Helen Barrett has put together a great professional portfolio usingWordPress.com that can be viewed at http://hbarrett.wordpress.com/my-portfolio/

Jeff VanDrimmelen also built one using a self-hosted version of WordPress that can be viewed at http://jeffvandrimmelen.info

• To create your own FREE wordpress site go to WordPress.com and click on the “Sign Up Now” button.

Configuring

Here are some general introduction video’s for finding your way around when you first start.

General Tutorials

• Logging in / Introduction – 2:14 -http://media.oasis.unc.edu/instructional_technology/wordpress/wordpress-login-into.swf
• Writing/Editing Post/Page -4:59 -http://media.oasis.unc.edu/instructional_technology/wordpress/wordpress-edit-content.swf

Administrative Tutorials

• Adding/Deleting/Modifying Users – 2:42 -http://media.oasis.unc.edu/instructional_technology/wordpress/wordpress-users.swf
  • Administrator – Somebody who has access to all the administration features
  • Editor – Somebody who can publish posts, manage posts as well as manage other people’s posts, etc.
  • Author – Somebody who can publish and manage their own posts
  • Contributor – Somebody who can write and manage their posts but not publish posts
• Editing Appearance (Sidebars) - 2:00 -http://media.oasis.unc.edu/instructional_technology/wordpress/wordpress-sidebar.swf

FAQ

Q: Where can I get more information about configuring WordPress?  Can WordPress do _________?

A: Because WordPress is open-source there is a huge community that will answer any question you might have.  Go to http://support.wordpress.com/and type your question in the top right to see what has already been answered.

Q: What is the difference between a page and a post?

A: Pages are static content that does not change.  Posts are blog like entries that are listed in reverse chronological order.  You can find more information here: http://support.wordpress.com/post-vs-page/.

Q: Can I use my own domain name instead of http://username.wordpress.com?

A: Yes, but it does cost about $15/yr.  You can find more information athttp://support.wordpress.com/domain-mapping/.

Q: What is the difference between a self-hosted WordPress website and a WordPress.com website?

A: Cost:  Self-Hosted usually require a monthly hosting fee unless you already have the space.  WordPress.com websites are free.   Functionality:  With a self-hosted website you can add and modify the website theme as you would like and add a lot more plugins to increase the functionality of the website.  WordPress.com only has a specified number of available sites and plugins.  You can read more about the differences at http://maketecheasier.com/understanding-wordpress-self-hosted-wordpress-vs-wordpresscom/2008/03/20

Q: How can I edit widgets on the side to only show certain pages?

A: I like to use straight HTML and a Text Widget.  You can easily create any page in the editor for a page and copy the code into a widget.  This HTML is also useful:

• • Link (John is going to <a href=”http://linktothestore.com“>the store</a>.
  • Indent = <ul>  Stuff to indent  </ul>
  • Bullet list = <li> Bullet Item </li> for each line.
    • Often combined with link <li><a href=”http://jeffvandrimmelen.wordpress.com“>Home</a></li>
  • Break’s = </br >

Submit your questions in the comments below and we will do our best to get them answered!

Note: OASIS exists to provide tools that teachers and students might find useful to incorporate into their teaching and learning experiences.  Although we can not provide one on one support for this software, if you have a group of people, or a class you would like us to teach about WordPress, please submit a ticket at http://oasis.unc.edu/remedy.

This article looks at 7 ways Croquet is better than Second Life. I also explore some of the con’s of this alternative virtual world and some questions I still have.

Note: This product does not have a distributable application at this point. This article is one of two things: a call for help, or a glimpse in the future. If you have the skills to help out with the development, please do so, otherwise you should see a downloadable application this coming fall.

Pros:
1. Scalelable – Peer to Peer Network
Only 15-25 people can get on a second life server at a time. After that you have to use multiple servers to handle it all and it consumes an enormous amount of energy (as much as a real person by some measures). Croquet on the other had uses a Peer-to-Peer network. The low bandwidth requirement does well on wireless networks and the bigger the better. Those who have spent time in Second Life know that it is prone to sudden failures… often.

