Week 1 activity sheet

Objective

• Be able to describe what a blog is.
• Be able to find blogs that interest you.
• Be able to use a RSS feed to monitor blogs that interest you.

Activity

1. Find out what a blog is.

• What do you already know?
• Definition
• History
• Why we should blog.

2. Using Google Blog Search, find blogs that may interest you.

3. Find out what RSS is.

• Join Google Reader or Bloglines.
• Start to save the blogs you have found in your RSS reader.

4. Join the workshop email forum: http://groups.google.com/group/opblogworkshop

Homework

1. Search for and find blogs that interest you and follow them in your RSS reader.

2. Think about what is going to be the aim of your personal blog.

3. Sort out a digital photo of yourself to bring to next week’s session on a memory stick (or Sarah can take your photo with her camera on the night).

Resources

• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com

• Blog History: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8FELx6Jvhg
• Blogs in plain English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI
• Blogging. The staff experience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PIiizu4yVg
• RSS in plain English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU
• Adding feeds to Google Reader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm8rJuQlsGw
• Setting up Google Reader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9thcD3cS1so
• Managing your feeds in Google Reader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VskBKGBD6g8
• How to use Bloglines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw4PWrlpYes&feature=related
• How to use Bloglines 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_hlEU8yc54&feature=related

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
• Google Search: http://www.google.co.nz
• Google Blog Search: http://blogsearch.google.co.nz
• Google Reader: www.google.com/reader
• Vicki Davis: How to be an incredible blogger: http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2007/06/how-to-be-incredible-blogger.html
• Christine Martell: How I use Google Reader: http://www.astdcascadia.org/BlogCascadia/2007/09/how-i-use-google-reader
• Bloglines: http://www.bloglines.com
• Sue Waters: Subscribing to blogs and RSS feeds: http://aquaculturepda.wikispaces.com/Subscribe