Author Archives: Sue Waters

About Sue Waters

Edublogs Support Manager @suewaters on Twitter

Posting images to your blog from your mobile device

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Significant improvement in smartphone cameras combined with increased mobile device usage means we’re getting more people asking us for the fastest option for uploading their photos from their mobile devices to their blogs.

Here’s a few different ways you can do it!

Using a blogging app

There’s a wide range of blogging apps available for smartphones, iPads and android tablets.

They vary considerably in terms of ease of use and functionality.  You can read our review of iPad blogging apps here.

Personally I’ve found they can vary in terms of reliability – an app that works well previously can suddenly experience problems (but maybe it is me since I do have a lot of blogs connected to my apps?).

The best option for quick image upload is probably the WordPress app which you can download for free.

To be able to use any blogging app XML-RPC first needs to be enabled.

XML-RPC is automatically enabled on Edublogs.org blogs if you are using an Edublogs Pro blog or a blog which has had extra features enabled using an Edublogs Pro blog.

If you are using an Edublogs Campus (and most likely WordPress) blog you’ll need to enable XML-RPC within your blog dashboard in Settings > Writing.

You aren’t able to enable XML-RPC on free Edublogs.org blogs.

When adding your blog to any app you need to select the self-hosted WordPress blog option for your Edublogs or Campus blog.

Below’s a quick overview of the post interface to help you.

All you need to do is click on Add Image to insert an image into your post.

Using a mobile web browser

You can choose to write posts directly within your blog dashboard using your web browser on your iPad.

For the most part everything works pretty well except you need to be aware of the following:

  1. You can only write using the HTML editing mode as the visual editor isn’t supported by an iPad.
  2. You’ll need to use a browser like iCab mobile as most of the mobile browsers don’t support the upload of images.  Uploading images using the web browser on an Android isn’t possible.
You would use this type of option if students are sharing mobile devices and need an option that allows students to log into their own accounts.

However, there’s still a trick to inserting images using iCab mobile.

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Click on the ‘Add Image’ icon
  2. Select and upload your image
  3. Click on Show next to the image you uploaded
  4. Copy the Link URL
  5. Click back in the web browser toolbar to return to your post
  6. Click on ‘img’ and paste your Link URL

Posting by email using Flickr

Posting by email to your blog using Flickr is a really cool and simple if you use Flickr.  This is a really handy option for when you’re out or if you have multiple students posting to a class blog.

All you need to do is first set up your Flickr account to upload by email to your blog.

It’s as simple as:

1.  Log into your Flickr Account.

2.  Go to Sharing and Extending tab under your Accounts.

3.  Click on More Sites and Select WordPress.

4.  Add your blog details and click Next.

5.  Click on Edit and then Select Blog Layout.
6. Choose which blog layout option you want to use.
6.  Go to Upload by email to your blog,  set up your blog and click Save.
7.  You’ll now see the email address you need to use to post to your blog.
8.  Add this email address to Contacts on your mobile device.
9.  Now all you need to do is go to Photos on your mobile device and select the photo you want to upload.
10.  Then just select Email  photo, add the Flickr email address, your subject line and your text then press Send.
  • Tip:  Only text written above the image in the email will be posted onto Flickr and your blog.
11.  Presto!  When you look at your blog you’ll now see your post.

Top Browsers, Extensions, and Tips for Education – The Death of Internet Explorer?

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Perhaps I am a bit obsessive when it comes to web browsers?

And I’m sure it’s directly related to running four different web browsers daily on my computer for work.

But it constantly reminds me how which web browser you use directly impacts your internet user experience.

Here’s our review on what educators need to know about the top web browsers.

And our challenge to you is to trial some of these web browsers for 2 weeks to work out which browser is the best for you!

