Educational Roundtable SharingMulti-user blogs for education

Christopher Tanhttp://christophertan.wordpress.com

26 Feb 2009

Introduction to Wordpress

• “WordPress is a state-of-the-art publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability. WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.”

• Can be used for multiple purposes – Website, Blog, Podcast with multiple authors.\

• Two versions exists – Wordpress and WordpressMU

Wordpress website www.wordpress.org

WordpressMU downloadhttp://mu.wordpress.org/download/

Hosting Options

• Free hosting at www.wordpress.com, but restrictions apply - Can’t install your own plugins, can’t upload certain file types, etc..

• A better solution – self host on your own domain. I’m using hostgator.com which allows unlimited websites and space and bandwidth.

• Allows you full control and flexibility.

Wordpress as a Websitehttp://www.beansprout-pillow.com

Sonic Escapadehttp://www.sonicescapade.com

Wordpress as a multi-user bloghttp://ddm.polywebs.com

Great Radio Gamehttp://www.mediacorpradio.sg/radiogame/

WordpressMU multi-user bloghttp://pod.musictec.edu.sg

Wordpress as a Podcasthttp://www.mrbrownshow.com

Educational Value of a Blog

• A semi-formal/informal publishing platform which is accessible 24/7.

• Encourages students to write and make comments.

• As easy to use as writing an email.• Can be used even by Primary School students.

My daughter’s Pri school bloghttp://6bnavigators.blogspot.com

Book Reviews submitted online

• Teacher makes a post asking students to submit book reviews.

• Students access the website, and adds a comment. Keys in book review as a comment.

• Students are able to read each others book review.

• Since reviews can be read by one another, students take more care in their writing.

Multimedia Content

Multimedia Content can be seamlessly added to the posts

• http://pod.musictec.edu.sg/bpgh/• Photos• Video• Audio• Text• Comments can be moderated. Students just

need to key in a Name, Email and write a comment. No account necessary.

Wordpress Plugins

Wordpress Plugins

• Thousands of free plug-ins available to add functionality to your Wordpress installation.

• http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/• Can be auto-installed and updated within the

lastest version of Wordpress 2.7.1

Wordpress Manage Plugins

Wordpress Themes

• Change the look and feel of your website at the click of a button, without changing the contents.

• http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/• Thousands of free themes available.• Themes can be self designed as well.

Wordpress Theme Directory

Books on Wordpress

Conclusion

• Installation of Wordpress is not difficult.• The difficulty lies in finding a good educational

use of Wordpress, and in getting students to use the platform.

• Start by making posts can get students to comment on these posts.

• It can serve as a good supplement to Blackboard.