Blogging and The Learning Professional
- 1. Blogging For Learning Professionals Parag Shah Adaptive Software Solutions http://www.adaptivesoftware.biz http://www.adaptivelearningonline.net
- 2. Agenda What is a blog? Why do people blog? Why should I read other’s blogs? Who’s blogging? How do I keep up with them? Why should I blog? What can I blog about? What do I need to know? How do I start? How do I make my blog popular? Are there any best practices? Blogging in education Monetizing your blog All right… now tell me the rest…
- 3. What Is Blogging? According to Blogger.com "A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world."
- 4. OK So What The Heck Is That? Blogging is whatever you want it to be It's your space to share your thoughts and expressions with the rest of the world Use the power wisely and leave the world in a better state after each blog
- 5. Why Do People Blog? To share their knowledge with others To promote their work/business To make money To increase awareness on issues close to their heart To change the world – Guy Kawasaki All of the above Just for time pass…
- 7. Why Do I Blog ? To share my knowledge with others To help people become better programmers To promote my services To make money
- 9. Some Other Bloggers http://www.downes.ca/ http://blog.jonudell.net/ http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/
- 10. Why Should I Read Blogs? To enhance your knowledge To engage with other’s in meaningful conversations and build a network To become better at a skill To keep up with news To keep up with friends Because you not have anything better to do…
- 11. So Who’s Blogging? Evangelists Teachers Experts CEO’s Writers Activists The unemployed and the bored…
- 12. How Do I Keep Up With Them? By visiting their website regularly By subscribing to their feeds
- 13. How Do I Subscribe To Blog Feeds? By using a blog reader Bloglines Google Reader Yahoo Reader Your Email Client
- 14. Why Should I Blog? To share your knowledge To tell your friends (and the world) what you are doing To chronicle your evolution To build a brand Because writing forces you to reflect – That's how I started To engage in meaningful conversations with others around the world To promote your work/business Just for fun…
- 15. What Can I Blog About? About your area of expertise About what you are learning About your thoughts on what’s happening in this world About what you do everyday About why a certain toothpaste pisses you off…
- 17. What Do I Need To Know? How to write How to think Web publishing basics Using the blogging software Some blogging concepts
- 18. Some Blogging Concepts Feeds Really simple syndication Atom OPML Linkback Refbacks Trackbacks Pingback
- 19. How Do I Start? Select a topic or area that you are passionate about Create an account on a free blogging service or host your own blog Start writing (and announce your blog to the universe)
- 20. Free Blogging Hosted Services Personal blogs Blogger - http://www.blogger.com Wordpress - http://www.wordpress.com Community blogs ITVidya - http://www.itvidya.com
- 21. Paid Blogging Hosted Services Typepad - http://www.typepad.com Radio Userland - http://radio.userland.com Square Space - http://www.squarespace.com
- 22. Free Blogging Software Movable Type - http://www.movabletype.org Wordpress - http://www.wordpress.org Roller Weblogger - http://www.rollerweblogger.org
- 23. How Do I Make My Blog Popular? Write stuff that others will find useful Engage other bloggers Register your blog with blog directories http://www.weblogs.com http://www.technorati.com Use blogrolling Register in blog carnivals http://www.blogcarnival.com
- 24. Navigating The Blogosphere Technorati Digg Delicious Alexa Google blog search
- 25. Are There Any Best Practices For Blogging Write frequently (at least 1-2 times a week) Do not use very formal language… loosen up Be Real… do not fake expertise Write like you are having a conversation with the reader Be ethical Link to relevant blog posts Keep your posts brief and to the point Use images Reply to other’s comments on your blog
- 26. Blogging Ethics Let me propose a radical notion: The weblog's greatest strength — its uncensored, unmediated, uncontrolled voice — is also its greatest weakness. - Rebecca Blood. Only publish those things that you know to be true (if you are not sure… say so) While quoting, always link to the source Do not plagiarize Disclose any conflicts of interests Do not suck up to vendors because they have given you free stuff
- 27. Blogging In Education Course blog Project blog Learning journal Engage with other learners
- 28. Course Blog Use it to define the course Use it to announce assignments and tests Upload slides on to the blog Upload hints, and best practices Link to current useful things that are currently happening in the field May be complemented well with a newsgroup
- 29. Project Blog Use it to define the project and get approvals Use it to chronicle the progress of the project Explain what you did Explain what problems you faced Explain how you solved them Pubish your final project on the blog Convert the blog into a thesis?
- 30. Learning Journal Write about what you are learning Read about the topic Think about various aspects... Make connections to other things you have already learned Express your thoughts Engage friends and other students in conversations
- 31. Engage With Other Learners Excellent for foreign language courses Excellent for geography Excellent for history Excellent for journalism Excellent for management Excellent for sciences
- 32. Monetizing Your Blog Stuff that will help you earn $28.65 Advertisements Google Adsense Yahoo advertising Text links Referrals Amazon Chikita eMiniMall Sponsorships Donations Free stuff
- 33. But It's Not Just About Monetization It's also about Personal satisfaction Making a difference Building your personal brand
- 34. The Celebrities Technorati top 100 Engadget Life hacker Guy Kawasaki Joel Spolsky Kathy Sierra Steve Pavlina Doc Searls 37 Signals
- 35. You Do Not Have To Be A Celebrity Write for yourself Write for a niche audience But write what is meaningful Change yourself ... and the world
- 36. JFK Would Have Said Ask not what blogging can do for you, ask what you can do for blogging.