2. Private Network
I have heard talk on several occasions about how Second Life violates FERPA by require students to give their information to third party sources (first from Charlie Morris over at Blern). Croquet is a private network that integrates with schools. Only those you want in your space can get in there… no weirdo’s. (More on this in Con’s)

3. Multi-Touch interaction with objects
Multiple avatars can touch an object and manipulate it at the same time! Wow!

4-5. Easy (right-click) object creation and Infinite Space
During the presentation Julian created another virtual environment by right clicking and selecting ‘New Place.’ It was that easy. He was then able to move his avatar right into that virtual world. There is no limit to the amount of virtual worlds you can create. Imagine creating a classroom with multiple links to other worlds. These links are called 3D Hyperlinks. 

A user could also easily create a internet browser. Imagine students all doing research in life size browsers and teachers walking around looking at what they are all looking at and researching.

Perhaps the most impressing was the ability to easily create 3D objects. Julian drew a crude 2D shark in an aquatic environment with a paint like program. He then clicked a button and it was instantly made into 3d Shark complete with shading. Impressive!

6. In world Applications and OS’s
Any application can be played in a portal and manipulated by anyone and everyone in the virtual world. There was a cool visual spreadsheet set up in one place that 3Dified (is that a word) the data on the sheet.

The ability also exists to run a virtual computer in a portal in the virtual environment. As a techie this appealed to me. Imagine all the Windows OS’s, Mac OS’s and Linux OS’s running in portals in a techie room where you could go and troubleshoot and test out installations for each one. Neato!

7. Live Snapshots
This is probably more eye candy than anything else, but there were live snapshots of other virtual environments. This is the equivalent of bookmarks, but live pictures of what was going on at those other places. Great for keeping track of students, or seeing if people are somewhere without having to go there.

Similarities
- VoIP built-in
- Sound is in relationship to proximity (including applications, video and so forth that is used)

Cons:
1. People
Although it would be nice to keep some weirdo’s out of your educational space, sometimes that is what you really need. Second Life has a huge base with anywhere between 40K-60K real people on at a time. This really allows a base for that questioning and exposure that is so important in education.

2. Access to other Worlds
Although work is being done on importing worlds from Second Life, there are countless other environments in Second Life that would be unaccessible in Croquet. NOAA’s Weather Island comes to mind.

3. Bugs
This program is still a long way from ready for a large number of people to use. At one point the there were some errors that popped up and he had to completely restart the virtual world. Nice thing was though, it only had to be restarted for that user (thanks to peer-to-peer network).

Questions:

• I am worried about the ease of use? Yes, the people who designed it could navigate and get around, but it looked a bit more complicated than Second Life… yes, no? What kind of learning curve are we looking at?
• How to we get others into the environment?
• Are there logs of everything that happens? What about the ability to lock down certain aspects of the world. If every user can manipulate and change an environment can a student accidentally/deliberately delete a world a teacher creates? 
• Space? The question was asked how much storage each space takes, and it wasn’t really answered. I know Croquet is small to download, but what about the virtual worlds they create? How much space are we looking at. Is this really feasible without a server?

So what other questions do you have? What have I missed or messed up? I have spend some time in Second Life, but I clearly am not immersed in it like some people? Are some of these pro’s totally off? For those at the presentation or familiar with Croquet, what did I miss?

Here’s my list of 8 things you can use a camera phone for in the classroom, in no particular order.

1. Whiteboard/Blackboard Archive

Do you ever get done with a class and look at the board with regret because you have to erase everything you or your class just created? Snap a quick picture and archive that for future use. You could even post them on a class discussion board, wiki, blog, webpage or even just e-mail them to your class for review.

2. Handheld Scanner

This one I take directly from the article.

Remember those old spy movies, where the secret agents captured documents with a tiny secret mini-camera? Now we all have one. Believe it or not, photographing documents works.

I don’t recommend stealing information, but for random paper information, notes … you can snap a picture to capture the data.

3. Reminder List

Sometimes you see something that jogs your memory. Take a picture of that thing as a reminder of what you need to do.

4. Learn Student’s Names and Faces

One of the biggest struggles we have as teachers is learning the names and faces of the constant rotation of students coming through our classes. Take some time at the beginning of the year to photograph the students, or even better yet, have them take pictures of each other and e-mail to you if they have that capability.

5. Security/Liability Device

I hesitate adding this one in here, but we all know crazy things can happen in the classroom. Sometimes you may need to take a picture of something happening, or something that happened to protect yourself and your students.

