Week 2 - Blogging

Thing 3: Blog your heart out!

A blog (short for web log) is a website where you post information regularly. Rather than a static website that gets updated periodically a blog is more like a diary or a newspaper column where you write about your thoughts and link to interesting content that you would like to blog about to share with other people. People might follow blogs and comment on individual postings. For more information on blogs please read 7 Things You Should Know about Blogs. It might be even more fun to watch this short video on why blogs matter (Thanks Abby).

Libraries can use blogs to post information for their patrons about new books, events, library news, etc. Blogs are also a great way for librarians to stay up-to-date on professional development. As a librarian or future librarian it is important for you to know how to create a blog. Once you are all set up you can post to your blog. Teach yourself how to add links to your post and how to post a photo or video.

Thing 3 Learning2.0 Tasks
1. Go to Blogger to create your very own blog. Blogger is a free blog publishing tool that is really easy to use. The hardest part might be finding a user name and blog name that is unique! The website guides you through the process in three easy steps (create an account, name your blog, select a template for your blog's layout). Make sure you remember your user name and password!

Blogger provides a quick tour and video tutorial for those new to the process.

2. Write a post about Life-long learning habits (see Week 1) and which habits come naturally to you and which habits you find challenging and why.

3. Please post your blog's address to Blackboard (Discussions - Learning2.0 - Week 2 Blogging)! The address should look like approximately like this: http://xxxx.blogspot.com

4. Add yourself as a follower of the learning 2.0 blog. Click on the "follow" link in the right hand column of this blog.

TIP: If you want to create a blog for family and friends you can do so separately from your INST5030-6030 blog. Blogger allows you to set up several different blogs with your user login. Once you log in you arrive at your "dashboard" where you can select which blog you want to work on.