Blogging

What is a Blog?


I found this article called what is a blog, and it basically goes through and explains thoroughly what a blog is. It states that blog is short for weblog and is known as a personal website that includes peoples thoughts on anything from politics to their daily life. Some blogs are about things such as web design and personal journals. It goes into depth about what blogs are and what they may involve as well as giving tips to future bloggers such as how to set up an interactive blog what blog should include and the difference between a blog and a CMS (Content Management System). It explains what each component of a blog is such as Archives, Feeds, and etc. As well as describing how to manage comments and permalinks.

I really enjoyed this article because it shows what a blog is and describes how to manage a blog and includes tips on how to have a fun and safe blog. Personally this is my first blog so I found this website very informative and helpful in order to creat a successful blog and be able to manage it. I felt like I gain more information then I ever knew existed on blogs such as managing comments and etc.

I think maybe more research could be used in this article such as where blogs began and why. As well as examples of blogs and how people use blogs for their personal business as well as discussing sports and meeting new people via internet.







http://codex.wordpress.org/Introduction_to_Blogging

Virtual Field Trips

I found this article called Innovative Teaching: Virtual Field Trip Guidelines which
discusses the do's and dont's of VFT's, it explains how a teacher should select a virtual field trip that invovles the subject in which the class is studying. The author provides a list to follow in order to conduct a interesting and safe VFT for the students. This article also describes things a teacher shouldn't do such as not being prepared or letting student wander online. It shows the teacher how to conduct a professional and innovative way to teach a classroom instead of just a boring lecture. The author wants to make sure that the teacher understand that although it's a VFT there still is planning and to be taken seriously. He shows that the teacher should take into consideration about supervision and the lessons they're learning in order to make it a success.


This article is very helpful in my opinion because it shows alot of insight on VFT's and how they should be performed in order to get the best results and connect it with the student's current learning. I personally like VFT's because they are a visual aspect in which encourage the student to learn in a fun environment. It also provides guidelines to teachers to provide a safe and educational VFT by listing certain things a teacher should and shouldn't do, such as planning a follow up lesson, being a good tour guide, being prepared and having structured time for the VFT. This article is a very good guideline for teachers who are lost in how to go through with a VFT and how they should construct it.


I do believe that the futher research such as why VFT's are beneficial to the students and the teacher. Such as what will everyone get out off it as well as how to perform a VFT effectively. I think other research should include how a school's administration would go through with incorporating VFT's throughout the school's curriculum. But all and all I enjoyed this article and found it very helpful for my project as well.


http://surfaquarium.com/IT/vftguide.htm