Transcript Document 7543241

Introduction to Blogging
in University Communication
External Relations (U of R)
April 28, 2005
Presented by Alec Couros
Introduction
What are Blogs?
How can I set up a Blog?
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).
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)
Anatomy of a Web Log – Moveable Type 3
Post Title
Static
Address
Notification
Post Date
Calendar
Link of
Interest
Feedback/
Conversation
Archives
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
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
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 be
licensed (outside of personal use).
- Much easier to customize to specific use
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
What Makes Blogging Different?
Key Attributes
Ease of Use
• Let’s take a look at just how easy
• IABC Blog –
http://www.educationaltechnology.ca/IABCBlog
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.
GO
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.
Collaboration & Groups
• It’s 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, “what’s in your bag”.
– MSN Spaces (Microsoft integrates blogging, mail, instant
messaging, photos, etc.)
– Yahoo! 360 (new blogging and integrated space from MS’s
biggest competitor)
Types of Blogs
Social Action
Diaries
Business
Politics
Scholarly
Course Enhancement
Conference
Collaborative Learning Space
Knowledge Management
~
Photo/Moblogs
PodCasts
Social Action
Diaries
Diaries
Diaries
Business
Business
Business
Politics
Scholarly
Scholarly
Scholarly
Course Enhancement
Course Enhancement
Conference
Conference
Conference
Conference
Knowledge Management
(K-Logs)
Knowledge Management
(K-Logs)
The Future is Here
Moving Beyond Text: Multimedia Blogging
AudioBlogs
PhotoBlogs
moBlogs
Podcasts
Podcasts
Podcasts
Video Blogging
Video Blogging
GO
University Blogging
A Few Examples
Content Management
GO
Alumni Online Communities
GO
University Online Communities
GO
Fundraising
GO
Starting Places
•
Couros Blog
–
•
Wordpress site
–
•
http://www.cmomagazine.com/read/030105/blog_future.html
UThink - Blogs at the University of Minnesota
–
•
http://www.gilbane.com/gilbane_report.pl/104/Blogs__Wikis_Technologies_for_Enterprise_
Applications.html
Blog to the Future (article)
–
•
http://www.google.com/googleblog/
Blogs & Wikis: Technology for Enterprise Applications? (article)
–
•
http://www.blogger.com
Google Blog
–
•
http://www.wordpress.org
Blogger
–
•
http://www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/
How to Make Money from Your Blog
–
http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/issues/marketing/online_marketing/how_to_make_
money_from_your_blog_5_tips.mspx
Contact
This presentation can be downloaded at:
http://www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros
click ‘Presentations’, then ‘Recent’,
Please contact me - email: [email protected],
or Google me: keyword, ‘couros’
Thank you for your time and attention.