Test from mobile

This is a test post using the Blog It app in facebook from my BB.

Testing the BLOG IT app on Facebook

Six Apart, the makers of LJ and Vox have recently created a one stop blog-app for FB called ‘Blog It’. This app is also available for the iPhone (I have a BB). From this one app I can post to all of my blogs on VOX, Blogger, WordPress and more. No more logging in to separate accounts.

The next test will be to post from my BB using the mini Opera browser.

Test from mobile

This is a test post using the Blog It app in facebook from my BB.

Testing the BLOG IT app on Facebook

Six Apart, the makers of LJ and Vox have recently created a one stop blog-app for FB called ‘Blog It’. This app is also available for the iPhone (I have a BB). From this one app I can post to all of my blogs on VOX, Blogger, WordPress and more. No more logging in to separate accounts.

The next test will be to post from my BB using the mini Opera browser.

2D student work in SL

My 2D Foundations students did a one week exercise looking at signs in SL. We used this as a catalyst for students’ investigation of symbolism, communication, and context in the meaning of signs, posters, advertisements, and other tools of visual culture utilized in the virtual world.

I can’t seem to get Picasa embedded slideshows to work on WP yet… So here’s a link to the images.

Second Life Sign Exercise

RSS Feeds and myBGSUonline

I spent a few hours messing around with RSS feeds on myBGSUonline.com today. While I’ve had (way too) many blogs in the past… I have to admit that I’m a WordPress n00b. So when I finally settled on this theme (“Light”) I was baffled by the fact that it didn’t already have an easy to find RSS logo and feed on it. It wasn’t until I watched this tutorial video (thanks Terence!) and took his suggestion to add the ‘meta’ widget that I now have a link on my page called “Entries RSS”.

So, if your students are going to use myBGSUonline be aware:

• Some themes come with RSS logos and feeds built in and others must add the ‘meta’ widget.

OR

• They can add the ‘RSS’ widget and use their URL feed (click on the menu part of the widget)
  
  • Example: For the RSS address use http://www.example.com/feed/
  • This will provide a little RSS logo that when clicked, adds the feed
    
    • There is a down side to this option: Next to the RSS logo is the title you choose. Clicking on that word and not the tiny tiny RSS Logo will only reload the page and not add the feed. This option may seem a bit overwhelming for first time bloggers.

    

* Take a look at the sidebar on this blog as I have enabled BOTH features.

Private Blogs – No RSS

There is no way to get an RSS feed on a private blog (or one that you can only view by invitation). However, this isn’t just true on this site, I’m pretty sure it is true on Blogger and elsewhere. The drawback? Your students cannot keep private blogs while you keep the nice RSS Reader (a savior when it comes to grading 40 blogs a week!)

The solution?

I will probably have my students choose the radio button option (Options > Privacy) “I would like my blog to be visible only to registered users from blog community.” This will keep the blog from being posted on the myBGSUonline frontpage and therefore secret, but not restricted. At the same time, I can still use my RSS Reader and view all my students’ blogs from one place.

The up side?

Students may create a blog on myBGSUonline that has anonymity. There are no ‘author profile’ pages that automatically link from a new blog. When assigning the creation of a blog I have always made it clear that they are writing in a public space and therefore are free to choose an anonymous blogger identity and blog name.
* Keep in mind that in the past, my blog assignments have been private, i.e. they do not have to share their address with anyone but me. This takes advantage of blogs as an accessible web-log, but not its web 2.0-comment capabilities.

Playing with Jing

Check out Jing for Mac or PC to capture images, video and more:

http://www.jingproject.com/

And also this great post on the Academic Tech blog at BGSU. 

Secure Pages and Private Blogs

I’ve just started a new page (called “Password = Password”) describing some of the privacy features here at myBGSUonline.com. This page requires a password to view… and as you can tell from the title, the password is “password”.

Some of this information may be found elsewhere on the myBGSUonline site or in the FAQ (I usually test, until I break the thing, then go to the FAQ). So if it needs changed, updated, or corrected please let me know.

MyBGSUonline allows user to:

• create password protected pages (not blogs) on a blog
• create more than one blog (is there a limit?)
• create private blogs visible to only:
  • the myBGSUonline community
  • or select registered myBGSUonline members
• create ePortfolio sites that may include a blog, but not as the front page

MyBGSUonline does not allow users to:

• invite non-myBGSUonline members to read their private blogs
  • and subsequently only individuals with an @bgsu.edu email can register as myBGSUonline members
• use categories (or tags) to separate posts into individual RSS feeds

Thus far we have more pro’s than cons!

Next I will test RSS feeds for private blogs in my RSS Reader (Google Reader).

Road test

This post made using my BB Pearl.

myBGSU online blog

This is just a test drive of the wonderful mybgsuonline.com blogging system created by Terence Armento and IDEAL.

For more information about me please visit AnthonyFontana.com.