- All of the visiting scholars and relevant deadlines for posting questions are posted first.
- Next you see the posted book conversations and relevant deadlines.
- Third are the conversations still be to recorded and their recording dates.
- Fourth you'll see links to each of the blog groups.
Showing posts with label website orientation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label website orientation. Show all posts
Thursday, November 13, 2008
sidebar update
I've re-arranged the sidebar area a bit.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
google docs
I recently found a YouTube video that nicely introduces Google Docs (check out the sidebar website links). You don't need to use Google Docs, but this short 4 minute video gives an idea about how it could help you work more effectively and efficiently with other students.
Monday, August 4, 2008
zotero
I've just added a new link in the sidebar for Zotero. This is a Firefox web browser extension that can be extremely useful to doctoral students. As they state on their website:
This extension is free, but it does require that you use Firefox. I've just begun using it and it is much improved over earlier versions. The last time I checked this website was about 6 months ago and at that time this resource was interesting, but not for power-users. Now it works smoothly, and lets you export your references in a format that can be easily read by Bookends, EndNote and other programs. It also has a very nice integration with Google Docs.
Zotero [zoh-TAIR-oh] is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. It lives right where you do your work — in the web browser itself.
This extension is free, but it does require that you use Firefox. I've just begun using it and it is much improved over earlier versions. The last time I checked this website was about 6 months ago and at that time this resource was interesting, but not for power-users. Now it works smoothly, and lets you export your references in a format that can be easily read by Bookends, EndNote and other programs. It also has a very nice integration with Google Docs.
Friday, August 1, 2008
sections & subpages
This website is divided up into 5 sections (see the tabs at the top). They are:
The learn section is where your primary learning materials for each class session will be stored and presented. When you click on the learn tab you'll notice that there are 9 subpages: one for each class session.
The discuss section will be where the main interactive events take place. The main discuss page describes these events, but the subpage bar takes you to each kind: knowledge digs and the virtual offices.
The books section provides information about the "book conversations" project plus contains the book conversations, and ensuing dialogue. There won't be much in this section at first since the book conversations don't start until about midway through the semester.
The blog section provides information about the "student blog" project plus the actual group blogs. You'll notice that the individual group blog pages are listed in the subpage bar.
- news
- learn
- discuss
- books
- blog
The learn section is where your primary learning materials for each class session will be stored and presented. When you click on the learn tab you'll notice that there are 9 subpages: one for each class session.
The discuss section will be where the main interactive events take place. The main discuss page describes these events, but the subpage bar takes you to each kind: knowledge digs and the virtual offices.
The books section provides information about the "book conversations" project plus contains the book conversations, and ensuing dialogue. There won't be much in this section at first since the book conversations don't start until about midway through the semester.
The blog section provides information about the "student blog" project plus the actual group blogs. You'll notice that the individual group blog pages are listed in the subpage bar.
links are blue
Anytime you see something in blue text, then you'll know it's a link. Links can do a variety of things including:
If you find yourself viewing an entry via a permalink, you can choose to see the complete page by clicking on one of the tabs at the top (News, Learn, etc.) or one of the subpage links in the subpage toolbar.
- Start the download of a PDF, QuickTime movie, or audiobook
- Link to another page (or entry) at this website
- Link to another website
If you find yourself viewing an entry via a permalink, you can choose to see the complete page by clicking on one of the tabs at the top (News, Learn, etc.) or one of the subpage links in the subpage toolbar.
the sidebar
The sidebar is the smallish area on the right-hand side of every page in the website. For example, on this website in early August the sidebar starts off with a header called learning materials and then provides some links below it.
I'm doing something different with the sidebar area this semester due to some changes in how my web development software (RapidWeaver) works. Specifically, the sidebar will look exactly the same on every page in the website! This has several positive consequences, but the main one is that you can treat the sidebar as a practical web-based scratchpad that allows you to easily access key information, or key websites, or send emails to important people. It's always there on every page.
As currently constructed the sidebar has the following areas:
I'm doing something different with the sidebar area this semester due to some changes in how my web development software (RapidWeaver) works. Specifically, the sidebar will look exactly the same on every page in the website! This has several positive consequences, but the main one is that you can treat the sidebar as a practical web-based scratchpad that allows you to easily access key information, or key websites, or send emails to important people. It's always there on every page.
As currently constructed the sidebar has the following areas:
- learning materials
- assignments
- website links
- email links for individuals
- email links for groups (currently inactive)
email links
I've set up a bunch of mailto links. Look at the sidebar (right side of page) and you'll see a section titled Email Links for Individuals. Each of the names in blue is an active link. Click on it and the default email software on your operating system will open up, insert that person's email address, and automatically insert a subject line.
Mail links provide some extra convenience for most, though not all, students. Email links only work with software-based email applications. This means if you use a web-based email clients such as USF Connect or Google then these links won't work. Or, put more correctly, the link will open whatever is designated as the default email software on your operating system, but that's not what you really want. For people using USF Connect (oh my god, please find something better) or another web-based email organizer, you can sometimes find "fixes" that will have a "mailto" link automatically take you to your web-based account. Some of these work, others not.
