#4: Sharing your blog

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The last activity this week is to share your blog with the rest of us. The easiest way to do this is to write a comment right below this entry and tell us about your new blog. (If you login to make your comment, your name should link to your blog.) Then we'll add it to the blogroll to the left. If your blog already appears in the list on the left, we've already found it!

Then read the blog entries others have written. You might find ideas that get you thinking in a totally new direction. If so, you can write another blog entry! Can you see how entries and comments and links build upon each other in this read/write web?

If you're confused, that's okay too. It's part of learning, sometimes an important part. Write about confusion!

But most of all, play around and have fun!

#3: Creating a blog

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Now that you've explored this blog and thought a bit about learning, it's time to really get started. Blogging isn't just about reading. It's really about writing.

Creating a blog using Blogger* takes just three easy steps:

1. Create an account
2. Name your blog
3. Select your template.

Once you’ve created your blog, here are two important things to note:

To add posts: The maintenance interface that you will use to add posts, edit or change the step-up your blog is accessed online at http://www.blogger.com Be sure to write down your login and password. (Remember? That was part of the first thing last week!)

To view your blog: Your blog address is http://(xxxx).blogspot.com, (xxxx)=the unique identifier you entered in Step 2. Be sure to also write down your blog address.

OK -- Now, it’s your turn...

Discovery Exercise:

1 -- Set up a blog for yourself through Blogger.

2 -- Add a test post or two. Then write an entry about the 7 and 1/2 lifelong learning habits, especially which one is easiest and hardest for you & why.

3 -- Have fun!!!!

If you're an early bird and have already completed this step, write another entry about learning. It's a great topic because we can explore it from so many different perspectives.

* Use of Blogger is only a recommendation. If there is another blog hosting site that you are more comfortable with, please feel free to use it.

#2: Learning 2.0

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Before we get started exploring the Web 2.0 tools, let's take some time to reflect about learning.

Learning doesn't mean you have to reinvent the wheel. The tutorial we're using here was produced for this project by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (PLCMC), and we have used it (and the whole idea of the 23 Things) with their permission and under their Creative Commons license. (Remember Rule 2 in the First Thing: Share? Creative Commons licenses are wonderful ways of sharing.) We've made some changes to parts of the program and customized it for GCC.

These habits, what PLCMC calls the Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, will provide you with a refresher on what it means to be a lifelong learner.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Make sure you have headphones or speakers attached to your computer.
   Open up the 7 & 1/2 Habits online tutorial and view it.
   
2. As you watch and listen, write down which habit among the 7 & 1/2 is easiest for you and which is hardest. You will use your personal blog (which you will set up next week) to post your thoughts about lifelong learning.
   
3. In order to get to the attachments for this tutorial, you’ll need to disable your pop-up blocker. I was able to open the attachments (see the link on the top right corner of the tutorial) in IE 7 by holding down the Control key and clicking on the file name. Then I could either open the file or save it (to that 23 Things folder you created as part of the first thing, right?)

This isn't the only way to think about our habits of learning. If you know of other approaches, jot down a few notes and share them in the next thing, your blog. And don't forget to play around a bit. Learning should always contain a large dose of fun!

Frequently Asked Questions

We've already had a few questions, and I'm sure we'll get more, so we've started this FAQ to collect them all in one place.

Can I use [this or that] browser?

We think all Web 2.0 applications will run on any reasonably current browser, but this is probably something to watch for. When I hit a snag and something doesn't work properly, I usually try it with a different browser entirely before I panic or call for help.

What if I get behind?

That's okay. We'll just chug along, but we'll miss you! You'll be able to catch up with what's happened when you come back from that wonderfully exciting place you've been. But don't be gone too long . . .

How will I know when to do things?

In the beginning, we'll send some reminders in email, but beginning with Week 4, we'll learn new ways to stay connected that don't depend on email.

#1: The first thing!

