What is a Blog?

A Blog (from 'web log') is a personal web-site where you can write about whatever you choose to. It provides an online structure which you can use for whatever purpose you like. You have probably seen a number of web-sites which are in fact blogs, even though you may not have realised it.

NB: this SMiLE site is a Wiki, not a Blog - wikis can also be used for a wide variety of purposes, but are structured in a different way. See the separate section on Wikis (later).

Community@Brighton provides all UoB members - staff and students - with a Blog space, all you have to do is go there and start writing.

Try it out

If you've not tried blogging before, try it out now, and see how it works:

• write something short - it doesn't matter what
• find a blog by a colleague and leave a comment
•  

What can you do with a Blog, apart from write?

You can usually

• decide how public or private you want it to be
• use common editing features, similar to MS Word
• tag your posts with appropriate topic(s) to help others find them
• allow comments, and monitor them
• include hyperlinks to anything else on the web
• include media such as images, audio or video
• embed media from elsewhere on the web
•  

Try doing some of these things in your blog.

How can we use them?

People use them for all sorts of things:

• for social purposes
• to keep in touch with family and friends
• for teaching and learning
• for research
• to discuss ideas
•  

Blog features

• each individual teacher or student can post

• each can also comment on any post

• asynchronous

• text, can include any other media, hyperlinks

• posts can be tagged - new dimension to search

open or restricted environment

can include invited guests

can be open to world

students can read, contribute to, external blogs

posts can be anything - relevant to course or not

dynamic

informal

Blogger

NB: if you'd like to contribute to this wiki, let me know.