Intro+to+Edublogs

=What is a Blog?=

A blog (a blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog)

In other words: a blog is an online journal that can house a variety of different media including text and pictures.

=Blog vs Wiki﻿= A wiki is a collaborative tool that can be used for group projects where multiple people are collecting and growing information. Wikis provide a very easy way for all of those involved to contribute. Wikis serve as containers that hold information that would be useful to those working on shared projects. A wiki is a group project that is controlled by contributors and administrators.

A blog on the other hand is mainly an information sharing tool, usually controlled by a single contributor. A blog is more simple to create and maintain, and is usually built over a longer period of time than a wiki.

A blog is a great tool for communicating important information to others. Readers may leave comments, but you are able to filter these comments and have total control over what gets posted.

=Edublogs= Edublogs have a variety of features aimed directly at education:


 * Safe and Reliable** – Blogs can be completely private or open to the public. Since we only host education related content, Edublogs are allowed by most school filters where other blogging platforms are not.


 * Student Friendly** – It is as simple to add to and update a blog as it is to send an email. Teachers can easily create and manage as many student blogs as needed.


 * Rich With Features** – A few of the most popular features include discussion tools, video embedding, Facebook and Twitter integration, and calendars.


 * Customizable** – With over 100 different themes which allow for control of colors, images, and layout.


 * Research-Based** – Engage students in their learning and enhance instruction through collaboration, student portfolios, and endless classroom uses.

This intro video will show you some of the basics of edublogs:

@http://edublogs.org/eduvideos/251/5minoverview.swf

Edublogs also has a great tutorial section:

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