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If you've found your way here, you're one of a merry band exploring 23 Things @ Glendale Community College over the summer. Each week, either Christine or I will introduce a couple of things to learn about during the week. We've posted the list of 23 Things and a schedule; whether you print it out and post it on your refrigerator or add the dates and topics to your Blackberry is a secret you'll never have to share. Our goal is to post at least the first thing each week in time for you to get started each Monday morning, but we might get the things done earlier. Who knows?

You can work ahead if you'd like; just be sure to check back to make sure you've done the specific task we've identified for that week. If you fall behind -- hey, life intervenes occasionally -- that's okay. You can always catch up, but we've heard a rumor that there are some prizes for those who complete all 23 Things by August 1st. Shssh.

For the first few weeks, we'll send out email reminders, but that's so Web 1.0! In Week 4, we'll learn some Web 2.0 ways to keep up without filling up your mailbox. Won't that be grand?

If you have questions, check our FAQ to see if we've answered them already. If not, post a question there . . . or here . . . we'll find them! And away we go . . .

Getting started . . .

The very first step is to let us know you want to play with us. Just add a comment to this blog post (click on the comments link below) and weigh in. You can post your comment as Anonymous if you don't already have a blogger account, but make sure to tell us who you are!

To forestall the first questions, you can work the 23 Things around your vacations and trips, and yes, you can fall behind and then catch up. Not a problem!

Your guides for the 23 Things will be Karen Schwalm and Christine Moore, just in case you were curious.

Welcome to 23 Things!

This is a self-paced activity for the summer. Come play with us as we learn about new capabilities on the web.

Listed below are 23 Things (or small exercises) that you can do on the web to explore and expand your knowledge of the Internet and Web 2.0.

(Note: Details about each task will be activated every week with posts related to each item. We'll begin on May 21st.)

Week 1: Introduction [May 21st-May 27th]
1. Read this blog & find out about the program
2. Discover a few pointers from lifelong learners and learn how to nurture your own learning process.

Week 2: Blogging [May 28th - June 3rd]
3. Set up your own blog and add your first post.
4. Tell us about your blog and begin your Learning 2.0 journey.

Week 3: Photos & Images [June 4th - June 10th]
5. Explore Flickr and learn about this popular image hosting site.
6. Have some Flickr fun and discover some Flickr mashups and 3rd party sites.
7. Create a blog post about anything technology-related that interests you this week.

Week 4: RSS & Newsreaders [June 11th - June 17th]
8. Learn about RSS feeds and set up your own Bloglines newsreader account.
9. Locate a few blogs and/or news feeds of personal or professional interest. and blog about them.

Week 5: Play Week [June 18th - June 24th]
10. Play around with online image generators.
11. Take a look at LibraryThing and music collection sites to catalog some of your favorite titles.
12. Roll your own search tool with Rollyo.

Week 6: Tagging, Folksonomies & Technorati [June 25th - July 1st]
13. Learn about tagging and discover a Del.icio.us (a social bookmaking site)
14. Explore Technorati and learn how tags work with blog posts.
15. Read a few perspectives on Web 2.0 and education and blog your thoughts.

Week 7: Wikis [July 2nd - July 8th]
16. Learn about wikis and discover some innovative ways that people are using them.
17. Explore the 23 Things wiki on PBWiki.

Week 8: Online Applications & Tools [July 9th - July 15th]
18. Take a look at some online productivity (word processing, spreadsheet) tools.
19. Explore any site from the Web 2.0 awards list, play with it and write a blog post about your findings.

Week 9: Podcasts, Video & Downloadable audio [July 16th - July 22nd]
20. Discover YouTube and a few sites that allow users to upload and share videos.
21. Discover some useful search tools for locating podcasts.
22. Take a look at the titles available on LibriVox and learn how to download audiobooks.

Week 10: Reflections [July 23rd - July 29th]
23. Summarize your thoughts about this program on your blog.