Larry explained that Edublogs is his #1 best Web 2.0 tool because “it’s so easy to use and not blocked by my School District filters”. While Rafa agreed with Larry saying “especially with the new facility to create blogs for my students. I have a small group project started which involves every team running a blog, and this made it so easy to monitor!”

So let’s check out resources for getting more out of blogging and Edublogs in our latest post on our ongoing series on Best Web 2.0 tools.

Blogging Resources

I’ve set up a Getting Started With Edublogs page on this blog to provide a central location for information, provided by the edublogger community, on the “basics of getting started blogging” including:

1. “How To” Manuals

These Introductory manuals are both excellent with fantastic “how to” explanations; both can be viewed online or downloaded and printed to provide excellent guides to step you through the process of setting up your blog and writing posts.

I still refer to both these manuals for extra tips — thanks Gail Desler and Janetta Garton for taking the time to create and share them.

2. Blogging With Students

Some really excellent posts explain the benefits of student blogging plus cover all the different aspects of blogging with students from parental consent, setting up their blogs, and student blog management to effective use of student blogs.

Let me know if you have a post to add to this section.

Don’t forget that Edublogs has now added a new feature that allows you to create blogs and usernames for your students and colleagues in batches of up to 15 at a time.

3. “How to” Video Tutorials

Edublogs has created excellent short “how to” video tutorials that step you through the process of setting up your blog and writing posts. I’ve added some of these to the Getting Started With Edublogs page (just click on the image and the video plays) and included the entire collection link.

Like the Introductory Manuals, I still refer to these videos for extra tips.

Latest News

Edublogs is committed to providing you the latest news of what’s happening in the Edublogs community and lots of great tips but are you receiving these updates?

Here’s how you can receive the latest updates:

1. Subscribe to Edublogs

James Farmer writes blog posts to let us know what’s happening.

The fastest and most efficient way of being notified of these is to subscribe to Edublogs’s URL using your feed reader (i.e. add http://edublogs.org/). Now whenever James writes a new post it will be delivered straight to you.

If you aren’t currently using a feed reader read this post on Are You Making Your Life Easier By Using RSS? Plus check out How I Use RSS To Make My Life Easier.

2. Follow Edublogs on Twitter

Edublogs has set up an account on Twitter to let the community know of the latest news.

Make sure if you use Twitter that you follow the Edublogs Twitter account.

Alternatively, if you don’t use Twitter you can still receive these updates by adding the RSS feed from the Edublogs Twitter account to your feed reader – here is Edublogs Twitter accounts RSS feed.

If you’re currently not using Twitter check out this post on How I Use Twitter plus read How A Twitter Network Can Be Used For Help & Providing Recommendations.

3. Subscribe To The Edublogger

The Edublogger was set up by Edublogs to help educational bloggers with emerging technologies in education, share their own experiences, and promote the blogging medium.

The fastest and most efficient way of being notified of the latest tips from The Edublogger is to subscribe to its RSS feed in your feed reader — here is The Edublogger RSS feed.

Help And Support

If you’ve got a problem with your blog the best place to access support is through the Edublogs Forum.

Before asking for help take the time to search the forum because more than likely the questions are already being asked and answered.

If you can’t find the answer by searching the Forum, reading the FAQ, or watching the videos, then post your question to the forum — please provide as much information as you can including:

• The exact URLs you are referring to (i.e. add the address of your blog to your post), if it is an issue with your blog
• A detailed description of the issue (the more the better)
• Sample of the code you are trying to embed, if you are having trouble embedding

The Edublogs crew does an excellent job supporting the community in the Forum but they can’t be expected to help 24/7. Please subscribe to the Forum Feed in your feed reader, and if you know the answer to a question take time to write a response — here is the Forum RSS feed. Let’s give back their support by helping as a community in the Forum :).

Don’t forget to check out the benefits of being an Edublogs Supporter — only costs $25 per year and you get lots of extra features.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Other posts from this Best of Web 2.0 series include:

• Are You Making Your Life Easier By Using A Personalized Start Page?
• Setting Up iGoogle For Your Personal Learning
• Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Web Browser?
• Blogging Tools To Help You Blog
• Using Your Twitter Network For Help & Providing Their Recommendations

Don’t forget to let us know about resources or posts suitable for Edublogs Help info pages.

If you are enjoying reading this blog, please consider Subscribing For Free!

Vokis are used to add a human element to blogs or engage readers.

But they can be a bit pesky to embed in a blog so this post explains how to add a voki to your blog sidebar.

About Vokis

Voki enables you to create an avatar in your own voice using a talking character.

You can customize your Voki to look like you or take on the identity of different characters such as animals, monsters.

Here’s ideas for using Vokis in your classroom (courtesy Helen Otway – Classroom2.0):

1. Students can create avatars that are similar in looks or personalities and record a message that tells about themselves.
2. Students can exchange these avatars with e-pals either within their own setting or anywhere in the world.
3. Students can generate questions to ask their avatar e-pals.
4. ESL (English as a Second Language) students can use the speaking avatars to practice and listen to their speech. They may use the computerised voice first then record their own voice when they feel more comfortable. Writing, reading and pronunciation are all practised.
5. Students can create an avatar that resembles a character from a story, add a setting and give it speech. The speech could be from the story or a creative point of view (POV) from the character on an event.

Adding Voki Avatar to Your Blog Sidebar

Voki’s are added to your sidebar using text widgets as follows:

1.  Go to Voki

2.  Set up a Voki account and then create your own Voki.

3.  Once you have published your Voki grab the embed code (accessed by clicking on the Embed icon in the Share option).

4. Click on the text tab in a text widget in your sidebar.

5. Paste the embed code from Voki in the text widget.

6.  Click Save and then Close.

7.  You should now see your Voki in your sidebar.