doubts2


 

Twitter

 

How to use Twitter

Here are two YouTube tutorials to help you get an idea about Twitter and how to use it:

Twitter in plain English & Twitter search in plain English

 

 

Blocking a follower

Q: How do I stop someone from following me on Twitter?

 

A: When you are on your mail page, look to the bottom right where you will find Help written in red. Click on this and follow the instructions for reporting spam and other unwanted behavior!

 

A: You can block that person and report her/him for spam. See the image below for details.

 

 

 

Netiquette

Q: Is there Twitter etiquette for gratitude? Some of the people I chose to follow have sent me direct messages. Do I need to reply to those messages?

 

A: Here are some links to give you an idea of some of the basic twitter etiquette.

14 Ways to Use Twitter Politely: http://bit.ly/3ePsEp
Tweet Etiquette: http://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/twitter-etiquette.htm

You may also  be interested to look into the links below:
The five C's of Twitter: http://madhouseofideas.org/?page_id=311
Twitter for Teachers: http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/

And here is an interesting Twictionary:
http://twictionary.pbworks.com/

 

 

Resources

Twitter in the classroom: 10 useful resources

http://janeknight.typepad.com/socialmedia/2009/08/twitter-in-the-classroom-10-useful-resources.html

50 Ideas on Using Twitter in Education

http://cooper-taylor.com/blog/2008/08/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-education/

Twiducate: a "safe" social network for students and teachers; just like Twitter, but for education

http://twiducate.com/

 

 

Tweetdeck (tutorial)

Q: How do I chat with you on Tweetdeck?

 

A: First, you need an account with Twitter. Then you need to download Tweetdeck. You will be asked to download Adobe Air first. Please accept. And have a look at this tutorial that will show you how to put your contacts into columns.


On opening Tweetdeck you will see a list of columns. This is an example of a BaW Tweetdeck. You can change the number and category of columns by clicking on the silver button with the + sign.

OK. On the left hand side (LHS) there are two rows of buttons. There are another two rows of buttons on the right (RHS), and there are buttons below each tweet.
LHS: Top

Yellow button: you don't need this if you write your message in the large grey box which says `What's happening?'
Silver Plus sign: this will add a column. You can choose between the core columns, your own lists, or add a new column. To do this you write the hashtag# and the name of the column you would like to open e.g #baw2012. Now you have added a new column.
Red Splodge: if you would like to find out about someone who is sending you tweets, you can access their profile information here.

 

LHS: Bottom
Url shortener: by default this is switched on. If you add a long address to a tweet it will be automatically shortened. Click here if you want to switch the feature off.
Tweet shrinker: You can write a tweet using a maximum of 140 characters, including spaces. This tool will help shorten (e.g. Four will become 4) saving space.

Translate: you can use the dropdown menu and translate into a variety of languages. I don't know how efficient this is, but try it out.
Recent Hashtags: this will find you the hashtags to add to your message (or you can control this in another way).

RHS: Top

Refresh: speaks for itself
Single Column View: You can keep #baw2012 open and not be distracted by any other tweets at the same time. This is good if you are having a conversation. Wednesday at 12 and 21GMT every week there is a great discussion forum called #ELTchat. It is so fast and furious that anything else would be a distraction.
Spanner: this is a drop down menu for the settings. It is worth having a look and playing with these to customise your tweetdeck.
Support
Log Out


RHS: Bottom

Teardrop: if you want, you can add your location. 

Camera: upload your photos or videos here. Make sure that they are not too big. Write your tweet, click on the icon, browse your machine, upload, and press send. 
Video: use your webcam to record a video and upload it.
Close

If you want to reply to a tweet:
Click on the thumbnail pic. There are 4 possibilities. You can reply (but others can read your tweet). You can DirectMessage (private), you can retweet so that others can read it, or you can save it as a favorite to read later.
The Plus sign under the tweet will allow you to add the tweeter to your list of followers, if you want to. If you are not happy to have this person as a contact, you can block them by clicking on the picture, opening the flower on the lower right, and clicking User > Block.

