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Introduction

All GIS students at UWF will need to create and maintain a student blog at some point during their coursework. We suggest students create just one and maintain it for the duration of their GIS courses. 


Your blog should be created with a Gmail account using http://www.blogspot.com. We suggest that students use an email address that they can access after they are no longer a student at UWF (i.e. a personal Gmail account as opposed to an assigned UWF student email). Blogger offers a fairly simple and straightforward way to create a blog where changes are easy to make.  We encourage students to customize and personalize their blog while making sure to include the following items:

  1. Set the time stamp correctly. This ensures that maps will be timestamped correctly and students will get full credit for the post. 
  2. Enable the comments section so that other students may comment on your maps.
  3. Students do NOT have to make their blog public (i.e. searchable by Google) but they DO have to provide a link so that teachers can access their blog and add it to the program blog list for other students to view.


Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Open your gmail account 

It must be a gmail account, but please be aware that once you are no longer a UWF student, your student gmail account and blog site will be inaccessible (wiped) after 2 semesters of non-enrollment.  We encourage students to use a personal gmail account to create a blog that they can maintain access to well after their UWF journey is over. 

Step 2: Click on the Apps button

This is located on the top right of the screen. It looks like a grid of 9 blocks. A dropdown will open with links to different Google Apps. Click on the more button to open a longer list of apps

Google Apps icon


Step 3: Find the Blogger icon.

Click on the Blogger icon to open Blogger. If this doesn't work, you can search for Blogger in Google.

Blogger icon

Step 4: Title your blog

Once Blogger Dashboard opens, you will be prompted to sign in, then to Choose a name for your blog

Choose a name for your blog

Step 5: Choose a URL for your blog

This is the URL that people (including your instructors) will use to visit your blog. The input will let you know if the URL you've chosen is available or not.

Choose a URL for your blog

The full url (including .blogspot.com) is what you submit to the Blog Sheet.


Step 6: Confirm your display name

Confirm how your name should be displayed. It's suggested to use your first name so that your blog is easily identifiable for instructors and prospective employers.

Confirm your display name

Step 7: Edit your theme

In the top left of the screen there are 3 horizontal lines. In that menu, there is a Theme option. Click it and choose a theme you like for your blog. You can change this anytime. One you've finished with this, open the side menu again and click on View blog to view your blog.

Blogger Side Menu

Congratulations! You made your blog and you are ready to start blogging!


Step 8: Optional profile information

NOTE: We encourage students to include a profile picture on their User Profile.

option for profile picture upload















Completing the About Me section, found in the Layout menu, with information is also advisable as long as it is general and professional.

  About Me section

  

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2 Comments

  1. Unknown User (dkrolikowski)

    Don't forget about adding the label gadget.

    Edit: I see the label gadget is on the other page. Personally, I think it should go here in the setup of the blog rather than making a post on the blog.

    1. Salina Randall

      That makes sense... BUT the videos are already done. Once they are published I plan on linking the other page at the bottom of this one. I think that may solve the issue.