Week 3: Weblogs

Week 3: My Reflection on How to create a blog and use blogging in the classroom.

We had to create our blog account then create our welcome page. We also had to learn how to create a page and add authors to our blog. We learned how to insert pictures and videos into our blog page this week.

Steps to create your blog

1. Go to www.blogger.com

2. On the top left hand side click on New Blog

3. Type the name (title) of your blog

4. Type in a URL address that will be associated with the name of your blog

5. If it is not available numbers (like the year) may be used to make it available

New Blog

6. Select a template

7. Then click on Create Blog

8. Once you have selected a template you can customize the look of your blog

9. Click on customize and adjust each aspect: background, width, layout, etc.

10. When finished adjusting always ensure to click on Apply to blog

Steps to create a post on your blog

1. Select posts from your more options dropdown menu or left hand side visible menu

2. Click on New post

3. Type in the title of your post

4. Compose what information you want the post to be about on the page

5. Click on Options to ensure that reader comments are on Allow then click Done

6. Click on Save, Preview, exit the preview page by x on the top right hand corner and then back on post page click Publish

7. Click on close to exit

8. Click on view blog to see published page

9. Note that once Post is selected and not pages the post will be made automatically on the first page or the initial home page that the blog was created with

10. Posts can be added to pages, go to pages and edit a post on each page after they have been created

Steps to create a new page on your blog

1. Go to the blog dashboard that you want to create page on

2. Click on pages from your more options dropdown menu or left hand side visible menu once you are already working on the blog

3. Click on New page you may see a different set up of pages if you are creating pages for the first time than if you already have pages and then you are creating a new page.

4. Name the page in the page title box

5. Type or compose what you want to share on the page for others to read and comment on

6. On the top right hand corner click Save, Preview, exit the preview page by x on the top right hand corner then click Publish

7. It will take you right back to pages

8. At the top click on Show pages as drop down menu select how you want the pages to appear on the blog e.g. as top tabs or side links

9. Remember to always then go to the top right hand corner and click on Save Arrangement that is to save all changes you made to your pages, in this case was that of creating a new page

10. Then click on View Blog to see the New page on the actual blog

11. Note that perhaps after the first time using the blog to set up a new page may appear different. However, create your new page using steps 4, 5 an 6 and make sure to click on Publish

Steps to post a comment

1. Ensure that you are signed into the blog

2. Scroll down to the Post on the Page that you want to comment on

3. By the comments section click on no comments or comments

4. Post a comment by typing in the box provided and clicking Preview if need be then Publish

5. Once published you will see your published comment

Steps to invite persons to your blog

1. From your Dashboard go to the blog you intend to invite persons to

2. Click on the more options drop down menu and select settings or left hand side visible menu once you are already working on the blog click on settings

3. Under Permissions Blog Authors click on +Add authors type in the name of each individuals Gmail using a comma to separate the email addresses, in the box provided.

4. When finished click on Invite authors

5. Each person will then need to go to their Gmail and open the email with the invitation to the blog. After accepting the invitation they will be able to read and post comments on the blog. E.g.

Steps to insert a video on your blog

1. Go to the page on your blog where you want to insert the video

2. Click on Edit to Edit Page

3. Click on the Insert video icon

4. Click on Choose a video to upload

5. Allow it to upload it may take a few minutes depending on the size of the video

6. Click Save, Update or Publish, whichever one shows up, you can also preview before clicking Publish

7. View your blog after clicking on Publish

8. Go to the page with the video to play the video

9. Wait a few seconds for the video to appear press play and wait a few seconds for it to play

Steps to get to blogger from Google

1. At the top right hand corner click on the Apps icon

2. Click on More at the bottom of pop-up Menu box

3. Click on Blogger

4. It will take you straight to your Blogger dashboard

Steps to get to blogger form your Gmail

1. If you are on your Google Navigation page and already signed into Google Account click on Gmail in your top right hand corner

2. If already signed into your Gmail click on click on More at the bottom of pop-up Menu box, then Blogger

The challenges I faced while completing the task and how I over come my challenges:

I had no challenges in creating my blog account because the instruction was straight forward to me. When we had to add authors to your blog that is when it became tick-key. What I realized is that you had to type in the email address instead of import it from contacts and also one have to accept your invitation before they can send a invitation to you. I had some difficulties in adding a video which I have created, it took forever to upload so I just canceled my video and just uploaded videos from YouTube. I was thinking of adding the video to my google drive and see if it would upload the video faster. If I get it to work and I will surely let you know. I have learned alot from this exercise because its the first time I'm creating a blog. Is it something I would continue to use after my course? I can't really say yes or no at this point. I will continue to tamper and see how it goes.