WEEK 4.3: add a blogroll to your blog

A blogroll is a great way to keep a list of the blogs you would like to dip into every now and again down the right hand side of your own blog. You do this by adding the blogroll widget to your blog. This screencast was posted further down during the widget week of the course but I am adding it again as it is a requirement for this week.

WEEK 4.2 - 34 ideas for a classroom blog (WEBINAR PRESENTATION)

If you have created a classroom blog, this slideshare will give you some ideas. This was the proposed webinar presentation for this week, but as there will be no webinar this week, I am adding it anyway.

34 ideas for a classroom blog

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WEEK 4.1 Blogging course week 4 details

Here we are in the final week of the blogging course. That is the final week in as far as the requirements go for the attendance certificate. However from now on I will be putting up a weekly challenge which I will call Challenge #1, Challenge #2 etc with ideas for those of you that would like to do more with your blogs. Just before schools go back I'll be evaluating the blogs and will send off the certificates.

This week there will be no webinar as such as I know everybody is just so busy. However I will put on to the blog the slideshare that was planned for the webinar.

Here are this week's details:

http://www.box.com/s/3c4vh3o0ytnivccz2pma

Requirements for this week

Your only requirements in order to receive your Certificate of Attendance are:

* Add a blogroll with a couple of blogs on your blog
* Write a reflection post on how you found the course in general.

WEEK 3.4 Get involved in blogging projects (Webinar presentation)

Get involved in blogging projects

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WEEK 3.3 How to use Screencast-o-matic to create instructions for your students

I love Screencasting as a teaching tool. Up to now I have tried Jing, and even paid for Jing pro. Then I heard about Screenr and tried that. It seemed to me that Screenr did what Jing Pro does. Today the thought came to me that I should try Screencast-o- matic. (http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/)

The site tells me that it is the original Screencast programme. That’s interesting!




There is a demo video to watch. I must say, after watching it there seem to be some very nice features in Sceencast-o-matic! Two things I REALLY like is the fact that  your maximum time with the free version is 15 minutes, and that you can upload directly to your YouTube channel.




The next thing to do would be to join the site, It is all free. I joined and found there is a Pro version, but it may not be necessary to have all those extra features for my use.


How to use Screencast-o-matic


1. Click on Start Recording




You’ll notice that a dotted line block appears. At the bottom you can choose the screensize that you want. I really like this feature.


2. Find the page on the internet that you want to start recording from




3. Check your settings


Check the little arrow next to the microphone to make sure you have the right microphone checked (I find that headphones work the best).


Press the red arrow and start recording. You can press it again to pause during your recording session and then continue if you want to.


When you are finished press the word Done. It will take you to a preview page.


4. Listen and decide




If you like what you hear you can press one of the options on the right (or all three one after the other):

* Upload directly to YouTube
* Save in your Screencasts section on Screencast-o-matic
* Download it as a video.


Another feature I really like is that you can arrange your screencasts in folders on Screencast-o-matic’s ‘My Screencasts’ channel page.




I really like this Screencasting programme very much. It just seems to offer me exactly what I am looking for.


An example that I made


I made a recording entitled ‘How to write a comment on a blog’. Here it is:



Ideas for the classroom using Screencast-o-matic


1. Use it to present a lesson online. It can be used to cater for diverse levels of understanding.
2. Use it to explain a homework task. The students can then go over things at home.
3. Students that have been absnt can use it to catch up tasks.
4. The students themselves can use screencasts to illustrate something they have learned.
5. Screencast-o-Matic is perfect for illustrating research methods, and musical instrument tutorials,
6. Teachers can use it to give parents and students simple directions on how to use the class website or wiki

…and much, much more!