Final Assessment: Modules 2 & 3

Continuing with your Final Assessment instructions . . . 


You will see (AP) throughout this article. I am including (AP) to help you understand items that should be on your Action Plan. When you see (AP) you will know this is something that you must include on the Action Plan. In future modules, I will not include (AP) -- I want to see that you are capable of identifying Action Plan items on your own. 

Module 2: Choose Your Theme

For your Final Assessment, you're going to create a commercial blog following my specific requirements. (You will not actually "go public" with the blog -- you can keep it private). How well you fulfill each requirement will be reflected in your final grade.

You begin this module by selecting a theme for your blog. For example, you can create a blog about fashion, or automobiles, or dishdashas, or scarfs, cooking, auto racing, gaming, etc. You have the choice of a traditional content blog, or you can make a video blog.

You can essentially create a blog about any theme of your choice -- but I need to approve it. Send me an email to tell me the name of your theme. You do not need to attach a document. Simply send me an email with Subject: My Theme. Tell me the theme of your blog and whether you intend to make a traditional blog, or a video blog.

That's all you've got to do for Module 2: Choose Your Theme. 

Module 3: Handle the Mechanics

Throughout this assessment there are numerous technical requirements -- I refer to them as "the mechanics of the project" and you must "handle the mechanics." 

First (AP), visit Blogger.com where you will create your commercial blog and (AP) create your free account. If you're not familiar with this utility, spend some time learning about how to use it. Blogger.com provides lots of information to help you create a "dazzling" commercial (monetized) blog. You can also view supportive videos to teach you how to use Blogger.com. You will find them on YouTube.com.  

Invest an hour or so of your time to (AP) learn how to use Blogger.com, and the features it provides. The quality of your blog will depend partly on how well you can use Blogger.com. Part of your grade will be based on how well you use the features/tools of Blogger.com (these are part of the mechanics). 

Select (AP) a template for your blog: Look through the many different options offered on Blogger and select a template that's appropriate for your theme. Once you select a template you can begin creating your blog. (Don't know what a template is? Go to Blogger.com and find out!)

Next: (AP) Choose a title for your blog. The title is up to you. You may prefer a descriptive title, i.e. Quality of Education at GUST . . . or you may prefer a creative title, i.e. 248am. Up to you. The title must relate to your theme. You'll need to (AP) write some text to describe your blog -- the description appears under the title in Blogger.com. On the GUST Internet Marketing Blog (which I'm using as an example) the description is under the title and it begins, "Created for GUST students . . . " Do not copy this description -- it is only for the GUST Internet Marketing Blog. You need to write a description specifically for your blog. The purpose of the description is to let people know what your blog is about. Take time to write a description for your blog.

The description for the blog appears under the heading of the blog as you can see in the above illustration.

Next: Once you've created your Blogger.com account and selected and created your blog template, go to your blog's Dashboard view (Blogger will show you a link for Dashboard in the top right corner of the blog screen). (AP) Spend time in the Dashboard view -- you will see that you have lots of options related to creating your blog; learn why each one exists and how to use each option. . . Select Settings and then:

1  Choose "Yes" for: Add your blog to our listings

2  Let search engines find your blog

3  Show Quick Editing on your blog

4  Show email post links

5  Select "No" for Adult Content

Be sure to Save Settings!

I will emphasize here the importance of understanding what you are doing. Understand how Blogger works. Understand the various options that Blogger provides to you for creating your blog. Understand how to use those options. Failure to do these things will likely result in a lower grade for your Final Assessment. 

Now: (AP) Click on Formatting (at the top of the page). Choose the selections as required. For Time Zone select Kuwait. For Language select English. Other choices are up to you. Save Settings!

Then: (AP) Click on Comments. Show Comments. Give "only members of this blog" permission to comment.

For Comment Moderation select: Never.

For Comment Notification Email type in your email address. (Blogger will notify you when someone comments on your blog). 

All other choices are up to you. Save Settings!

Next: (AP) Click on Permissions. Add me as an author who can post to your blog. Under Blog Readers, select: Anybody. . . . After you've added me as an author, email to me the link to your blog. Subject: My blog link.

You will notice other Blogger.com pages including Archiving, Site Feed, Email & Mobile . . . you should (AP) review those pages, but you are not required to make any selections on those pages.

Next Step: (AP) At the top of the page select Design. This page allows you to add and arrange the elements of your blog Home page. Follow the directions. The decisions are mostly yours to make as to which elements you include. However, you must include Search, About Me, and Gadgets (AP) (select four gadgets of your choice to add to your blog). Arrange the elements wherever you want them to appear on the page. Don’t know how to do this? Read the tutorials on Blogger and on Youtube.com.

One more step in this module: (AP) Create your Profile, or what is commonly called About Me. See Gadgets. Under Edit Profile check "Share my profile" and check "About Me." Add your Name and a Description. Check "Show on this blog" Add the geographic information as requested. Write a brief introduction about yourself. Add your photo, too (if you haven't already). And be sure to Save!

If you've succeeded thus far, you've completed three modules . . . the hard work is still to come!

Watch for Module 4.