How to use Edublogs

Getting started on Edublogs:Creating an account:

1. The first step is create an account: Go to the website http://www.edublogs.org - make sure there is an s on it as without the s, it goes to a different page. Click on the link that says Get your free blog now near the middle of the page.
2. On the new page, fill out the info.
3. Blog Domain name - Beware:Your Blog domain cannot be changed once created. This gives you the URL address to give to the parents. It could be your name, or however you want your parents and children to find the address on the web. The shorter the name is usually a plus for typing your blog address. Use all lowercase letters as this will be your URL address.
4. Blog Title - This is the title of your Blog, usually the name of your classroom, such as Smith's Super Students, or something using your name and your class's moto name the students or you have created.
5. Blog Type - Teachers and students are able to create blogs on this platform. If this is your first blog under your name, then usually it is the teachers' blog, so select teacher under the drop down box.
6. Almost through: Type in the box under the words you see to make sure you are a human and then click on the box that says I agree with the terms of service.
7. Click on the Start Blogging window!
8. An aside: The site may ask you for your administrator's email address. Unless your administrator tells you to do this, then do not fill out the information and just press the button that says Go to your new blog to continue.
9. To find out more information on this topic, go to this link: Getting started with your blog.
   
   

Picking a Theme:

You are now at your Dashboard view. This is the main area where you can add blog posts, change and edit things, add things and more.

1. First, you can click on the small blue link that says "Customize the look of your blog" This gives you the option to change color of text in header and background, change the picture, change the side bar widget items and more.
   
   * For advanced options which may be a bit harder to change, you can click on the top blue bar "Choose your Theme"to pick your theme. A lot of the themes require membership, but there are free ones also. When you find one you like, click the activate button below the picture of the theme. Changing information and such on these are a bit harder than taking the default and changing it up the way you wish it to look.
   
   
2. To change things, click on the down arrow of each category and you will see the items that you can select from to change your blog. Test out colors and options by clicking on them to see which ones you like best. The last section is the Static Front Page section - What this means is the page will always stay the same if you select static front page. A better option, which is the default is let the first thing your visitors see is the latest post you have created.
3. Once you have finished setting up the page the way you wish, go back to the black menu bar across the top and select the name of your blog. It will show a drop down menu and you can select Dashboard to go back to the page that has all the details and options of your blog.
   
   *Aside: I have found this site loads slowly at times so don't think there is something wrong with your machine. I have found a quicker way is to right click and open the window in a new tab which loads the page much quicker.
   
   

Dashboard: These are the most commonly used items.

When you log into your eblogs account you are taken to your dashboard automatically.

1. Posts: This is where you create your blog information you wish to post for your visitors.
2. Media: You can add documents and pictures to your blogs
3. Links - This program keeps your links all in one spot. You can add links here to put into your blogs. Each link can be put into a category so they will show up in the correct section.
4. Pages - Your welcome page is the first page, but you can add an About Me or About my Class page later on.
5. Comments - It is best to moderate your comments instead of letting them be posted immediately.
6. To find out more on this topic, go to this link, Use main dashboard.

Entering your First Blog

1. If you are not already on your dashboard window, click your name in the black area across the top and select dashboard.
2. Click on the word Posts on the left side of the screen.
3. Click on Add New Post.
4. The title of your post will be seen in the Archives so others can get back to it quickly, so the name of the post should be relevant to the content of the post.
5. Type in your post in the write area. You have tools across the top to Bold your print, Italizize the writing, Crossing out words on your post, using bulletted lists and using numbered lists, putting things in quotes and moving them closer to the center of the page, aligning your text, creating a link, and next to that unlinking a link, a view more tag, a spell check, a distraction free button, and your "bling"button that allows you to change colors, copy and paste from Word and more.
6. After you are satisfied with your blog, look on the left and click "preview" so you can see what it looks like. If you are satisfied, then click on the blue button that says Publish.
7. To find out more about this topic, go to this link: Publish a New Post.

Adding Media : Creating your Image Gallery

1. There are many ways to add media, but if you are going to use the same pictures more than once, I suggest this way. Create your own Image Gallery.
2. Click on Add Media.
3. At the top in blue, click on Upload Files.
4. Click on Select Files. This will open up a window and let you look in your personal computer to find the files you wish to use.
5. If you have more than one picture, hold your Control key down and tap on as many pictures as you want to upload to your personal Image Gallery. Once selected, click on Open at the bottom of the screen and it will put the files into your Image Gallery.
6. You should see the pics in your media library now. Select the one you wish to add and at the bottom of the page, click the blue button that says Insert into post.
7. You will see two icons appear at the top. You can edit it the picture by clicking on the first icon. It will open a new window and let you resize it and place it left, right, center. You can title it or put a caption under it. You can also link it to a particular site you want the students to go to so when they click on the picture, it will take them to a new web page. Click on "link to Image" to do this and provide the URL page you wish the link to go to.
8. To find more about this topic, go to this link about Embedding items in your blogs

Adding Links: How to add a link to your menu bars on your blog.

1. To add a link, highlight the information you want the link to be attached to. When the words are highlighted, you will see an icon light up in the tool section. It looks like a chain link. . Click on the link and a window will open letting you paste in the url for that link. Also click on the box in front of the Open link in a new window/tab so tha parents can stay on your blog page when they get through looking at the page you linked. Then click on the blue link, Add Link". Click on Preview and see if the link works for you.
2. Go to your dashboard and click on Links. Select All Links. Notice the categories of your links. If you wish to add a menu bar or widget using your links, they all need to be in the same category.
3. Hold your mouse over the name of one of the items that says Blogroll in the category. When it opens, click on Edit. Scroll down to the Categories section. Click on the blue link that says Add New Category.
4. It will allow you to create another category. Type in the word links in the box and then click on Add. You can keep all of your links you wish to list on your page in this category.
5. Further down on the screen you will see the word Target. If you choose _blank, it will allow you to open up your links in a new window so that when the visitor views the item, they can easily close that window and get back to your blog quickly.
6. If you do not want a widget that says Blogroll, click the back button and delete all of the files in that category by holding your mouse over the name of the item, then clicking the Delete button.
7. By the word Links in the middle of the screen, click on Add New. All of the links you wish to have on your webpage for your students and parents to go to should be in this list of links with the category named links.Type in the name of the link you wish your students to visit and fill out the information, choosing a name,usually just the name of the link, not the whole URL, typing in the web address, putting a description of what will be found there, selecting the Links category and clicking on the _blank target area. Then click on the blue button on the right that says Add Link.
8. For more information on this topic, click on this link: How to Insert Links in your Posts .

Adding Widgets : How to add items to the navigation bars on the right and left side of your window.

1. Widgets are the items you can put on the bars on the left and right. There are many to select from. Be sure to look at the categories the items are put in so they will show up in the correct section.
2. On the Dashboard, click on the link that says appearances. Then select widgets.
3. You will see a list of available widgets. Click and drag them over to the Navigational Bars. Usually there is one on the right and one on the left.
4. Click on the down arrow on the right and you will see the options that are included in that particular widget.
5. After selecting, on the top of the page in small letters, click on the View your blog button to see if the set up is what you wish.
6. If you chose All Links, you may see things you didn't want on your page. Go back to the widget page and click on the specific category, Links. Then view your page again.
7. To find more about this topic, go to this link: Widgets Tutorial.