I don’t trust you….

Safari Not Connected

No not you, but my blogging platform… actually I do trust my blogging platform, what I don’t trust is my internet connection to remain stable and consistent as I write a blog post, so that when I click publish, my blog post is actually published and out there on the web and hasn’t just disappeared into the ether!

What happens is you write a blog post into your text field, click the publish button and you get a “you are not connected” error and all your hard work has vanished. Clicking the back button doesn’t resolve the issue. There is no draft saved and you are then faced with a choice, try to recall what you wrote, or saying stuff it and going out for a coffee.

As a result these days wherever possible I will avoid typing direct a blog post onto the web and will use my word processor of choice and then cut and paste into the blog post when finished.

It does remind in the past how word processors would often crash losing all your work and you were left with the same conundrum as above.

So remember save your work as you write.

Trying out Blogsy

After it was pointed out to me, not once, but twice, by Mark Power on Twitter I thought I would give this iPad blogging App a go. I have tried Blogpress and the WordPress app for blogging, but have been disappointed with the user experience. Currently what I do is use a word processing App and then either save to Dropbox and finish the blog post off on my computer, or try and use the web interface for my blog; though that doesn’t always work well on Safari on the iPad.

One of the issues with the other blogging apps, and I I’ll admit having not used them for a few months, so they may have improved, was how they worked with stuff other than text.

Blogsy in theory allows you to swipe in rich media such as images from Flickr.

Like this.

Or YouTube videos.

Like this.

I noticed though, that it was not easy to resize Flickr or YouTube to meet the particular needs of this blog.

You can also insert images from a Google Image Search.

Like this.

However I am not sure if the images are CC licensed, which may be a problem.

So initial thoughts are quite positive, but whether I’ll use it regularly, who knows.

Update

Well….

After publishing I noticed a few image alignment issues causing some text flow issues. Whilst editing these, the app crashed on me losing these edits and forcing me to do them again! I also took a screenshot of the text issues, but there isn’t an easy way to upload an image, and certainly can’t be done in the app.

Not sure if it is any better than the other apps at this stage, though the swiping is useful.

Learning in a digital age – are we prepared?

Learning in a digital age – are we prepared?

4-7th November 2008

Register now for the third international JISC online conference. This important conference for practitioners and managers embedding e-learning into their practice focuses on the tension between the tried and tested and the wholly innovative. e-Learning may now have established a foothold in learning and teaching, but are the demands of delivering the curriculum restricting its innovative potential? How can we plan to ensure the best possible e-enhancement of learning in the future?

Keynote speakers are Professor Gilly Salmon, University of Leicester, on transforming curriculum design through technology and Professor Rose Luckin, London Knowledge Lab, on the relationship between learners, their tutors and institutions. The closing keynote is being delivered by John Davitt, writer, broadcaster and education technology specialist.

The conference has two themes each running over two days and will also include guided tours in Second Life facilitated by the JISC Emerge team. During the reading weeks, the two weeks prior to the conference, there will be orientation sessions for delegates new to Second Life. We are pleased to have James Clay, mobile-learning enthusiast, as the conference blogger. Some sessions will make use of the Elluminate real-time web conferencing system.

Finally, the e-Learning Showcase will provide a shop window on innovative work from JISC e-Learning projects and services and social events include a virtual fashion show.

Details of the programme are available at www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference08.

Delegates from further and higher education and from overseas are welcome to take part. The conference takes place in an asynchronous virtual environment which can be accessed wherever and whenever is convenient to you. Book now. The fee is £50 per delegate

Have an airport named after you…

There are many benefits of being part of the Hood 2.0 phenomena. One that is (quite rare) but is been reported is having an airport named after you.

Steve Wheeler who chaired the Web 2.0 slam session which lead to the formation and creation of Hood 2.0 as recently pleased to read in a (high profile) blog that an airport had been named after him.

You can read more about his fame in his blog.

Technorati

Well according to Technorati, the Hood 2.0 Blog is the 2,522,252th most popular blog on the planet.

Earth

I’m not really impressed, but with 70m odd blogs this means that Hood 2.0 is the top 4% of blogs. However how long can this position be maintained if a new blog is created every second (well 1.4 blogs every second according to Technorati).

Hood 2.0 on the web

Quite a few blogs have mentioned Hood 2.0, here is a selection.

eFoundations – Reflections on ALT-C 2007

I have the performance art skills of a brick and a creative imagination to match, especially at 9.00 in the morning. Fortunately, the rest of my group (James, Kathy and Agnes) came up with our offering – Hood 2.0 (a play on the locally relevant theme of Robin Hood (Web 2.0) stealing from the rich (the big corporations) to give to the poor (the individual)). The resulting Hood 2.0 Facebook group already has 19 members – I have no idea why.

Source

blogging alt-c – Hood 2.0

We came up with Hood 2.0, to refelct the area we are in (ie Nottingham). Web 2.0 is taking from the rich and giving to the poor, or a more modern version, taking from the commerical enterprises and experts (all us html-ers) and giving to everyone. From Commerical to Community is the call of Hood 2.0. (we didn’t get as far as hugging any hoodies, but you never know…)

Source

Hood 2.0 is moving forward.