Hot off the (Word)press the value of Blogging
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Blogging can be a valuable tool for teachers to share ideas and experiences. The document discusses the history and basics of blogging, including how to get started with platforms like Blogger and WordPress. It also shares details about the author's experience blogging for over 15 years and maintaining multiple blogs, with tips on maintaining blogs regularly and not letting them become abandoned. The author encourages others to start their own blog and will help feature new teacher blogs on the Geographical Association's website.
Hot off the (Word)press the value of Blogging
- 1. Hot off the (Word)press: the value of blogging Alan Parkinson (@GeoBlogs) References https://www.geography.org.uk/write/mediauploads/research%20library/ga_geogedvol1i1a1.pdf ‘Have you met GeoBlogs?’ - Alan Parkinson - Teaching Geography (2004) Blogger: http://www.blogger.com - integrates with your GMail account Wordpress: http://www/wordpress.com What is blogging? Before Twitter: which is technically a micro-blogging platform, there was Blogger. It’s a publishing platform, where posts are added (the most recent being at the top of the page), with options for commenting, adding media and embedding other content.. They are free. My first time leading a CPD session for other colleagues was in 2003, when the creators of Blogger had just been bought by Google, and I led a session for a local network on how to create blogs. My online name: @GeoBlogs is a pun on Joe Bloggs, & was chosen back in 2002, when I got some money from the RGS-IBG Innovative Geography Teaching award to explore the value of blogging. How do I get started? Think of a reason to start blogging, and a catchy name for your blog. Now choose whether to go for Wordpress or Blogger (or some other choice) Some school VLEs will also allow blogs to be created e.g. Firefly. I use both platforms. Blogger is ‘easier’ but Wordpress offers more flexibility to produce different formats. How many blogs do I have? Currently, I have 20, but post regularly to half a dozen - some are archived. https://geographyteacher2point0.blogspot.com/ - my teaching blog http://livinggeography.blogspot.com - my main blog - over 5.3 million page views & 8700+ posts https://ocrbgeog.blogspot.com/ - my GCSE teaching blog for the last 2 years https://gapresidents.blogspot.com/ - a biography of all GA Presidents since the founding of the Association in 1893 - a 2 year project Keep the cobwebs away Many blogs have been started only to be abandoned. Don’t be unrealistic in your targets for how often to blog. I often have as many as 40 posts in draft, which I work on until the point I’m happy to press PUBLISH. Others take me less than a minute to write. I try to add something to my LivingGeography blog everyday. Posts can be scheduled to appear at a time in the future, or a regular time. Let me know when you’ve started and I’ll feature your blog on the GA’s Webwatch in GA Magazine.