, and new. 

I found these sites to be most helpful:  
http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=42377
http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/the-beginners-guide-to-promoting-your-blog/  http://www.blog-maniac.com/blog-promotion.htm

jan 

Management?!?

Managing the blog seems to be quite difficult.  It takes up a lot of time to learn the new features, get information off the net on blogging efficiently and effectively, and keeping up with the blogs I'm following. 

I find the dashboard "reading list" a great time-saver.  It lists the blog entries of each of the blogs I'm following.  They are shown with the first few sentences and if the topic interests me, I can click on the title and it takes me right to that blog. 

Another nice feature is the "stats" window, available on the dashboard or at the top of the page when you are writing a post.  This helps me see which of my own blogs others have found interesting enough to comment on &, if or when we turn to advertising our blogs, what sort of audience I might find out there.  It also lets me be freaked out a bit that someone in Nigeria is reading this blog . . .    Anyway, I'd say using the dashboard, especially the "reading list" and the "stats" will help make my blog better and more useful to me and to the audience I'm trying to reach. 

If I were to decide to keep blogging after this class, I would definitely view the tutorials at the bottom of the dashboard.  I used one to learn how to download a video & would want to continue learning how to make the blog more useful to my users.  I have decided NOT to do a classroom blog for my spring term student teaching, but to keep learning & perhaps try one in the fall.  I want to do a bit more research on setting safety controls and learn how to limit access to a classroom blog. 

Lastly, I would want to set a schedule for "maintaining" the blog - deleting old posts; reviewing for spam or unacceptable posts, etc.  For me, since I'm just learning so much in the classroom, this is too much to add to my very first student teaching assignment.  But, it is also something I'd like to try and experiment with after I've learned a bit more.  I really liked some of the blogs that teachers are using with their students. I liked what the students said in one of the videos one of you posted.  I think it could be useful to students to have learned how to communicate with their teacher via a blog - maybe it will save them some time learning it in the future.

I am really looking forward to reading other management posts.  I'm off to WOU for two days of training in grading writing assessments, so I'll look forward to reading them when I get time this weekend.

Good luck, jan

a great art class video?

Here's a video that would be great for art class!