Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Source: Blogger’s Dilemma by Cox & Forkum

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

WelcomeIntroduction to Blogging

Kevin LimEducational Technology Center

University at Buffalo(2 hour workshop)

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Obligatory Chart of Blogging ExplosionSource: Technorati Weblog - State of the Blogosphere, February 2006 Part 1

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Blogs vs. Mainstream Media

Source: Technorati Weblog - State of the Blogosphere, February 2006 Part 2

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Alex Halavais’ Blog A Professor’s Blog - Powered by Wordpress

Source: http://alex.halavais.net

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Carolyn’s Blog COM515 Student Blog - Powered by Wordpress

Source: http://www.schoolof.info/carolynhurley/

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

This is my blog Kevin Lim’s Blog - Powered by Wordpress

Source: http://theory.isthereason.com

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

The Blogging Processvia Dave Pollard’s blog

The Blogging Processvia Dave Pollard’s blog

Source: http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2003/07/30.html#a346

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

1. What & Why Blogs

2.How to read blogs (demo)

~ 10 min break ~

3.How to write blogs (demo)

4.Open Discussion

AgendaBlogging Workshop

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

• Blog is short for Web Log

• A website with regular posts

• Displayed in reverse chronological order

• Has links, text, images, audio, video, etc

• Has a conversational style of writing

• Focuses on particular area of interest

• A blogger is a person who runs a blogSource: Wikipedia - Blog

What is a Blog?Beyond personal journals

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

•A blog…

•is easy to update (via a web form)

•automatically archives older content

•has a typical template structure

•usually has RSS feeds

•builds conversation (links, comments)

•lets you focus on content

What is a Blog?Compared to a personal web page

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

•Blogs to ‘document my life’

•Blogs as commentary

•Blogs as catharsis

•Blogs as muse

•Blogs as community forumSource: Nardi, B.A., Schiano, D.J., Gumbrecht, M., & Swartz, L. (2004). Why we blog. Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery, 47(12), 41-46 (pdf available)

Why Do We Blog?Motivations for blogging

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

For me, I’m blogging to…

• Filter relevant information (knowledge)

• Build myself as an expert in my field

• Expand my social network

Why Do I Blog?Practical reasons for blogging

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Anatomy of a BlogHow to identify the interactive parts

Anatomy of a BlogHow to identify the interactive parts

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Source: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/22/anatomy-of-a-blog-posting

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Source: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/22/anatomy-of-a-blog-posting

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Source: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/22/anatomy-of-a-blog-posting

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

• Blogosphere - entire blogging community

• Moblog - mobile blogging via phone / PDA

• Permalink - permanent link to blog post

• Trackback - incoming links to a blog post

• RSS - Really Simple Syndication (of content)Source: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15000

Blog LanguageCheatsheet for newbie bloggers

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Text

Based on Dion’s RSS illustration at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dionh/62142614/

RSSthe “plumbing” of our living web

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Reading Blogsvia NetNewsWire: Mac-based RSS Newsreader

Source: http://ranchero.com/netnewswire/

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Reading Blogsvia Bloglines: web-based RSS Newsreader

Source: http://www.bloglines.com/public/kevinlim

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Reading Blogs (Demo)via Preetam Rai’s Bloglines Tutorial

Reading Blogs (Demo)via Preetam Rai’s Bloglines Tutorial

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

BREAK (10 minutes)feel free to ask questions

BREAK (10 minutes)feel free to ask questions

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETCBlog Software Comparison

Are you using the right blogging tool?

Source: http://www.ojr.org/ojr/images/blog_software_comparison.cfm

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Writing Blogs (Demo)via Redmonk - Start a Blog (using Blogger)

Writing Blogs (Demo)via Redmonk - Start a Blog (using Blogger)

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

•act of discovery - meaning to writing

•transparent - instant gratification

•non-hierarchical - democratic

•potential for passion - ownership

•open to public - real recognition

•collective intelligence - collaborative

•permanence - searchable resource

Class BloggingBenefits to blogging for your class

Intro to BloggingKevin Lim at ETC

1.Start by blogging - risks < rewards2.Connect students - via blogs, facebook3.Collaborate - via comments, trackbacks4.Blog assignments - let ego motivate5.Be lazy - let students take the lead

Getting StartedOpening up your class / research

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Source: http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=542

Getting StartedHandbook for Bloggers & Cyber-

Dissidents

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

These references are also available at:http://theory.isthereason.com/?p=749

What makes a Weblog a Weblog?http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/whatMakesAweblogAweblog

Educational Blog Linkshttp://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/tutes/blogs/

Redmonk - Start a Blog (using Blogger)http://www.redmonk.com/wiki/index.php?title=Start_a_Blog_(Using_Blogger)

Additional Blogger Templateshttp://blogger-templates.blogspot.com/

A Beginner's Guide to Trackbackshttp://www.movabletype.org/trackback/beginners/

ReferencesRelated Blog Readings

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

Blogs & Wikis: contributing to the e-dialogRecordings of an ETC Discussion Forum held on September 28th, 2005, provided by Professor Alex Halavais

Weblogs and collaborative web publishing as learning spaces. Halavais, A. (In press). In J. Weiss, J. Nolan, and P. Trifonas (Eds.), International Handbook of Virtual Learning Environments. Springer.

Handbook for Bloggers and CyberdissidentsReporters Without Borders.http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=542

Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press. Wenger, E. (1998).

ReferencesRelated Blog Readings

Intro to Blogging

Kevin Lim at ETC

ReferencesRelated RSS Readings

HOW TO: Getting Started with RSShttp://www.paulstamatiou.com/2005/11/13/how-to-getting-started-with-rss/

BBC: Really Simple Syndicationhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/rss/default.stm

Technorati: What is RSShttp://www.technorati.com/help/faq.html#whatrss

Preetam Rai: Using Bloglines http://preetamrai.com/weblog/archives/2005/04/25/bloglines-how-to-keep-track-of-hundreds-of-blogs-and-some-news-and-some-podcasts-and-some-flickrs-photos-etc-etc/

RamblingLibrarian: 10 Points on Blogs & RSS newsfeedshttp://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2005/04/10-points-on-blogs-rss-newsfeeds.html