Blogging For Learning Professionals

Parag Shah

Adaptive Software Solutionshttp://www.adaptivesoftware.biz

http://www.adaptivelearningonline.net

Agenda

➲ What is a blog?➲ Why do people blog?➲ Why should I read other’s blogs?➲ Who’s blogging?➲ How do I keep up with them?➲ Why should I blog?➲ What can I blog about?➲ What do I need to know?➲ How do I start?➲ How do I make my blog popular?➲ Are there any best practices?➲ Blogging in education➲ Monetizing your blog➲ All right… now tell me the rest…

What Is Blogging?

➲ According to Blogger.com"A blog is a personal diary. A daily pul-

pit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world."

OK So What The Heck Is That?

➲ Blogging is whatever you want it to be➲ It's your space to share your thoughts

and expressions with the rest of the world

➲ Use the power wisely and leave the world in a better state after each blog

Why Do People Blog?

➲ To share their knowledge with others➲ To promote their work/business➲ To make money➲ To increase awareness on issues close to

their heart➲ To change the world – Guy Kawasaki➲ All of the above➲ Just for time pass…

Why Do I Blog ?

➲ To share my knowledge with others➲ To help people become better

programmers➲ To promote my services➲ To make money

Some Other Bloggers

➲ http://www.downes.ca/➲ http://blog.jonudell.net/➲ http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/

Why Should I Read Blogs?

➲ To enhance your knowledge➲ To engage with other’s in meaningful

conversations and build a network➲ To become better at a skill➲ To keep up with news➲ To keep up with friends➲ Because you not have anything better to

do…

So Who’s Blogging?

➲ Evangelists➲ Teachers➲ Experts➲ CEO’s➲ Writers➲ Activists ➲ The unemployed and the bored…

How Do I Keep Up With Them?

➲ By visiting their website regularly➲ By subscribing to their feeds

How Do I Subscribe To Blog Feeds?

➲ By using a blog reader● Bloglines● Google Reader● Yahoo Reader● Your Email Client

Why Should I Blog?

➲ To share your knowledge➲ To tell your friends (and the world) what you are

doing➲ To chronicle your evolution➲ To build a brand➲ Because writing forces you to reflect – That's

how I started➲ To engage in meaningful conversations with

others around the world➲ To promote your work/business➲ Just for fun…

What Can I Blog About?

➲ About your area of expertise➲ About what you are learning➲ About your thoughts on what’s

happening in this world➲ About what you do everyday➲ About why a certain toothpaste pisses

you off…

What Do I Need To Know?

➲ How to write➲ How to think➲ Web publishing basics➲ Using the blogging software➲ Some blogging concepts

Some Blogging Concepts

➲ Feeds● Really simple syndication● Atom● OPML

➲ Linkback● Refbacks● Trackbacks● Pingback

How Do I Start?

➲ Select a topic or area that you are passionate about

➲ Create an account on a free blogging service or host your own blog

➲ Start writing (and announce your blog to the universe)

Free Blogging Hosted Services

➲ Personal blogs● Blogger - http://www.blogger.com● Wordpress - http://www.wordpress.com

➲ Community blogs● ITVidya - http://www.itvidya.com

Paid Blogging Hosted Services

➲ Typepad - http://www.typepad.com➲ Radio Userland -

http://radio.userland.com➲ Square Space -

http://www.squarespace.com

Free Blogging Software

➲ Movable Type - http://www.movabletype.org

➲ Wordpress - http://www.wordpress.org➲ Roller Weblogger -

http://www.rollerweblogger.org

How Do I Make My Blog Popular?

➲ Write stuff that others will find useful➲ Engage other bloggers➲ Register your blog with blog directories

● http://www.weblogs.com● http://www.technorati.com

➲ Use blogrolling➲ Register in blog carnivals

● http://www.blogcarnival.com

Navigating The Blogosphere

➲ Technorati➲ Digg➲ Delicious➲ Alexa➲ Google blog search

Are There Any Best Practices For Blogging

➲ Write frequently (at least 1-2 times a week)➲ Do not use very formal language… loosen

up➲ Be Real… do not fake expertise➲ Write like you are having a conversation with

the reader➲ Be ethical➲ Link to relevant blog posts➲ Keep your posts brief and to the point➲ Use images➲ Reply to other’s comments on your blog

Blogging Ethics

➲ Let me propose a radical notion: The weblog's greatest strength — its uncensored, unmediated, uncontrolled voice — is also its greatest weakness. - Rebecca Blood.

➲ Only publish those things that you know to be true (if you are not sure… say so)

➲ While quoting, always link to the source➲ Do not plagiarize➲ Disclose any conflicts of interests➲ Do not suck up to vendors because they have given

you free stuff

Blogging In Education

➲ Course blog➲ Project blog➲ Learning journal➲ Engage with other learners

Course Blog

➲ Use it to define the course➲ Use it to announce assignments and

tests➲ Upload slides on to the blog➲ Upload hints, and best practices➲ Link to current useful things that are

currently happening in the field➲ May be complemented well with a

newsgroup

Project Blog

➲ Use it to define the project and get approvals

➲ Use it to chronicle the progress of the project

● Explain what you did● Explain what problems you faced● Explain how you solved them

➲ Pubish your final project on the blog➲ Convert the blog into a thesis?

Learning Journal

➲ Write about what you are learning● Read about the topic● Think about various aspects...● Make connections to other things you have

already learned● Express your thoughts● Engage friends and other students in

conversations

Engage With Other Learners

➲ Excellent for foreign language courses➲ Excellent for geography➲ Excellent for history➲ Excellent for journalism➲ Excellent for management➲ Excellent for sciences

Monetizing Your Blog

➲ Stuff that will help you earn $28.65➲ Advertisements

● Google Adsense● Yahoo advertising● Text links

➲ Referrals● Amazon● Chikita eMiniMall

➲ Sponsorships➲ Donations➲ Free stuff

But It's Not Just About Monetization

➲ It's also about● Personal satisfaction● Making a difference● Building your personal brand

The Celebrities

➲ Technorati top 100● Engadget● Life hacker● Guy Kawasaki● Joel Spolsky● Kathy Sierra● Steve Pavlina● Doc Searls● 37 Signals

You Do Not Have To Be A Celebrity

➲ Write for yourself➲ Write for a niche audience➲ But write what is meaningful➲ Change yourself➲ ... and the world

JFK Would Have Said

➲ Ask not what blogging can do for you, ask what you can do for blogging.