All in all, over 80% of people use an email software program installed on their hard drive. That means the email links will work easily and well for them. But you might be in the category of people who use a web-based email organizer and these links likely won't work well for you.
Mail links provide some extra convenience for most, though not all, students. Email links only work with software-based email applications. This means if you use a web-based email clients such as USF Connect or Google then these links won't work. Or, put more correctly, the link will open whatever is designated as the default email software on your operating system, but that's not what you really want. For people using USF Connect (oh my god, please find something better) or another web-based email organizer, you can sometimes find "fixes" that will have a "mailto" link automatically take you to your web-based account. Some of these work, others not.
All in all, over 80% of people use an email software program installed on their hard drive. That means the email links will work easily and well for them. But you might be in the category of people who use a web-based email organizer and these links likely won't work well for you.
making comments
One key feature to this website is the various interactive abilities it contains. There are several ways (as you'll find out) that you can interact with other students and me via this website. That said, the most common method for interacting will be through the use of comments. You can use the commenting feature to make quick comments or questions within any entry on the News page. You'll submit questions, and receive responses, using the commenting system in the Virtual Office area. And you'll submit your Knowledge Digs via the commenting system.
The commenting system works in tandem with Google's Blogger website. When you click a link that says add a comment then you'll see a little window pop up that's provided by Blogger. When you publish the comment it will actually appear in two places: on a Blogger page (which you don't care about) but also underneath the entry where you made the comment. To see the comment you'll need to click on the permalink (i.e. the entry's title). Some pages may differ from this if I choose to activate the "show all comments" feature for the main page. Typically I won't do this because it significantly delays the loading of a page even when there aren't comments.
I've provided a short one-page description of how to post a comment that you can download. Once in a long while someone publishes a comment but nothing shows up. Not a big problem, unless it was a long comment! Then you need to write it all over again. I want to stress this happens very infrequently, and my guess is that it is "user error." However, to be safe, you may want to write a comment in some other application, then copy/paste to the Blogger commenting box. That way, if worse comes to worse, all you need to do is copy/paste once again.
I'd like each of you to add a comment to this entry before our August 23rd meeting. It can be something simple like, "I can make a comment!" It can be more elaborate like, "I had a great summer vacation going to . . ." But the purpose behind this mini-task is to make sure all of you know how to make a comment at the start of the semester.
The commenting system works in tandem with Google's Blogger website. When you click a link that says add a comment then you'll see a little window pop up that's provided by Blogger. When you publish the comment it will actually appear in two places: on a Blogger page (which you don't care about) but also underneath the entry where you made the comment. To see the comment you'll need to click on the permalink (i.e. the entry's title). Some pages may differ from this if I choose to activate the "show all comments" feature for the main page. Typically I won't do this because it significantly delays the loading of a page even when there aren't comments.
I've provided a short one-page description of how to post a comment that you can download. Once in a long while someone publishes a comment but nothing shows up. Not a big problem, unless it was a long comment! Then you need to write it all over again. I want to stress this happens very infrequently, and my guess is that it is "user error." However, to be safe, you may want to write a comment in some other application, then copy/paste to the Blogger commenting box. That way, if worse comes to worse, all you need to do is copy/paste once again.
I'd like each of you to add a comment to this entry before our August 23rd meeting. It can be something simple like, "I can make a comment!" It can be more elaborate like, "I had a great summer vacation going to . . ." But the purpose behind this mini-task is to make sure all of you know how to make a comment at the start of the semester.
categories, archives, rss
Some sections of the website take full advantage of categories, archives, or RSS feeds. Below is a brief description of each and why they may be beneficial to you.
The News section will only show about the 7 most recent entries. After that they get stored away. So knowing how to use categories and archives can be very beneficial. In addition, if you scroll to the bottom of a page you'll see a special link that says see older posts. Click on this link to be taken to the next seven previous posts. When there are no more "previous posts" you'll just be taken to a blank page.
categories
Every post I make in the News section will be filed under one or more categories. Categories are essentially like organizing stuff into file folders. You can see all of the categories listed towards the bottom of the sidebar. Some other pages may take advantage of categories also, but the News section will contain the most entries over a semester, so categories become important for finding old entries.
archives
Every post is also stored in a second type of file folder that is organized by month. You'll see links in the sidebar (under the Categories) for all the months containing entries.
rss feeds
RSS feeds are a nice web feature that allow people to be automatically notified when a new entry is posted to the Motivation News section. It's not necessary to use the RSS feed. Nor will I explain how to use them since the mechanical steps you need to take differs a bit depending on the news reader or browser you are using. If you don't know about RSS feeds, don't worry. If you already use RSS feeds, then you can take advantage of this additional website feature.
The News section will only show about the 7 most recent entries. After that they get stored away. So knowing how to use categories and archives can be very beneficial. In addition, if you scroll to the bottom of a page you'll see a special link that says see older posts. Click on this link to be taken to the next seven previous posts. When there are no more "previous posts" you'll just be taken to a blank page.
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