Ten Steps to Setting Up a Blog

After reviewing several blog hosts, the host that I decided to use with my students was Google Blogger. I thought that Blogger would be the best as it is relatively easy to use and free. I wanted a program that would not intimidate students who were not as familiar with using web-based tools yet had enough complexity for more advanced techies. That way, they could focus more on the content of the blog rather than trying to figure out complex digital tools.

If you want to set-up your own blog, you can do so in ten easy steps:
1. Decide what your blog will be about
2. Choose a host (e.g., Blogger, Word Press, TypePad)
3.Create an account (make sure to review the terms of agreement and privacy policies)
4.Name your blog
5.Choose a template
6.Choose your widgets (e.g., poll, text, links, RSS feeds)
7.Type a blog entry, spell check, preview it, and publish
8.View your blog
9.Post often
10.Add photos, video, audio as you go along

You may also want to consider creating a blog as a test space to explore the options for postings and widgets. I did that first and it helped me become comfortable with the Blogger tools. After, I was more prepared when demonstrating how to set-up a blog with students.

In the end, start small as you can always add widgets later. As you blog, you will be introduced to other tools and it will become easier to expand on your existing blog.

Good luck blogging!