Wikis+and+Blogs

=**WIkis and Blogs**=

A **blog** (short for **web log**) is a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning //to maintain or add content to a blog.// Many blogs provide **commentary or news** on a particular subject; others function as more **personal online diaries**. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an **interactive format** is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art, music, video etc. As of September 2007, there is tracking of more than **106 million blogs**.
 * What is a Blog?**

A new initiative of the Departments Education Channel is [|Global Teacher] which provides a supportive space with all resources needed for starting a Blog or Wiki with your class. The department recommends using [|Edublogs] because it has good security features and is primarily for educational use. If you are using your Blog with students this would be the recommended site to use. But you may like to use Blogger or any other blog site.
 * How do I start a Blog?**

A wiki is a web space where people can work together to build and publish information and content. **Wikipedia**, the web-based encyclopaedia that almost anyone with Internet access can edit, is a well known example of a wiki. Whilst Wikipedia is a worldwide collaboration, it is possible for teachers to set up their own smaller wikis to allow two students, a whole class or multiple classes to work together. It is possble to start a class wiki through the [|Global Teacher] initiate outlined above. Open this file for a brief tutorial on the basics of setting up a wiki using [|Wikispaces]
 * What is a Wiki?**
 * Wikispaces are offering 250,000 free private space [|wikis for educators] so get in quick and create a space.**