Getting the blog up and running

As a former (and now current) Blogger user, I knew enough of the basics to get my blog up and running without a hitch. I am aware that the title "Brian @ Clark College" might not be the most original, but I can always tweak it at another time.

I did get a chance to learn how to use the new Blogger, including the revamped design. Opposed to the former Blogger, the new one is much more appealing to the eye and seems to be a little more neat.

I try to keep my online footprint as light as possible, but am a member of most major social networking sites. I host my baseball history blog at Wordpress and have a semi-active account on Wikipedia.

Obviously there are pros and cons to using a digital format over an analog. For one, the analog format, such as hand-written class notes are more easily accessible and functional for a class room environment. However, digital work-spaces, such as Blogger, where you can post an assortment of multimedia tools, can be helpful as well.

Assignment:

Set up Your Own Blog

On the class discussion you watched a video about blogging and posted a comment. Now you're going to set up your own blog. As you learned in the video, a blog is a "web 2.0" tool, which means that you can use it to contribute information to the Internet without knowing any special coding or computer skills. All you need is a browser (like Firefox or Explorer) and Internet connection, and blog host. For this class you will be using Blogger.com to host your blog. Each week you will use your blog to record your assignments(called Research Journals)and I will provide feedback and guidance.

Start by watching this short (2 minutes) tutorial::

and follow the instructions to set up your own blog. Give yourself adequate time to fill in all the blanks required and also upload a profile picture. When it comes to naming your blog try and be a bit unique and easy to remember so you don't end up with Cindy1144.blogspot.com. One thing to remember as you set up your blog, the name of the blog cannot be changed. While I encourage you to use your creativity, please make sure that either your user name or name of your blog includes your name so I can easily identify it.

Be sure to remember these things:

• your user name
• your password
• your blog name and URL (The web address, like xxxx.blogspot.com- this is a good time to bookmark your URL. However, remember you can always find your blog again by going towww.blogger.com and signing in.)

3. Explore Blogger a bit. Go to the design link and select template designer in the line under the labeled tabs, then select a template and background(color palette)that you find pleasing/interesting to the eye. You can also go to advanced to select your favorite font and color(one thing to remember, please don't make it impossible for me to see your text and if possible stay away from the dark background and red or purple text- it's hard for my old eyes to read.) You might leave the layout tab for later after you see how the default layout works, you always have to option to change your template and layout during the class. If you choose a template that displays your posts in a very narrow column, it can make it harder for me to view and grade the assignment. You should always view your blog after you post to see how it looks and make any corrections using edit post if necessary. 

4. Create your first New Post and give a summary of this assignment. What did you learn? What do you think the difference might be using a digital workspace as opposed to an analogue(paper) one? Are you a member of any other online communities(i.e. facebook, twitter, etc.)?

5. Send me an email (abullock@clark.edu) with the URL (web address) of your blog. While you are required to use your clark email for your Moodle profile, it's fine with me if you send me email from your personal email, however, please include the course name in the subject line so I know it is class related and important and remember to sign your name so I know who I am interacting with.

That's it! When you want to get back to your blog, just enter the URL in a browser address bar and log in.

This activity is worth 10 points(5 points for setting up your blog and 5 points for your first post).