 

 

Search

Q: Is there a hidden search button in Tweetdeck?

 

A: In order to do a search in Tweetdeck, you need to add a column by clicking on the + sign at the top left.  You get a dialogue box with a search bar. You simply type your quest - preferably with a hashtag # for quests and @ for people - and click Search. The search results are presented in a new column. If you have aready made a search, all you need to make a new search is to click on "edit" at the top right of your search column and type your new search.

 

 

Blogger

 

Followers

Q: Can "Followers" follow my blog without my permission and without me getting a notification?

 

A: People do not need permission to follow your blog. However, they will need to be invited to be authors on your blog. And you don´t get notifications of followers.

 

 

Changing text color

Q: How do I change the text color in the lower part of my blog homepage?

 

A: There's a simple way to solve your problem; in the Dashboard, Design, Page Elements, move your gadget "recent posts" to the side bar. The background colour is different there, and you can easily read text and links.

 

 

If you want to keep that gadget "recent posts" at the bottom of the page, you'll have to edit the template.

 

 

Blogger Templates is a website where you can download free templates for your blog. To change your template go to your blog Dashboard > Design > Edit HTML > Upload a template from a file on your hard drive.

 

If you want to change the colors of your template, go to your blog Dashboard > Design > Template designer > Advanced. There are color palettes to choose from.

 

 

Choosing a template

Q: Do I first create a blog and choose the template or vice-versa?

 

A: You first need to create your blog and then change templates. If you choose one of the blogger templates, it is all done when you create the blog. If you choose a template from this site < http://www.bloggerthemes.net/ >, do the following:
1. Create your blog with http://blogger.com
2. Download the template you want to install and save it to your hard disk
3. In the Dashboard, choose Design > Edit HTML
4. Choose Upload a template from a file on your hard drive and get the file you downloaded.

 

 

Editing a post

Q: Can I edit a post?

 

A: If you have Blogger, go to your blog and sign in with your Google Account. In the Dashboard you will see the options: New Post, Edit Posts, etc.

 

 

Leaving a comment

Q: What must one do to be allowed to comment? Is it necessary to sign in to each particular blog?

 

A: To post a comment on Blogger , I think you should use one of the following accounts which  blogger suggests: Google, Livejournal, Wordpress, Typepad, AIM, Open ID. in addition to a security code.

 

 

Inserting a link

Q: How do I create a hyperlink or a link in the blog?

 

A: If you want to add a hyperlink to an existing post

 

If you compose a new post

 

A: It's quite simple to create a link in blogger. When you create a new post or are editing an old one, just select the text where you want the link to be created. Then in the menu choose Link (a small icon, you can read link if you pass your mouse over it) and in the new window paste the URL (you previously copied from another browser window or tab) and then click on Ok.

 

A: You have detailed instructions here.

 

 

Cancelling comment moderation

Q: Can I cancel moderation of Comments?

 

A: To cancel comment moderation, follow these steps:

1. Once in the blog Dashboard, go to Settings and then Comments.
2. In "Who can comment?", choose "Anyone" if you allow anyone to comment
3. In "Comment moderation", choose "Never" if you don't want to moderate comments.

 

 

Following your favorite blogs

Q: How can I follow my favorite blogs?

 

A: If you subscribe to Google Reader to follow your favorite blogs, you can insert a blog roll easily:
In Blogger, go to Design > Add a gadget (Sidebar) > My Blog List 
Choose a title and the settings

Then click on "Add a blog to your list" and select "Import subscriptions from Google Reader"

Finally, Add

It´s important that you organize your subscriptions in Google Reader in folders.

 

 

Placing a flag counter and a clock link

Q: How do I place a flag counter and a clock in my blog?

