Gain a Word Press Driver's Permit

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Ranked #5,291 in How-To, #54,803 overall

What IS a Blog?

noun: the name of an online storage container and self publishing program.
verb: to blog is to actively publish writing, art, photos etc in this container
adjective: a blogger is a person who maintains a blog.

There are a number of ways that you can describe a blog. One definition is that it is a frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links

Quite simply, a blog is a virtual container. Teachers use a variety of containers in their daily practice. Many store their project sheets in clear plastic containers. Thousands make display boards of, amongst other things, student work. A blog is a container that has the capacity to store a vast amount of material. It can fill a range of needs. It can be the place where you can house projects, essays, reviews, or whatever it is you feel inspired to publish.

Learn more about just what you can do with blogs and find out how they can be used for many purposes

What is Word Press? 

Word Press is just one of many groups who provide blogs using a state of the art publishing system that is used by millions of blogmeisters.

The Soul Food Cafe has chosen to use Word Press, but if you have a blog with another group that is fine. However, to engage and participate at Soul Food and publish on a collaborative blog, you do need to have an account with Word Press.

The aim of this lens is to help you familiarize yourself with this system so that you can engage in collaborative blogs within Soul Food and Lemuria.

Why Do I Need A Word Press Blog? 

The reality is that you can choose from a number of providers. Blogger, Typepad and Live Journal are just three other groups who will give you a blog.

You need a Word Press account to join in and participate at the Soul Food Cafe. All of Soul Food's collaborative blogs use this system.

Now you would be a right ning nong to miss out on the opportunity of working in such a vibrant collective wouldn't you?

Video Tutorials 

at Edublogs

Edublogs is a blogging forum which is powered by Word Press. Edublogs provide excellent video tutorials which will help you navigate the dashboard and begin publishing on your new blog. Indeed, the Edublog home site provides a host of tips and suggestions for developing your blog.

Word Press for Dummies 

Since the upgrade of Word Press some of the screen shots of the dashboard may be outdated but you will still find valuable information in this book.

WordPress For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Amazon Price: (as of 11/09/2009) Buy Now

Makeover Techniques for Savvy Bloggers 

to help you get started

Web 2.0 Adventure Calendar
The Web 2.0 Adventure Calendar provides 25 days filled with information about working a blog and using it as a container to hold outcomes from a wide range of Web 2.0 activities.
Pro Blogger
Problogger really does have a lot of information about how to blog. Take the time to visit and learn and then use all that knowledge as a member of the Soul Food Community.
Lorelle at WordPress
As a blogger and professional editorial and technical writer, Lorelle has collected a variety of online resources and references to help her write, blog, and work.
Word Press Made Easy
Word Press can be an excellent blogging platform. As an open source item it is easily added to and updated to be exclusively yours.

Being open source allows lots of people to create themes and plugins to help you make your blog extremely effective. The downside is that most of these themes and plugins are created by programmers and they sometimes assume knowledge that us average bloggers don't have.

Simplify the Learning Process 

Benefit from the Expertise of a Digital Expatriate

Heather Blakey is a skilled facilitator who manages Global Teacher, Global Student, a Victorian Education Department blogging environment.

Heather Blakey, a former secondary school teacher, with over thirty five years of teaching experience in both primary and secondary schools, has been living and working within a digital communication landscape for over ten years. Heather has facilitated ICT professional development for students and teachers since the late 1990’s and has effectively addressed a wide range of online safety issues throughout this period.

It might be best to simplify the process and have Heather come and do a technological makeover with you and your staff.

Any Questions? 

have any vital steps been missed at this stage?

mahala wrote...

A wonderful place of sharing and learning!I can't wait to get started here and at SoulFood Cafe.

ReplyPosted October 10, 2008

Imogen_Crest wrote...

A terrific, informative lens! This will be a much used one, to be sure!

ReplyPosted April 04, 2008

Globalstudent wrote...

This lens will hopefully guide all those folks who are beginning to blog with Global Teacher/Student and Edublogs.

ReplyPosted March 24, 2008

kvwordsmith wrote...

I wish I would have taken the time to read this & see the video BEFORE I tried to start blogging...

ReplyPosted March 02, 2008

by heatherblakey

Heather Blakey, is the creative mixologist, the artistic midwife and purveyor of creative stimuli who built The Soul Food Cafe from scratch. Heather i... (more)

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