Blogs

There are three strategies for putting up Content at a web address. A web page, a blog, or a wiki. Each strategy has strengths and weaknesses, as per the chart below - and explanations following.
 * <  ||= Web Page ||= Blog ||= Wiki ||
 * < **__Full__** Customization || √ ||= ~ ||= ~ ||
 * Minimal Complexity (for the Reader) ||= √ ||= √ ||= ~ ||
 * Multiple (sub)Topics ||= √ ||= ~ ||= √ ||
 * < Minimal Technical Knowledge ||= ~ ||= √ ||= √ ||
 * < Allows Easy Response ||= ~ ||= √ ||= √ ||
 * Strong Sequencing ||= ~ ||= √ ||= ~ ||
 * Collaborative Authorship ||= ~ ||= ~ ||= √ ||
 * Selective participation ||= Difficult ||= ~ ||= √ ||
 * Multiple Discussion Threads Per Topic ||= ~ ||= ~ ||= Some ||

**__Full__** __Customization__ - The web page is the ultimate "blank slate." With the right tools and skilled staff, there is no limit to how a web page can be designed and constructed. Even a fairly basic site requires knowledge of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) or the use of web editing software and constraints ensue based on the skill set of the developer or the software. In contrast, blogs and wikis offer an array of templates, and a good bit of personalization within those templates - but one still is constrained by definite parameters in what a blog or wiki service is prepared to offer.

__Minimal Complexity for the Reader__ - A well designed web page will draw the eye in just the right way. A blog is sequential by the date of the entry with comments immediately following each entry. A wiki usually has a sidebar menu, as well as links in the body of the content, and other places for discussion and comments that will take a new users at least a brief moment to place all the elements. Blogs may have sidebars a little like wikis, but the sidebars typically are secondary support elements, with the main content flow contained within sequential posts of the blog.

__Multiple (sub)Topics__ - Web pages can link off to subtopic pages as freely as the web site designers can develop them. Wikis are designed to present an array of pages, all of which can be updated and accessed easily from one visit to the next. The sequential stream of content in a blog make it very difficult to navigate (or create a navigation system) to trace subtopics.Menu systems can be developed but typically they relate to dates of posts, rather than topics.

__Minimal Technical Knowledge__ - Blogs and wikis can be launched with a fairly attractive appearance (admittedly from a template) in a few minutes. Most people can launch a web page with an hour or two of instruction in HTML or web editing software, but real polish takes much longer. Some items on a web page require fairly sophisticated software and skill sets.

__Allows Easy Response__ - Developing response boxes for a web page is difficult, and showing the responses on the web page is very difficult. Both blogs and wikis have "Comments" features as mainstays of their services.

__Strong Sequencing__ - With the time sequenced posts characteristic of a blog, blogs own this feature very solidly. Wikis can track changes, but are not intended to sequence content. Web pages don't do that either. What is new can be difficult to find with either a web page or wiki, while it is very obvious for a blog with the most recent post :on top."

__Collaborative Authorship__ - Wikis own this one as a primary purpose for a wiki. Multiple editors for a web page simply doesn't work as page generations become very confused with more than one person working on a page potentially at the same time. Blogs can have multiple owners, but their "diary" nature make that a very non-standard approach to blogging.

__Selective participation__ - Web pages can be passworded, but that is again a relatively sophisticated bit of programming. Blogs can restrict comments to those who have registered and can block access to the whole site, in some cases. In contrast Wikis can be hidden or not, and participants can be given several levels of access with regard to comments, page editing, deleting, etc.

__Multiple Discussion Threads Per Topic__ - Discussion rarely (if ever) happens with web pages, and is generally constrained to a particular post in a blog to which all comments on that post are directed. Some wikis only offer one stream of Comments to a page, (note PB Wiki). Other wikis provide a tab for comments on a particular page that can contain multiple threads of discussion on different topics (see Wikispaces).

So, the different strategies have very different features and purposes. Matching one's needs with the strategy that best serves those needs is the first step toward success. **__EXAMPLE BLOGGING SITES__** (and an excellent array of professional development education sites) Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach - __ [] __ Curt Bonk - __ [] __ Clay Burrell - __ [] __ Stephen Downes - __ [] __ Clarence Fisher - [] Steve Johnson - [|http://www.edtechsteve.blogspot.com] Chris Lehmann - __ [] __ Judy O'Connell - __ [] __ Will Richardson - __ [] __ George Siemens - __ [] __ Jeff Utecht - __ [] __ David Warlick - __ [] __

**__Blog Services__** You have been using WordPress, probably the most widely used blog service, worldwide. There are other services, however, that you should investigate.

Blogger, [|http://www.blogger.com] - Solomon, p. 241 - Probably not available in China, but very widely used in the United States. If you have access and have not had experience with Blogger, it is highly recommended that you investigate this one.

Class Blogmeister, [|http://www.classblogmeister.com] - Solomon, p. 241 - To try this one out, contact David Warlick at: david@landmark-project.com to ask for a "school pass code." You will need to explain who you are (an educator with a classroom at your school and a student in this class). This may be the best known __secure__ blog service for use in schools in the U.S.

CoverItLive - Solomon, p. 241 (No longer fully free. Creative pricing plan based on traffic with a free option, but based on very low traffic.) Edublogs, [|http://www.edublogs.org]- Solomon, p. 242 ePals, [|http://www.epals.com]- Johnson, p. 48-49, Solomon, p. 242 - Please be sure to read the ideas Johnson offers on this service. This really isn't a blog like the others, but more of a contact service.

Gaggle, [|http://www.gaggle.net]- Solomon, p. 242 If you are in the U.S. you can call about an account to (800) 288-7750. If you are not in the U.S., then go to []. If several of you wish to have accounts in China, only one needs to signup. Then additional teacher accounts can be made from that first account. They will ask for 2 other teachers at your school to verify that you are a teacher when you signup. They want you to indicate how many accounts you propose to make. So, you may wish to put in a high enough number to cover the number of student accounts you might need as well as a few for additional teacher accounts. This really is a safety monitored student email service more than a blog.

LiveJournal, [|http://www.livejournal.com] - Solomon, p. 242 Posterous, [|http://www.posterous.com] - Johnson, p. 104; Solomon, p. 242 - Twitter purchased Posterous in March, 2012. Future is unclear. 21Classes, [] - Solomon, p. 242 (Available in China) Weebly, [|http://www.weebly.com] - Solomon, p. 242