Welcome to Social Media - Day #1

The World Wide Web has changed the way that people do business, communicate, and share information with each other. Web 2.0 is a name given to the many new uses of the Web that have emerged since the beginning of its second decade.

Today's Web sites rely on the fact that many people will visit them and provide new content that keeps them fresh. Several popular Web 2.0 sites include: Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Gmail. In each of these cases, the more user-generated content that people post, the more likely it is that they and others will return to these sites to see what is new. The creators of each of these sites provided a framework for their users to add the content that makes the sites interesting. (Web 2.0 Concepts and Applications, Shelly Cashman, 2011)

This course is designed to help students understand and effectively use a variety of web based application technologies. Students will participate in exploration activities in order to better understand the Web 2.0 concepts discussed in class. Blog exercises have been designed to have students apply what they have learned in class to their blog, from adding a gadget to the sidebar to embedding a video. Blogs will also be used for students to write about what they have learned during each class and to share their opinions with the other members of the class.

Another important element of this class is the use of mobile learning technologies, such as Apple's iPad. Students will explore the many apps available for the iPad and evaluate the importance of such devices. Research is showing that students are more engaged and motivated to learn when they use mobile devices. Incorporating the use of such devices will help prepare students for the world outside of school.

Activity #1:

Let's begin class by creating a gmail account to be used for this class. Each student will enter the username and password as supplied to them.


Click on the link provided to begin:

GMail Account

Activity #2:

Next, we will be creating a blog with Blogger. Click on the link provided to begin:
Blogger

Activity #3:

Blogs should reflect the person creating the blog so we will be looking at backgrounds to use for your blog. Here is a great Web site for free backgrounds:
Simply Blog It Backgrounds

Directions are also given for viewing, copying, and inserting the HTML code needed to add a background to your blog!

Activity #4:

Now try adding a post to your blog describing an important Web site you have used or have heard about!

Activity #5:

The last activity today will be to add a gadget to your blog that creates a link to the blogs created by other members of this class.

Finish Early?

Visit: TextAnimation

Using the words "Social Media", create an animated text to be posted on your blog. Once you configure your text, click on the "Generate" button to see the results. Then, click on the link "Get the embed code". A new window will appear where you will see the HTML code. You will also see choices of places you can post your text. Just click on "Blogger" and when you refresh your blog site, your animated text will appear!!