Introduction to Blogging

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Introduction to Blogging

• in University Communication
• External Relations (U of R)
• April 28, 2005
• Presented by Alec Couros

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Introduction

• What are Blogs?
• How can I set up a Blog?

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Overview of Blogging

• A blog (or weblog) is a web-based application
  that enables users to post text, images, audio or
  video to a webpage. Posts are (ideally) periodic,
  and usually arranged in reverse chronological
  order.
• Advantages of weblogging
• Simple, assisted html production, as easy as
  sending an email message. Publication is live and
  instant.
• Customizable templates via CSS.
• Ideal for group communications.
• Simple syndication and subscription through
  various aggregators (no need to check page for
  updates).

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Overview of Blogging (cont.)

• Blogging has evolved from its early origin as a
  medium for the publication of simple, online
  personal diaries, to the latest disruptive
  technology, the killer app that has the
  capacity to engage people in collaborative
  activity, knowledge sharing, reflection and
  debate (Hiler, 2003).
• The nature of blogging engines allows for the
  creation of a legitimate warehousing of captured
  knowledge, and archiving for later retrieval
  (Bausch, Haughley Hourihan, 2002).
• In business, "Blogs can be valuable for storing
  business communications, collaborating with
  colleagues, and sharing information with clients
  and vendors (Lawlor, 2003)

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Anatomy of a Web Log Moveable Type 3
Post Title
Static Address
Post Date
Notification
Calendar
Link of Interest
Feedback/ Conversation
Archives
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Blogging Software/Services

• There are various tools that allow one to publish
  a blog. These are often split between software
  and web-based services.
• Web-based services
• Software

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• Blogger
• Web-based, owned by Google
• Very simple to setup (takes a few minutes)
• Easy to setup group blogs, but users must be
• Blogger.com members
• Limited customization (just styles)
• Possible to serve Blogger blogs on external
• FTP servers

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• Moveable Type
• Software created and supported by Six Apart
• Must install on server, but easy to setup
• User interface simple
• Easy to create group blogs
• Large user community
• Used to be free to use, but version 3 must
  belicensed (outside of personal use).
• Much easier to customize to specific use

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• WordPress
• Open Source free to use and modify
• Must install on server, but easy to setup
• User interface simple
• Easy to create group blogs
• Large user community, and many plug-ins
  available
• Easy to customize style

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What Makes Blogging Different?

• Key Attributes

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Ease of Use

• Lets take a look at just how easy
• IABC Blog http//www.educationaltechnology.ca/IA
  BCBlog

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Customizable

• There are templates and/or themes available for
  many of the blog engines (e.g., Moveable Type,
  Wordpress, Blogger).
• You can change the look, feel and style of your
  blog without losing any of the data. Style and
  data remain separate.
• Wordpress, for example has many downloadable
  themes that are available for free. Additionally,
  each theme can be tweaked or modified with some
  technical skill.

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GO
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RSS

• RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich
  Site Summary.
• What it means to the common user is that one can
  subscribe to a blog using a feed reader or
  aggregator.
• There are many free aggregator packages. Some
  include
• Bloglines (web-based, great if you read from more
  than one computer).
• Feedreader (free and works great)
• Net News Wire Lite (free LE version, Mac only,
  very popular)
• Shrook (Mac only, my personal choice)
• Many other applications (browsers, email clients)
  are integrating RSS reading into new versions of
  software.

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Collaboration Groups

• Its obviously very easy to set up a group blog.
• A couple of excellent group blogs include
  Slashdot, and Boing Boing.
• There are also some excellent sites that are not
  strictly blogs, but incorporate blogging
  technology into their services to develop shared
  communities. Some examples include
• Flickr (photosharing)
• See examples transparent screens, whats in your
  bag.
• MSN Spaces (Microsoft integrates blogging, mail,
  instant messaging, photos, etc.)
• Yahoo! 360 (new blogging and integrated space
  from MSs biggest competitor)

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Types of Blogs

• Social Action
• Diaries
• Business
• Politics
• Scholarly
• Course Enhancement
• Conference
• Collaborative Learning Space
• Knowledge Management
• Photo/Moblogs
• PodCasts

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Social Action
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Diaries
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Diaries
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Diaries
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Business
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Business
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Business
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Politics
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Scholarly
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Scholarly
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Scholarly
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Course Enhancement
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Course Enhancement
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Conference
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Conference
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Conference
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Conference
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Knowledge Management (K-Logs)
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Knowledge Management (K-Logs)
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The Future is Here

• Moving Beyond Text Multimedia Blogging

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AudioBlogs
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PhotoBlogs
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moBlogs
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Podcasts
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Podcasts
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Podcasts
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Video Blogging
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GO
Video Blogging
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University Blogging

• A Few Examples

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Content Management
GO
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Alumni Online Communities
GO
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University Online Communities
GO
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Fundraising
GO
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Starting Places

• Couros Blog
• http//www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros
• Wordpress site
• http//www.wordpress.org
• Blogger
• http//www.blogger.com
• Google Blog
• http//www.google.com/googleblog/
• Blogs Wikis Technology for Enterprise
  Applications? (article)
• http//www.gilbane.com/gilbane_report.pl/104/Blogs
  __Wikis_Technologies_for_Enterprise_Applications.h
  tml
• Blog to the Future (article)
• http//www.cmomagazine.com/read/030105/blog_future
  .html
• UThink - Blogs at the University of Minnesota
• http//blog.lib.umn.edu/
• How to Make Money from Your Blog
• http//www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/issues/mark
  eting/online_marketing/how_to_make_money_from_your
  _blog_5_tips.mspx

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Contact

• This presentation can be downloaded at
  http//www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros
• click Presentations, then Recent,
• Please contact me - email alec.couros_at_uregina.ca,
  
• or Google me keyword, couros
• Thank you for your time and attention.