Instructional Technology

Help! I am currently on my blog and I can’t remember where to go to create or edit pages on it!

You need to log-on to edublogs.org and type in your username and password. Once you’re logged in you will be taken to the “dashboard” of your site. Choose from the tabs on top or the links on the bottom of the page to go where you want.

I created a page yesterday and want to update it today.  Which tab do I go to from the “dashboard” after I log-in to edublogs.org?

Go to “manage”. You will see all of your pages and can link on “edit” on the right side of the page.

I want all posts on my blog to be approved by me before they appear on the blog. Where do I go to control this?

Go to the “dashboard” and click on the “Options” tab. Then click on the “discussion” tab under options. Check that you do want control over that option. To actually approve/disapprove your students’ comments go to the “dashboard” to “Comments”. All of the comments will appear and you can approve or delete each comment.

Change the look of my page?

Go to Presentation on the top toolbar of your edublogs website. Click on whichever theme you would like.

How can I change the types of things that are on the left and right hand columns of my page?

Go to Presentation on the top toolbar of your edublogs website. The Presentation page has two or three tabs at the top depending on which theme you are using. Click on widgets tab. Drag the widgets you would like to use from the box at the bottom of the page to the sidebar boxes. Put them in the order in which you would like them to be displayed.

Which plug-ins are the most important to have on my web site?

You might want to use more of the plug-ins, but these are especially important. Simply click on the word “activate” next to each plug-in.

Advanced Editor – this will let you change the color and styles of your text.

Akismet – this will block a lot of spam.

Subscribe to Comments – allows readers to receive notification of new comments on your blog.

Think Free Viewer – allows users to view Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) on browsers.

Upload pictures to my post?

Go to the Write page and scroll down to the very bottom. There is a bar at the bottom with an “Uploads” tab. Click on it, then “browse” to find the picture. Type in a title and click “upload”. After uploading, decide which size you would like and click on “send to editor”. It will then appear on your page.

Upload links to Word documents to my page or post?

First, go to the “dashboard” to “manage” to the page you want. Click on the edit link. Once on the page, place your cursor at the spot where you would like your document’s link to appear. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Upload”. Browse for your document. Once selected, click “Send to editor” to have it appear on the page.

How do I put my picture on the top of the sidebar?

Do all of the following:

1. Go to “Options” on the dashboard. Go to the “Blog Avatar” tab under options. Browse to find your picture and save.

2. Go back to the dashboard to “Presentation”. Click on the “Widgets” tab under presentation. Find “Avatar” from the Available Widgets at the bottom of the page and drag it to the sidebar. Save. You will not see the picture until you view your home page.

Change the location of a picture on my post (not the sidebar)?

Click on the icon at the top toolbar of the Write dialogue page. Choose where you would like to locate the picture from the “alignment” drop-down menu.

Add a YouTube video to my page  or post?

First, go to YouTube and copy the url of the video you want to use. Then, go to “Dashboard” to “Manage” to “edit” of the page where you want the video. Place your cursor in the spot where you want the YouTube video appear. Then, click on the “yellow A button” on menu bar at the top right side of the page. Paste the url into the line that appears after clicking on the “yellow A button”. A “Flashembed movie” sentence will appear on your page (not the video itself). When you save the page and view it you will see and can play the video.

Add web links to the left or right hand column of my site?

Go to Blogroll on the top menu bar of your site. After you’ve typed in the name, url and/or description of the link make sure to click on the catagory or catagories in which you would like the web link be found. If the right type of catagory doesn’t exist yet, add one by typing it in.

Create a bookmark option on post?

Go to the Write Post page and scroll down to the very bottom to where it says WordPress Bookmarklet and follow their directions.

How can I delete my blog? I do not want to use it anymore.

Go the the “dashboard” to the “Options” tab. Click on the “Delete” tab under options.