Blogging has become an extremely popular electronic means to share knowledge and ideas in the form of a chronological journal. Read more about what blogs are in the previous article.
For those interested in setting up a blog for any subject specific purpose, here is a short list of what can be considered as a few of the top free blogging platforms available on the web;
Wordpress
Blogger
Tumblr
Posterous
TextPattern
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Monday, 12 December 2011
Blogs
A blog (short for ‘web log’) typically describes an online personal diary kept on the Web, usually maintained by one person – even one with few Web publication skills. The blog is a includes regular entries of commentary, links, or other material such as graphics or video about a particular topic. The activity of updating a blog is known as ‘blogging’ and someone who keeps a blog is a ‘blogger.’ Blogging is a straightforward and interesting way for students to generate, share and keep up-to-date with timely and topical information.
Research currently suggests that blogs engage students in knowledge sharing, reflection and debate, and so often attract a large and dedicated readership. This has the advantage of creating small virtual groupings of individuals interested in co-constructing knowledge around a common topic. Through linking, commenting and feedback, good or popular ideas spread quickly, while unpopular ideas are simply ignored.
The RSS feeds generated by blogs mean users can subscribe to the blog and automatically receive updates as and when new content is added to the blog. Blog subscription and syndication services include general ones such as Blogbridge, or specialised services such as Scienceblogs. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Due to the vast number of blogs available comprehensive blog search facilities are available at Technorati and Google.
How to do it
There are a variety of blogging services available, many of which are free. When choosing a service, you must consider the configuration and moderation options available – for example, do you want your blog to be open to all, or just invited guests? Some of the major blogging services include Edublogs, WordPress and of course the University’s Learning Central. JISC also provides a useful summary comparison chart.
Incorporating Blogs
Despite the early state of implementation, there are several studies that list advantages for using blogs in educational settings including:
Considerations
Solutions
Blogging can be seen as a behaviour of social knowledge construction, and the use of blogs in online educational settings has the potential to help enhance students’ knowledge sharing and learning effectiveness. However, some students may not blog in spite of the availability of blog platforms.
Research currently suggests that blogs engage students in knowledge sharing, reflection and debate, and so often attract a large and dedicated readership. This has the advantage of creating small virtual groupings of individuals interested in co-constructing knowledge around a common topic. Through linking, commenting and feedback, good or popular ideas spread quickly, while unpopular ideas are simply ignored.
The RSS feeds generated by blogs mean users can subscribe to the blog and automatically receive updates as and when new content is added to the blog. Blog subscription and syndication services include general ones such as Blogbridge, or specialised services such as Scienceblogs. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Due to the vast number of blogs available comprehensive blog search facilities are available at Technorati and Google.
How to do it
There are a variety of blogging services available, many of which are free. When choosing a service, you must consider the configuration and moderation options available – for example, do you want your blog to be open to all, or just invited guests? Some of the major blogging services include Edublogs, WordPress and of course the University’s Learning Central. JISC also provides a useful summary comparison chart.
Incorporating Blogs
Despite the early state of implementation, there are several studies that list advantages for using blogs in educational settings including:
- As e-Portfolios for personal reflection on clinical experience or as portfolios to store personal thoughts and information sources
- To capture and disseminate faculty-generated content as well as peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and acquisition
- As a forum for discussion that goes beyond coursework to include other areas of personal exploration
- To informally follow the progress of a topic more quickly than is possible within the rigorous expert review model of evidence gathering required by academic journals
Considerations
- In an open and collaborative web environment, anyone can very easily post copyrighted material without the permission of copyright holders (e.g. patient anonymity when clinical data and images are posted), post otherwise unsuitable or misleading content
- Blogs are sometimes prone to vandalism and, as a result, to serious quality issues, because of their free form nature and the (relative/potential) lack of control over their content
- Blogs do not have the functionality expected on more traditional web sites, such as the use of highly visual dynamic backgrounds that are integrated with various multimedia. However, they are highly useful pedagogically as a low technology approach to providing an online presence with the ability to have links to other online resources or to store a variety of files]
Solutions
- Monitoring and moderation: Blog software packages have built-in ‘Administrator’s functionalities’ to support monitoring and moderation. However, these tasks can be very time-consuming and may prove to be too great a challenge to ask of educators who already lack time and resources
- The ‘closed environment’ scenario: e.g. Learning Central - The blog owner(s) /Administrator(s), enforce, check, and limit wiki and blog registration and editing privileges to selected, well-defined, and verifiable special interest groups or communities of users. Everyone else will still be able to access/read the blog and, if desirable to also post limited (moderated) comments (to build a community)
- Obtaining Patient Permission: Permission must be sought when posting clinical photos/videos, and all efforts should be made to preserve individuals’ privacy. Clinical blogs may also be password protected if necessary to further preserve patient confidentiality. The software also makes it a simple matter for an editor to delete/revert or modify material that violates patient privacy. Refer to patient consent and copyright policies]
- Importantly, educators need to set guidelines and expectations to maximize the benefits of blogs
Blogging can be seen as a behaviour of social knowledge construction, and the use of blogs in online educational settings has the potential to help enhance students’ knowledge sharing and learning effectiveness. However, some students may not blog in spite of the availability of blog platforms.
Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is commonly referred to as a second generation of services
available on the web, allowing users to do more than just retrieve
information. Social software is considered a key web 2.0 development,
since it encompasses services which facilitate collaborating, sharing,
meeting and communicating with others online. Although much of this
activity is currently social, there is a huge education potential in
these tools, particularly with students who are not campus-based.
While there is no set definition of Web 2.0, the phrase generally refers to the use of interactive and collaborative web applications as social media platforms, where users participate by generating their own content alongside the content provided by the websites themselves. This characteristic is often stated as being the primary difference between Web 2.0 and the original World Wide Web (Web 1.0).
Web 2.0 applications allow students to easily create their own content and also to actively share information, opinion and support across networks of students. They are relatively easy to use requiring little or no technical expertise and there are many free an Open Source versions availble that offer flexibility and convergence options with a number of systems. In addition, they provide educational opportunities for students ‘any time, any place’. The collaborative and engaging nature of these tools can then be used to support a number of educational processes such as reflection, knowledge building and encouraging student participation and discussion.
Web 2.0 Terminology
Web 2.0 literacy is increasingly important, so here is a glossary of social media terminology to help you get the ‘gist’ of the jargon.
An outline of different social software tools follows. However, it is important to note that there is a growing trend for services which combine different features in one package, such as services which enable you to join online communities, set up blogs and wikis and share photographs all via one website.
Blogs
Blogs (short for ‘weblogs’) are personal websites that allow rapid updating by the author and can be most easily described as a web-based diary. Content can be easily created (listed in date order) and shared. They are designed to be interactive, allowing others to post comments about the blog entries; however, it is usually not possible for anyone to alter the content except the owner. Syndication options enable users to subscribe to blogs and digests. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Examples of blog platforms include: Learning Central, edublogs. Microblogging – allows users to send brief text updates e.g. Twitter.
Wikis
Wikis are similar to blogs but allow the text of the website to be edited by others, with the creation of a common document that can be shared between individuals. Examples of wiki platforms include: Learning Central, MediaWiki (the platform that wikipedia is based upon). wikis give an opportunity for users with different types of knowledge, confidence and communication to contribute equally to a joint publication. Collaborators who lack confidence to argue a case in a ‘live’ face-to-face debate can feel more comfortable making the same points in a wiki environment where the pace of discussion is slower and the quality of the thinking is more significant than force of personality.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio recordings made available on the internet, which can be played on computers or downloaded to hand-held devices such as MP3 players, providing the potential for ‘anytime, anywhere’ mobile learning experiences. Users can subscribe to podcasts using RSS feeds, so that any new broadcast in a series is automatically downloaded to their PC or device. Podcasts have been embraced by the education sector, since they offer a lively method of communicating with different audiences – whether for lectures, discussions, audio guides etc…
Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking allows users to save online resources as bookmarks, which can be accessed from any device with an Internet connection, both by the bookmarker and by the wider community. Most bookmarking sites also allow bookmarks to be tagged to make finding them easier later. In these systems, bookmarks represent ‘links’ to web resources (they do not attach a copy of them). Examples of social bookmarking platforms include: digg, diigo
Media Sharing – Visual media can be uploaded and stored on a website and shared with please ensure that you refer to consent and copyright policies. Examples of media sharing platforms include: Flickr , You Tube
Social Networking – Involves the process of building online communities, often accomplished both through ‘groups’ and ‘friends lists’ that allow greater interaction on websites. Several approaches can be combined in these sites to make them extremely versatile e.g. blogging and file sharing. Examples of social networking platforms include: Cardiff University Connections Service, My Space, Facebook
Social software tools can provide significant support to both traditional teaching and distance education programs by facilitating interaction, collaboration, and the formation of
social networks among students.
Further Resources
Cardiff University Learning and teaching support
Learning Central
JISC e-Learning Programme
Donald Clarke “Don’t lecture me”
JISC Report “Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World”
www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/heweb20rptv1.pdf
HEA e-Learning Programme
JISC Advance – Guide to Digital Media
7things you should know about… Podcasting
7 things you should know about… Blogs
7 things you should know about… Wikis
While there is no set definition of Web 2.0, the phrase generally refers to the use of interactive and collaborative web applications as social media platforms, where users participate by generating their own content alongside the content provided by the websites themselves. This characteristic is often stated as being the primary difference between Web 2.0 and the original World Wide Web (Web 1.0).