The top five most used web browsers in 2011 were:

  1. Internet Explorer
  2. Firefox
  3. Chrome
  4. Safari
  5. Opera

Key browser facts to be aware of are:

  • Internet Explorer continues to dominate the web browser market because it comes with the Windows operating system and many users aren’t aware that there are alternative web browser they can use.
  • Internet Explorer’s dominance is decreasing because tech savvy users find the alternative web browsers are faster at loading sites and have less issues than Internet Explorer.
  • Firefox and Chrome are the most commonly used web browsers by tech savvy users.
  • Educational institutions often only allow one web browser to be installed on their computers due to the reluctance to provide support for alternative web browsers.  This attitude is slowly changing as awareness of the benefits of alternative web browsers increases.
  • Some educational institutions continue to use outdated versions of Internet Explorer (IE 6 and 7) which greatly impact user experience (negatively).
  • You can run more than one web browser on your computer at the same time without causing any issues.
  • You should always check your website or blog in Internet Explorer, preferably IE 8, because this is the browser most likely used by people visiting your site.  You can find that a website looks fine in other web browsers but look differently or loads poorly in Internet Explorer.
  • You can check whether you’re using the latest version of a web browser by checking the version number, usually located under Help > About in your web browser, with the information on Browse Happy.

Popular Browser add-ons used in education

Regardless of which web browser you choose, all modern browsers support a large number of freely available add-ons (extensions) that give it new functionality while improving your experience.

These can be searched for and installed from:

Popular add-ons used in education include:

  • Apture - highlight any phrase on a page to search and explore more information without leaving the web page
  • Awesome Screenshot - for quick screenshots
  • Diigo Toolbar - to easily annotate, screenshot and bookmark links to Diigo.  Great for reference and resource sharing.
  • Delicious Bookmark - to easy bookmark links to Delicious and access Delicious bookmarks
  • Evernote - for saving things you see on the web to your Evernote account
  • Read it Later - To quickly save pages to read later.
  • Shareaholic - easily share interesting links via social networks, blogs, IM
  • Springpad - Quickly save ideas and information you want to remember
  • TweetDeck (Chrome) – for monitoring Facebook and Twitter
  • Xmarks Sync - Keeps bookmarks, passwords and open tabs synced across computers and browsers
  • Zemanta - improves your blogging dashboard by recommending images, links, articles and tags while you write.
  • Zotero - helps you collect, manage and cite your research sources

Top Browser trends in Education

The top browsers used by visitors to all 1 million+ of the blogs on edublogs.org provides a good indication of changing browser habits in education and schools.

The sudden drop in Internet Explorer usage in July is directly related to the school holidays in the Northern Hemisphere where educators and their students are able to use the web browser of their choice on their home computers as opposed to what they have to use on their school computers.


When compared with data from StatsCounter you’ll notice Internet Explorer usage in education is lower than data collected for all Internet users while Safari is higher reflecting the higher percentage of Mac use in schools.

Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Browser Market Share

Overview of the Top Web Browsers

Internet Explorer

Microsoft Internet Explorer might be the most widely used web browser but it isn’t the best web browser.  It tends to be slower loading and more prone to being unresponsive than some of the alternative web browsers.

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox is one of the best web browsers and includes an extensive feature set.  It’s interface is fairly similar to Internet Explorer making the change over from  Internet Explorer easy for the new user.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the web browser developed by Google.  It has rapidly grown in popularity this year and recently become the second most widely used web browser (based on StatCounter stats).

It has a minimalistic user interface that is different from other modern web browsers.  However, once you get use to the differences you’ll soon appreciate how fast, simple and stable Chrome is to use.  It also include features that aren’t part of other web browsers such as:

  • Incognito mode – handy for opening different accounts for an online tool using the same web browser (great for testing student and teacher accounts) or when you want to browse in private without it being recorded in your histories.
  • Google Sync – allows you to sync your bookmarks, settings, theme, and so on between different computers running Chrome.

Apple Safari

Safari  is Apple’s web browser.

While it is most commonly used on Macbooks, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch; you can install it on a PC.

Opera

Opera uses a very minimalistic user interface similar to Chrome.

Final Thoughts

Are we missing any tips and advice you would give on web browsers?  Do you have any favorite add-ons to add to our list?

Please leave a comment to let us know!

