This document discusses blogging for administrators and teachers. It covers why educators should blog, including for reflection, networking, professional development and sharing expertise. It also discusses choosing the right blogging platform, such as Blogger or WordPress, and tips for setting up an effective blog, including deciding the purpose and intended readers. The document provides guidance on writing effective blog content through unique, scannable posts on a regular basis. It concludes with suggestions for managing the blog over time through social media sharing and comment moderation.
2. Session Overview Why Blog? Choosing the Right Blogging Tools Tips for Setting Up Your Blog Effective Blog Content Managing Your Blog Effectively Questions and Answers
3. Why Blog? Reflection Networking Professional Development Sharing Expertise Getting Responses and Feedback Communication
4. Choosing the Right Blogging Tools Blogger WordPress Edublogs Tumblr Posterous LiveJournal
5. Tips for Setting Up Your Blog Decide on Your Niche or Hook (Purpose for Blog) Identify Your Readers Choose an Appropriate Theme Choose Your Layout Choose the Elements to Include on Your Site
6. Writing Effective Blog Content Write & Create Useful and Unique Content Make Your Content Scannable Use Effective Titles Use Optimal Blog Post Length Post to Your Blog with Some Frequency Pay Attention to Types of Blog Posts Encourage Comments for Interactivity
7. Managing Your Blog Effectively Dealing with Anonymous Post Comments Share You Blog Site with Others Tweet Your New Blog Posts Share Your New Blog Posts on Facebook & Google+ Place Link to Your Blog on Your Email Tags Keep Your Professional Blog Separate from Your School or District
Good-----, Welcome to Blogging for Administrators and TeachersReview My Past experiences using blogs: as school tool, self-expression, as networking tool (connected with other educators from Saudi Arabia to texas)My personal motivations and connections to being an English teacher.
Overview of today’s session.5 Important considerations: 1) Selecting the Optimal Blogging Tools for Your Needs and desires (not much difference in blogging platforms), 2) Setting up your blog to optimize interest & traffic, 3) Making sure the content you put on your blog attracts traffic, 4) Using tools to manage the traffic and audience, 5) Practice & answer questions Getting down to setting up your blog
Reflection: Blogging is an opportunity to reflect. You can explore your thoughts & reactions to ideas and issues, you can reflect on topics of interests, My Personal Reflections: Usually on ed policy issues, technology issues, and teaching issues.Networking: My blog has connected me with other educators & in some cases non-educators worldwide: Instructional Technologist in an American School in Saudi Arabia, Technology Director of School District in Upstate New York, Vice President of Sales for the Software Company Evernote (who sent me t-shirts, and other), Authors of books I’ve reviewed. Connections to National online organizations: ISTE, Converg Magazine Online, Guest Blog Posts, Connections to companies and other organizations asking to put advertisements & guest blog posts on my blogProfessional Development: Writing blog posts that share thoughts, ideas, techniques, etc. Others commenting and connecting to share their thoughts & ideas. Like having a best practices network online.Sharing Expertise: Educators as a rule, love to share the ideas that work. My blog, I can continually provide others with my own best practices, and get feedback and additional ideas from an audience.Getting Responses & Feedback: We always like getting responses to our writing, feedback on some ideas we’ve tried is reassuring and professionally rewarding.Communication: Ability to communicate your thoughts on topics & issues that concern you.
Blogger: Already have Google Accounts, Blogger has lots of features and other tools (as I’ll show you shortly), can create multiple blogs, analytical tools available, can make money on the side with Google ads, Blogger has lots of additional tools such as templates for format, it is the blogging platform I personally know.WordPress: Probably the second most popular blogging platform, I have used before, even had a blog set up, but have since closed it. Has many of the same tools as Blogger.Edublogs: education oriented blog platform. Not as familiar.
