Last Assignment: Incorporate Classmates' Strategies

Of the 12 "blog promoting" strategies presented in class, there were only a few that I have not utilized:  TwitterFeed, ePals, YouTube (BlogRoll), and RSS Feeds.  One strategy I chose to incorporate for the final class assignment was to add a Twitter feed to my blog.  This was relatively simple using Twitterfeed.  Now everytime I post to my blog, my Twitter account auto-generates a tweet containing the title, description, and link to my latest post.  Adding a Twitter feed seems an efficient way to promote one's blog.  I am now basically posting in two places at once.

The second strategy I chose to increase blog traffic was not one of the strategies presented in class but one that I stumbled upon while exploring the many settings options of my Blogger account.  (I hope this is okay, Dr. Dunleavy?)  From the Blogger Dashboard I chose the Settings link.  On the Settings tab, I chose the Email & Mobile button.  The very first section of the Email & Mobile page is entitled Email Notifications.  In this section there is a white text box beside of the words BlogSend address where you can enter a list of up to 10 email addresses to which your blog will be emailed whenever you publish.  I chose 10 teachers from the schools I serve who I know are interested in iPods/iPads and Web 2.0 to be on this email list.  If a teacher on the email list chooses to "Follow" my blog, I will remove him/her from the email list and add someone new.  Of course if someone asks to be removed from my blog email list, I will certainly do so.

The project of creating a blog has been extremely useful toward my overall professional development as an educator.  Not only has this project given me an outlet in which to document my professional activities and share integration ideas with others, it has also expanded my personal learning network enormously by putting me in touch with other technology integrators via their blogs, Twitter, Classroom 2.0, etc.  I have discovered many new and useful Web 2.0 tools, numerous educational apps, countless tips and trick for using iDevices...the list could go on and on.  I truly feel that as a result of this class and the creation of my blog, I have moved into the world of Web 2.0 and evolved from being not only a web consumer but a web producer/contributor as well.