 

A: Here are the steps to insert the link to Flag Counter on your Blogger page:

1. Go to Design (top).

2. Add a gadget

3. Choose HTML/Java Script

4. Get the code from Flag Counter page

5. Add the code

6. Save

7. View the blog.

 

 

Changing the language

Q: How do I change the language in my blog?

 

A: You can change the language in the Dashboard > Language
or
in Settings > Formatting > Language.

 

 

Resources

Blogger for Dummies explains everything step-by-step.

 

 

Netvibes: What is it for?

Q: Does anyone know the exact use/purpose of netvibes.com? What is it for?

 

A: Netvibes is a news reader or aggregator where you can just copy the URL or RSS of your favorite websites and it will automatically update news for you. So, when content changes, you can read straight on your Netvibes page.  You can have a public and a private page. There other services that do the same: Page Flakes, Google Reader and Bloglines.

 

A: Netvibes is a mashup, similar to iGoogle and Pageflakes. You can place in just one screen all the stuff that interests you on the Internet: news, the blogs you follow, your mail, photos, weather, and so on.
This article may be useful: 
How Netvibes helped me cram the whole Internet onto a single screen
http://www.slate.com/id/2164666/

If you just want a blog aggregator, then you can use Bloglines or Google Reader.

 

A: I have used Netvibes for many presentations - as a compilation of links and facts - you can make certain pages open to the public and others just for you behind a login.
Here is an example with 7 public pages:
http://www.netvibes.com/meprincipals#Begining_Presentation

 

A: Netvibes is bookmarking website which allows you to gather your favorite links in the same place. There are two interfaces. One is personal and the other is public.

 

A: Feedly is another news reader. It can be organised in various ways. It's a nice way of following interesting blogs and websites on one easy page.

 

 

Symbaloo

Q: What is Symbaloo?

 

A: Symbaloo is a bookmarking service with a layout based on small tiles with lively colors. "Symbaloo is an ancient Greek verb meaning ‘gathering’ ‘assembling’." It's an easy way to collect bookmarks in specific tabs.

Look at this short tour of Symbaloo by an American 7th grader.

 

 

Skype

 

Recording a chat

Q: Can we record a Skype chat and replay it to a student?

 

A: You can record Skype chats using Pamela. Here are instructions. Then you can upload the file to Podbean and embed the player in your blog or wiki.
There is also MP3 Skype Recorder.

 

Q: Is there any useful comment about Skype/Video Chat recorders for Apple OS X?

 

A: There is Call Recorder, but it isn't free. 

 

Here's a list of recording programs found on Google, some for Windows and some for Apple.
http://www.voip-sol.com/15-apps-for-recording-skype-conversations/
http://www.aboutonlinetips.com/free-skype-call-recorders-3308/
http://download.cnet.com/Call-Recorder-for-Skype/3000-2349_4-95407.html

Skype Recorder Mac:  http://www.fileguru.com/apps/skype_recorder_mac
SkypeCap: Skype Call Recorder for Mac
http://www.download3k.com/Press-SkypeCap-Skype-Call-Recorder-for-Mac.html

 

 

Starting a chat

Q: How do I start a conversation in Skype?

 

A: In your friends' list, click on the name of the person you want to talk with and start keyboarding your message in the text chat area.

 

 

Voki

Q: Where and how I can find and try Voki?

 

A: You can read about and create your own Voki avatar at

http://www.voki.com/

You'll find all the info you need about how to customize it, add voice and publish it to your website.

 

Embedding a Voki in PBworks

Q: How do I embed a Voki in my wiki?


A: Click Insert, select HTML/Javascipt and paste your code. Remember to check "Allow JavaScript" (bottom left) and then click the "Insert plugin" button.

Resources

Voki for educators (with a blog and various suggestions)

 

 

Hot Potatoes

Q: Do you know of a way to upload a HotPot exercise to the wiki?

 

A: When you create a HotPot exercise, you should always save it as a HP file first (it's like a backup) with a HP extension such as .jcz or .jcw . Actually, that's the file that opens the exercise in your computer if you want to edit it.