6. Assignments

Depending on the subject you teach, it may be appropriate to send the students out one day to take pictures of nature, people or other things. Try to think of ways to use the phone. Just using the phone in an assignment will help students be more excited about it. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with using technology as a motivator. It works great with these digital natives. 

7. Instant Blogging

This is one of my favorite options. If you are a blogger or have a class blog/website you can set up an e-mail address that you can post directly to that blog. You can give that address out to students or use it yourself.

Granted, you need an internet connected phone for this, but I had to add it in. It is so awesome to be out in the middle of nowhere posting to a blog, archiving.

8. Memories

We all know we get attached to those we teach and often we don’t want to forget them. Take some pictures throughout the year and print them out at the end of the year for a scrapbook or collage. Five, ten, twenty years from now those pictures will bring up dear memories.

Joining in the spirit of the year I have put together a quick list of Five ways to use Video in EDUCATION this year!

• Record Class Presentations – Record classroom presentations. Your lectures will be a great resource for your students to look back on what was said in class. Make your lectures available to the students, but for heaven’s sake, don’t charge them for it. If you record student presentations keep those around (with the student’s permission of course) and show the best one’s to your students in coming years of what a presentation or project should be.
• Video Projects – Nothing motivates a student like using exciting technology to create something amazing! Let the students have the option of using that excitement in their projects for the class. You’ll be amazed how some of the students grab onto something like this. If they post them online they will also be able to share their work with family and friends.
• Instructional Video’s – Do you have a special topic you are teaching that would be useful to take a little field trip. Go out a day or two in advance and record an on site explanation of the topic. This will work great with science, history, archeology, and many other subjects.
• Video Blogs – Create a class blog and have your students record their reactions to literary or other assignments and post them on the blog. Give them specific assignments and have them post those on the blog.
• Use Online Video Already Available – There are massive amounts of video already available online in all sorts of topic areas. Utilize that video in your curriculum. It will increase the student’s retention of the subject and encourage them to seek out educational video’s as well. As more and more teachers get into making video’s there will also be more resources available.

These are just a couple of ideas, but there are surely dozens of other ways to use online video in the classroom. What other ideas do you have? Specifically, how can we, as educators, utilize the budding social ramifications of internet video in the classroom?

In 1987 Chickering and Gamson wrote an article expounding Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education and in 1986 Chickering and Ehrman rewrote the principles Using Technology as a Lever. As you read over the principles you notice that the first two principles are Using Technology to Enrich and Extend Faculty-Student Contact and Using Technology to Enrich and Extend Student-Student Cooperation. Today Phil Windley posted an article on ZDNet entitled: “Web office is about collaboration. ” In this article he brings up the one thing that online office systems have that off-line systems don’t: collaboration.

Up until now educators have said that it was best to accomplish the teacher-student and student-student interaction using e-mail and so forth. Google Documents and Spreadsheets presents an unique and new sphere for students to collaborate online in real time with teachers and with each other. Google Documents can be edited in REAL-TIME with a person thousands of miles away. Google Spreadsheets has a chat screen that opens when ever another collaborator logs into so they can chat in real time while they edit the spreadsheet. The academic advantages of being able to collaborate on a document in real time with some one in a different building on campus, or half way across the world are invaluable. Two people could co-author an article, or entire classes could brainstorm for an activity. They wouldn’t have to be in the same place, or even online at the same time. In fact, In researching this article I just saw that Google is currently promoting a Global Warming Student Speakout using Google Docs and Spreadsheets to collaborate in an online “brainstorming session.”

Granted, Google Docs has a long way to go before it can compete with Microsoft Word in education (footnotes and other references come to mind), but Google is notorious for releasing products and then adding features as the user base grows. They clearly have education in mind with their recent releases of sites directly directed at Educators andGoogle Apps for Education and other long term projects like Google Book Search and Google Scholar. I’m sure they are not only going to get the needed tools that students are already used to, but add many other features that change they way students collaborate and learn. Going along with my article from yesterday ; students will also be more motivated to participate because there is an added social component to homework.

One thing is for sure, Microsoft Office is only one generation away from extinction if they don’t create free collaboration tools of their own. If the rising generation of college students do begin to use the web for word processing and other tasks, they will continue to do so when they enter the work force in the years to come. Students are growing up using the internet and are used to having their entire lives online. Entire social societies are created online. One day, I believe Google Docs and/or some other online word processing suite will fit right into that sphere. What do you think?