Thing 1 - Getting Started and Blogging

Now that you are familiar with how 8 Things works, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Don't worry--it's easy! In this thing you will set up your blog and begin recording your progress.

This is a very important thing, please read through all of the instructions.

A blog (contraction of "web log") is a website made up of dated entries called "posts" that are usually displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" is also a verb, which means to maintain or add content to a blog. Most blogs allow readers to leave comments. Because blogs are very easy to create and maintain, anyone who can type can be a blogger! Here is what you need to do...

Set up your blog:

1. Go to http://www.blogger.com/

2. Click on "Create a Blog"

3. Follow the instructions to create a Google user account if you don't have one. You can use any email address to sign up, this email address will become your user name for Blogger. Your display name is how your posts will be signed. You may use your real name or a nickname. If you already have a Google account (from Gmail, GoogleDocs, etc.) click on "Sign in first" on the top of the page instead of creating a new account.

4. When creating your password, keep in mind that this will be the first of many usernames/passwords needed for 8 Things. Make sure you write them all down in a safe place. A small address book works really well.


Name your blog:

1. Your blog title will appear at the top of your blog. You can pick any name that you like. If you find that the title is not appearing in the header of your blog, go to the "Settings" tab, and enter your blog name in the "Title" box. Click "Save Settings."

2. The URL is the unique web address of your blog. This is how you will find your blog or tell others how to find it. We recommend a URL that is short and easy to remember. It is a good idea to write down your URL with your username and password. Blogger will tell you if the URL you want is available, just click "Check Availability." Please do not register your blog with us until you are sure that no one else has a blog with the same URL.

3. Remember that the whole world can see your blog title and URL. Please do not use a name that is related to HealthPartners, Regions Hospital or any affiliated organizations.

4. In Blogger, the URL format is "blogname.blogspot.com." There is no www in the address when using Blogger.com software. For example this blog's URL is http://explore8things.blogspot.com/. Please bookmark your URL.

Apply settings:

1. Under the "Settings" tab, click the "Comments" link. We recommend that you enable comments by choosing "Show". We want to comment on your posts, as do others.

2. Under "Who can comment" we suggest choosing "Registered Users".

3. If you want to moderate comments (view all comments and decide which ones can be published) scroll down and turn moderation on by selecting "Always."

4. Feel free to explore the other settings. Make sure to click "Save Settings" when you are done.

Select your template:

Blogger has several templates to choose from. The first "Choose Template" screen has only a few; choose one. If you want to change your template after your blog is set up, go to "Layout" and choose "Pick New Template." There will be many more choices. You can change your template as often as you like.

If you run into problems:

1. Check out Blogger's Help
2. Try searching the web for the answer to your question. There are countless blogs, videos and websites dedicated to helping folks set-up and tweak their blogs.
3. Contact the library at 651-254-3607

Assignment

1. Create your blog following the steps above
2. Publish your first blog post (blog prompts are below if you need them)
3. Spend some time exploring the features of Blogger--templates, fonts, linking to websites, gadgets and more!
4. Submit your blog here. There is also a link to submit your blog on the top right-hand side of this blog. You can use that link if you are not quite ready to do it now. Once you have clicked the "Submit" button at the end at the end of the questions, you are registered for 8 Things! You will not receive confirmation. Please check back in a few days to see if your blog is posted on the right-hand sidebar. If it does not show up after a few days, please call the Medical Library at 651-254-3607. In the meantime, you may work on other things and blog as much as you like.

5.  Read the Social Media policy for your institution.  The link will only work in the HealthPartners computer network.

Please keep in mind:
Whenever you complete a thing, write a blog post about your experience with the thing you explored. Please clearly label each entry with the thing number and subject (for example "Thing 6 - Wikis"). Each of your posts should provide insights into what you have learned. Share what worked for you, what didn't, surprises, triumphs or frustrations. We will offer some blog prompts to help you out, but don't feel limited to those, be creative and share freely!

Please read and comment on other participant's blogs. Feedback is valuable and one of the biggest benefits of the collaborative nature of Web 2.0! You can find links to all of the blogs in the right-hand sidebar.

The blog that you create is for Web 2.0 learning purposes only. While Web 2.0 can be integrated into your professional operations, we STRONGLY suggest that you do not write about your job, employer, coworkers, and by no means whatsoever, your patients. We hope that you will blog in general about how these new tools can help you in your job. Remember that your blog is public and accessible to everyone!

Some blogs worth taking a look at:

Running a Hospital http://runningahospital.blogspot.com/
The blog of Paul Levy, President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

KevinMD http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/
The blog of Dr. Kevin Pho and voted Best Medical Blog of 2008 in the Medical Weblog Awards!

Health Affairs http://healthaffairs.org/blog/
Many journals have blogs; this one is associated with Health Affairs. This blog is written by many authors. The Medical Library subscribes to Health Affairs (this link will only work in network) back to 1981.

BoingBoing http://www.boingboing.net/
According to Technorati, this is the 5th most popular blog in the world.

How to find blogs of interest to you:
Google Blog Search http://blogsearch.google.com/
Technorati http://www.technorati.com/
MedWorm http://www.medworm.com/ (Medworm allows you to limit your search to medical blogs.)

Other free blog hosting services:
WordPress http://wordpress.com/
Blog.com http://blog.com/
LiveJournal http://www.livejournal.com/


 
Address the following questions in your blog.

How was your experience of setting up a blog?

Do you think you could regularly blog in your personal or professional life?

Did you have any problems getting started with 8 Things?

What are your impressions of the blog examples? (KevinMD, etc.)

How long did it take you to complete this Thing?

**Extra Challenge**
1. Create an avatar for your blog. Besides a movie, avatar is an online representation of you! Go to http://avatars.yahoo.com/ to design one. There are many choices for physical features, outfits, accessories, pets, etc. (You will have to set up a Yahoo! account if you don't have one) You can make an avatar that resembles the "real you" or create an entirely new you. Save your avatar and export* it to your blog.

*Here's how to export your avatar to your blog after it is created:
Make sure you have saved your avatar, then go to "Home" tab and look at the right side of the screen. Click on "EXPORT: Use your avatar in web pages and blogs and more." In the Center of the page, one option is your avatar's HTML code. Copy (Control C) the code, go to your blog. Sign in. On Blogger Dashboard click on "layout" You will see various page elements. Click Add Gadget. From the pop-up box that opens, choose the item marked "HTML/Java Script. Paste (Control V) the HTML code into the Content box. Add a title in the title box if you wish. Click Save Changes. Back on the Layout page, you can drag and drop the gadget to wherever you want your avatar to appear on your blog. If you would like to explore other avatar options see this list from Mashable (the Simpsons Avatar Maker is great!)

2. Add advanced features to your blog. Use Blogger's selections on the Settings and Layout pages to add a blogroll, photo, video or even a poll. Make sure to blog about your experience!

3. Already have a blog through Blogger? Try one or more of the other free blog hosts and compare and contrast features. Which would you recommend to colleagues?