 

When you want to create an .html file (or webpage) of your exercise so you can upload it, you do this:

 

To upload it to the wiki, you only need the HotPot .html file. Do the following:

 

In "View" mode, just click the link to open the exercise and do it.

 

Uploading your files to a wiki helps those teachers who do not own space on websites and want to upload HP exercises for their students.

 

Q: Is it possible to upload HotPot exercises that have images and audio?

 

A: Yes, in PBworks it is. Follow these steps:

 

To place the link to your exercise in the wiki,

 

To view your exercise, click on the link and, in the new page, click the "Download" tab.

 

In Wikispaces this process isn't possible, so we can use Dropbox. Here's a simple tutorial.

 

Q: Do I need to download Hot Potatoes to create exercises?

 

A: Yes, you need to download the program. And on the site you'll also find some very useful tutorials.

 

Q: Can I copy other resources into my own HotPot exercises? I need ready-made resources to use now.

 

A: I suggest you do your own and start with small steps. Download the latest version of HotPotatoes. Then take a look at the types of exercises you can create and choose one. Try it out until you manage it well.

 

Why not start with JQuiz? Here's a tutorial. Follow these steps:

 

And here's how to start working with JQuiz:

 

Now the exercise itself:

 

Here's a guide about how to write a good multiple-choice exercise. And here's one on how to create a multi-select question.

 

If you need images, you can find free Clipart here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/?CTT=97
http://www.openclipart.org/browse
http://www.iconarchive.com/
http://www.templatesgear.com/cliplib.html
http://www.clipart.dk.co.uk/az

 

File storage

Q: Can you suggest any platforms where I can store documents and files online?

 

A: You can use Google docs to store all sorts of non audio/video documents. This is very useful as you can access your documents wherever you are and edit them with people.

 

Dropbox is also a very useful way to store and share documents including audio and video files. You can have access to your files locally in your computer or in a browser, provided you have internet access. And they synchronize automatically, meaning that you can have the same files in all your computers that have Dropbox.

 

 

Wallwisher

Q: How can I embed Wallwisher in my blog?

A: Here are the steps:

 

 

[The code  is something like this: 

<iframe src="http://www.wallwisher.com/embed/myonlineclass"frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400px" style="border: 1px solid#999999"></iframe>
You can change the width or height if you wish.]

 

Finally, view your blog!

You can use Wallwisher for synchronous or asynchronous note-taking.

 

 

Pasting a picture

Q: How do I add pictures, videos and the like to my Wallwisher?

 

A: You just have to paste the URL of the image in the corresponding line: Add image, audio, or video link. [Make sure you have the correct URL.] Then click Ok.

 

 

Capzles

Q: What is Capzles?

 

A: Capzles is an interactive timeline maker where one can add notes, pictures, music and design your own background. It can be embedded in Blogger by copying the code and pasting it in 'Edit HTML'.

 

Q: Can you embed video, add links, etc? Is it a better presentation tool than PowerPoint, or does it have only limited functions?

 

A: Video and audio files can be uploaded in Capzles. You can insert links too. Capzle is suitable to present information which follows a series of sequential steps, i.e process, timeline etc. Otherwise, it is very much like PPT or even less interactive than PPT.

 

 

Glogster

Q: Is there an embed feature in Glogster?

 

A: Yes, Glogster has an embed feature. If you go to Dashboard, under Your Glogs, you have "Embed & Link to this page". There you have two possibilities: the code to link or the code to embed.

 

It can be embedded in Wikispaces (see this tutorial), PBworks and Blogger.

 

 

LinkedIn

Q: What is LinkedIn?

 

A: LinkedIn is a social networking website. The difference between LinkedIn and the other social networking sites  is that LinkedIn is more professional and serious. It is basically a social network for your professional contacts. People usually just add contacts and do not use it to send messages.