Skitch for iPad: Annotation using an iPad made easy

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Being able to quickly annotate screenshots and images is an essential part of my work.

So it’s exciting to see Skitch, the service that allows you to quickly annotate, edit and share screenshots and images, release their Skitch for iPad app today.

This is an invaluable app, for those like me, looking for fast ways to annotate images on their iPad.

Key features are:

  • Similar to the Mac version, Skitch for iPad includes an arrow tool, text tool, drawing tool, shapes tool, crop tool and a cursor tool.
  • Ability to import an image, take a photo, create your own drawing, browser a web page and take a screenshot and annotate a map using the inbuilt Google Maps interface.
  • Extensive share options including share by mail, Twitter, save to camera role and full integration with Evernote.
  • It’s free to download.  Read more about Skitch for iPad here.

Skitch has been available for Android users since August and if you’re an Andriod user you can read more here.

Check it out!

Here’s a screenshot annotated using Skitch’s iPad app:

It’s incredibly easy and intuitive to use.

Here are some tips to help you with its main annotation tools:

Final thoughts

This is definitely an app worth checking out!

My favorite apps include:

  1. DropBox – for sharing files across multiple computer, devices and with work colleagues
  2. Flipboard – for reading links shared via twitter
  3. IM+ – for instant messaging using Gtalk
  4. Instapaper – for reading items bookmarked on my computer on my iPad
  5. Kindle – for ebook reading
  6. Reeder – for reading RSS via Google Reader
What are your favourite apps?  What apps do you recommend for education?

The Unsung Heroes of the Edublog Awards

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It’s the Edublog Award time of year again and you can check out all the short listed nominations here.

Congratulations to all those that made it onto the short listed nominations and apologies to all those whose site or nominated sites don’t make it – it’s always a very tough decision!

But what I’d like to talk about, and thank, are all the unsung heroes of what we do!

Because behind each and every one of us that works hard at doing what we do and supporting others there are husbands, wives, children, students and administrators who are extremely patient and understanding.

So here’s my thanks!

For all those times:

  • I’ve destroyed dinner (almost set fire to the kitchen)
  • Been distracted while you’re talking (and focusing on something else)
  • I’ve suddenly vanished (to suddenly be located on my computer)
  • Worked through the night (while trying hard to not let any one notice)
  • For the weird places I’ve been tweeting/IMing from (when I REALLY shouldn’t have)
  • and all the other things I’ve probably done and left out

— thanks to my husband and children for being understanding.

And for each and everyone that supports what we all do — thanks!

None of us could do it with out your support!

Hopefully this also inspires each and everyone of us to make time to thank those that support us….

PS don’t tell my husband I stayed up too late writing this post 8-)

DIY Decorating Your Blog for Any Holiday or Season

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It’s that time of the year again when people get creative and start decorating their houses for the festive season. Everyone loves Christmas decorations, but did you know that you can get just as creative with decorating your blog?

With so many options now available, we’ve decided to show you how easy it is to decorate your blog for any holiday or season!

We’ve also set up a demo blog so you can check out what a live blog looks like when you use different options to customise with a particular feel!

Adding a Custom Background

Most themes now allow you to set your own custom image header and custom background.

Yet most people are unaware of how easy it is to add a custom background to achieve a more customised look while adding a personalized touch to their blog.

The first step is to search for a free background you’d like to use.  Numerous websites provide a wide range of suitable free images and backgrounds.

Here’s some sites to get you started:

  1. Free Christmas Wallpapers
  2. Webweavers Free Clipart
  3. Free webimages & Clipart
  4. Background Labs
  5. Layouts for Christmas
  6. Christmas Free 4 All
  7. Animated Gif Net
  8. Cartoon Cottage

Once you’ve located an image you would like to use, all you need to do is right mouse click on the image and select Save Image As (or Save Picture as) to save a copy of the image onto your computer.

Now uploading your background is as simple as:

1.  Go to Appearance > Background inside your dashboard.

2.  Click on Choose File, select the image you want to upload and then click Upload.

3.  Once it is uploaded select your preferred display option and then click Save Changes.

And when you check your blog you should now see your new custom background!