Web 2.0 applications allow students to easily create their own content and also to actively share information, opinion and support across networks of students. They are relatively easy to use requiring little or no technical expertise and there are many free an Open Source versions availble that offer flexibility and convergence options with a number of systems. In addition, they provide educational opportunities for students ‘any time, any place’. The collaborative and engaging nature of these tools can then be used to support a number of educational processes such as reflection, knowledge building and encouraging student participation and discussion.
Web 2.0 Terminology
Web 2.0 literacy is increasingly important, so here is a glossary of social media terminology to help you get the ‘gist’ of the jargon.
- Tags - The categorization of content by users adding tags (short, usually one-word descriptions or keywords to facilitate searching). As opposed to a classical taxonomy-based categorization system (e.g. MESH), they are usually non-hierarchical, and the vocabulary is open
- Tag Clouds – Give you a visual idea of tag frequency for a blog or other social media site. The more popular a tag, the bigger the text appears in the cloud.
- Folksonomies – These are collections of tags created by many users within a single system
- Syndication – allows websites to ‘push’ new content to users. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works, such as blog entries, news headlines, audio and video in a standardized format. RSS benefits users who want to subscribe to multiple feeds using a feed reader. To provide a single point of access for updates to content from multiple sources. An increasing number of medical journals have RSS feeds available
- Mashup – involve the merging of information from multiple sources. For example, Google maps and BBC traffic data
- Open Source – Open Source refers to software that is available to the general public at no monetary cost. However, there may still be restrictions on what you can and cannot do with the software
An outline of different social software tools follows. However, it is important to note that there is a growing trend for services which combine different features in one package, such as services which enable you to join online communities, set up blogs and wikis and share photographs all via one website.
Blogs
Blogs (short for ‘weblogs’) are personal websites that allow rapid updating by the author and can be most easily described as a web-based diary. Content can be easily created (listed in date order) and shared. They are designed to be interactive, allowing others to post comments about the blog entries; however, it is usually not possible for anyone to alter the content except the owner. Syndication options enable users to subscribe to blogs and digests. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Examples of blog platforms include: Learning Central, edublogs. Microblogging – allows users to send brief text updates e.g. Twitter.
Wikis
Wikis are similar to blogs but allow the text of the website to be edited by others, with the creation of a common document that can be shared between individuals. Examples of wiki platforms include: Learning Central, MediaWiki (the platform that wikipedia is based upon). wikis give an opportunity for users with different types of knowledge, confidence and communication to contribute equally to a joint publication. Collaborators who lack confidence to argue a case in a ‘live’ face-to-face debate can feel more comfortable making the same points in a wiki environment where the pace of discussion is slower and the quality of the thinking is more significant than force of personality.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio recordings made available on the internet, which can be played on computers or downloaded to hand-held devices such as MP3 players, providing the potential for ‘anytime, anywhere’ mobile learning experiences. Users can subscribe to podcasts using RSS feeds, so that any new broadcast in a series is automatically downloaded to their PC or device. Podcasts have been embraced by the education sector, since they offer a lively method of communicating with different audiences – whether for lectures, discussions, audio guides etc…
Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking allows users to save online resources as bookmarks, which can be accessed from any device with an Internet connection, both by the bookmarker and by the wider community. Most bookmarking sites also allow bookmarks to be tagged to make finding them easier later. In these systems, bookmarks represent ‘links’ to web resources (they do not attach a copy of them). Examples of social bookmarking platforms include: digg, diigo
Media Sharing – Visual media can be uploaded and stored on a website and shared with please ensure that you refer to consent and copyright policies. Examples of media sharing platforms include: Flickr , You Tube
Social Networking – Involves the process of building online communities, often accomplished both through ‘groups’ and ‘friends lists’ that allow greater interaction on websites. Several approaches can be combined in these sites to make them extremely versatile e.g. blogging and file sharing. Examples of social networking platforms include: Cardiff University Connections Service, My Space, Facebook
Social software tools can provide significant support to both traditional teaching and distance education programs by facilitating interaction, collaboration, and the formation of
social networks among students.
Further Resources
Cardiff University Learning and teaching support
Learning Central
JISC e-Learning Programme
Donald Clarke “Don’t lecture me”
JISC Report “Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World”
www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/heweb20rptv1.pdf
HEA e-Learning Programme
JISC Advance – Guide to Digital Media
7things you should know about… Podcasting
7 things you should know about… Blogs
7 things you should know about… Wikis
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