The Nerve of that Blog!

If a picture says 1000 words, what does a video, animated slide show or multi-media say?

Embedding Media: the Nerves of the Blog! Kick Start Your Blog Challenge #6 –

The sixth challenge studied embedding media in blogs for added impact, engagement and effect. However this is one that I knew I would struggle with. For the challenge, I was tempted to use my class blog which is an  edublogs campus, as I knew  I could readily embed media to a wordpress blog. My thoughts are expressed in the wordle below.

Thoughts that came to mind at beginning of challenge

However, after reading many of the advanced bloggers’ posts where some had:-

• shown such determination to succeed against odds
• worked outside their comfort zones
• shared excitement when challenging attempts succeeded
• expressed signs of frustration that wordpress would not accept html as other blogging platforms do.

I decided to search online and see what could be done with wordpress. Surely there must be ways of embedding media in it.  My teacher blog looks very plain and bland with images, links and text in posts. Five of my favourite tools to embed are:-

1. Voicethread – podcasting with images. Great for collaboration within the class or collaborating with classes across the globe. Can be edited at anytime and updates in real time. Excellent for student tutorials, reflections, reports, projects etc
2. Slideshare – an online tool that allows MS Powerpoint presentations to be uploaded and then embedded in online spaces.
3. Toondoo – cartoon making tool
4. Videos eg youtube, teachertube, vimeo
5. Wallwisher – sticky notes on a wall that can be collaborative.

Whilst working with the images challenge, I uploaded 12 images from the concert  by Chinese students at Surfers Paradise for the Chinese New Year. Ready to insert them as a gallery,  I noticed there was an option for a slideshow. Putting my inhibitions aside, I clicked that option. See the result in the post which caused some excitement Happy Chinese New Year.

1. Slideshare- Inspired I searched to see whether I could add a slideshare and to my surprise, I could. See  How to embed slideshare in a Word Press blog. Here is a presentation for one of my personal interests – travel.

2. Videos Still struggling with youtube embed code, whatedsaid recommended that I try vodpod. Therefore I registered for an account, uploaded my video, looked for the code for a wordpress blog and was successful for the first time in adding a video to a post. See the result in my application for the Google Teacher Academy A Classroom without Walls However youtube does provide wordpress code somewhere. (If you know where, I would love to find out).

3. Toondoo – The embed code works  in wordpress. See the toondoo below:-

By murcha | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

4. Voicethread This is one tool that I am still unable to embed in wordpress. Here is a link to one of my favourite collaborative projects where Grade 2 Boston students (Lorraine Leo’s class) ask  my year 7 class a question. Enjoy their questions and answers.

5. Wallwisher – yet to try again

Here is a link for me to research further:  15 useful wordpress tips to make your theme even better.

Questions for reflection: Should we be embedding media when that media is housed elsewhere? Instead should we be providing links to the youtube videos, slideshares etc. Is it wise use of potential limited cyber space? Are we cluttering up cyber space? What do you think?