Student bloggers often like using an animated gif for their background.  All they need to do is locate the animated .gif they want to use, save it onto their computer the same as you would save any other image, and then upload it as a background.

Of course, animated gifs can be a bit overwhelming when used as a background and Ronnie made me remove my pretty ones :(

Adding a Custom image header

Custom image headers, like backgrounds can really add to the look and feel of a blog.

You can easily make your own or search for a free image header to use.

Here’s some sites to get you started:

  1. Guides & Tips Bogger
  2. Free Christmas headers
  3. Free Web headers
  4. Free Header images
  5. Theme headers

Once you’ve located an image you would like to use all you need to do is right mouse click on the image and select Save Image As (or Save Picture as) to save a copy of the image onto your computer.


Tip:

  1. For the best quality use the recommended image header dimensions for your chosen theme (recommend size for your theme is displayed on Appearance > Header)
  2. I use Snagit to resize and adjust my image headers to the correct size before uploading.

Now uploading your image header is as simple as:

1.  Go to Appearance > Header inside your dashboard.

2.  Click on Choose file, browse for the image on your computer and then click on Open.

  • Only .jpeg, .gif, and .png files can be used for image headers.

3.  Next click Upload 

4.  Your image will upload and if it isn’t the exact dimensions you’ll need to select the area you want to crop and then click Crop and Publish.
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And when you check your blog you should now see your new custom image header!

Adding widgets to your sidebar

There are lots of seasonal widgets you can add to your sidebar.  Widgetbox provides the best selection of Christmas widgets.

You can check out the widgets I liked in the sidebar of our demo blog.  I also added a mixpod widget of Christmas music (student’s love music players on their blogs).

Please note you need to be using an Edublogs Pro blog, Edublogs Campus blog or have had extra features enabled on your blog by a Pro blog to be able to add embed code.

Adding a widget to your sidebar is as simple as:

1.  Copy the embed code for the widget.

2.  Go to Appearance > Widgets in your dashboard.

3.  Click on the sidebar to expand it (so you can add the widget).

4.  Drag a text widget from the Available widget area into the sidebar area.

5.  Add the embed code to the text widget and click Save.

And when you check your blog you should see your new widget!

Enhancing your posts with embedded media

There’s a gazillion tools that you can easily embed into your posts that can create some great seasonal activities and fun.

Please note you need to be using an Edublogs Pro blog, Edublogs Campus blog or have had extra features enabled on your blog by a Pro blog to be able to add embed code.

I’ve added a selection to our demo blog so you can see how you could use them:

  1. Christmas Trivia Fun – from Widget box
  2. Christmas Glogster – get your students to create their own Christmas Glogster
  3. Christmas VoiceThread – create your own VoiceThread
  4. Christmas LiveBinder - packed full of ideas and Christmas activities
  5. Christmas AnswerGarden
  6. Christmas Quizzes – get your students to create their own quizz!
  7. Christmas Picture Puzzle – from Widget box
  8. Christmas Coloring pages
  9. Festive Turkey scoffing game – from Widget box
  10. Singing Christmas countdown – from Widget Box
You’ll find a comprehensive list of popular web tools to embed here!

 Adding them to a post is as simple as:

1.  Completely write your post including the title, text, images, tags and categories.

2.  Click on Save Draft, preview your post and make all necessary edits.

3.  Go to the online tool you want to use and copy the embed code.

4.  Click on the HTML tab in your write post area.

5.  Paste the embed code into your post where you want it to appear then immediately click Publish

  • Don’t click back to Visual Tab before hitting Publish as it can break the embed code.
  • Immediately close your post once you’ve published.
  • Change back to Visual Editing mode when you write your next post by clicking on the Visual tab.
  • You use this same process for any website that provides embed code.

And don’t forget the longtime-favorite Let It Snow plugin on Edublogs which adds falling snow right on your blog!

Leave a link to your decked-out and holiday-trimmed blog below so we can all get in the festive mood.

Seasons greetings and happy blog decorating!