All About Blogs: Universal Tool of the Digital Academic
1. All About Blogs:
Universal Tool of
the Digital
Academic
Melissa A. Venable, PhD
OnlineCollege.org
Technology, Colleges, and Community Worldwide Online Conference
#2013TCC
2. What is a blog?
Reverse chronological
presentation
Comments
Links and multimedia
Templates
WYSIWYG editors
About page
A type of website through which an author, or group of
authors, post regular articles and interact with readers.
3. Why use a blog?
“Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are
millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are
no real rules." – Blogger.com
Flexibility
Free account options
Ease of use
Professional looking results
Your choices depend on your goals …
7. Blogging in Academia
Career Development
Authority building
Portfolio presentation
Professional development
“A blog with many readers speaks to an
author's ability to command an
audience for his or her ideas and their
unique expression in the blog.”
– GitaManaktala, MIT Press
9. … Planning Your Initiative
4. Select and schedule topics
5. Have realistic expectations
6. Read other blogs!
7. Find support
10. Resources
Blog Platforms
EduBlogshttp://edublogs.org/
Blogger https://www.blogger.com/
Tumblrhttp://www.tumblr.com/
TypePadhttp://www.typepad.com/
WordPresshttp://www.wordpress.com
Tools and More
Adding Google Forms http://help.typepad.com/add-form.html
Blackboard Course Blogs http://www.blackboard.com/quicktutorials/Bb9_Tools_Create_Blog.htm
The Teach 100 List, Teach.orghttp://teach.com/teach100/about
WordPress.com Classrooms http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/classrooms/
Guide to Common Blogging Terms http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/03/a-short-guide-to-terms-
commonly-used-in.html#.UXAxPytARi7
11. Examples
Teaching
Course http://wp.vcu.edu/grad602/ | Syllabus
http://prorabaugh3120.wordpress.com/ | Assignments
http://assignments.ds106.us/
Research and Writing
Project Updates http://delilaopen.wordpress.com/ | Reporting
http://innovation.web.unc.edu/ | Publication http://etcjournal.com/
Service
Community Building http://careercounselortechnology.com/ | Professional
Organiationshttp://cenblog.org/the-safety-zone/
Career Development
CV/Portfolio examples http://couros.ca/cv/ | http://jodywright.ca/
12. Questions?
Contact me:
Melissa A. Venable. PhD
melissa@onlinecollege.org
@Melissa_Venable
Inside Online Learning Blog http://bit.ly/V89jL6