Looking at Wikis

Looking at Wikis – a Social Media class exercise

Firstly, some definitions and ideas about Wikis to give a context to the idea of ‘wiki’.

Looking at Wikis – a Social Media class exercise

'Wiki' is a relatively new term in English that is connected with e-media.  Below are some introductory ideas and a definition about wikis to give some clarity and a context to the idea of ‘wiki’.

 

From the website  http://www.techterms.com/definition/wiki   (retrieved 23/10/12 and adapted):

A wiki is a Web site that allows users to add and update content on the site using their own Web browser.  This is made possible by Wiki software that runs on a Web server.  Wikis end up being created mainly by a collaborative effort of the site visitors.  A good example of a large wiki is the Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia in many languages that anyone can edit.  The term "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian phrase, "wiki wiki," which means "super fast."

It should be noted that the content of a wiki is frequently unreliable in terms of its accuracy but they are usually monitored for false and offensive information (which is usually deleted or modified).

Wikis can be on any topic – a person, place, event, or phenomenon, such as a notable person, an historical site, a movie festival, regional cuisine, or interplanetary travel.

A listing of wikis can be found at    www.wikiindex.org  Also, if you google 'wikis' and go the Wikipedia (the most popular of all the wikis) you will find a rather humorous article.

Finding good videos

Hi all,

I've been searching the net for good quality information/videos and found a great site.  It's called ted.com  It's well organized and is easy to navigate through.  I've embedded one of their producations here as an example of what this medium can do.

Uploading a Video from youtube

Today in our 'Social Media' class, we have been quite busy.  But most importantly we focussed how to upload videos.  Below are the steps we took to achieve this.

1.  Create a 'new post' in Blogger.

2.  Click on 'insert a video' from the toolbar.

3.  Select from LH column ('Select a file'), eg, 'from youtube'

4.  Type the name of the video in the search bar.

5.  Click on 'enter'.

6.  Select from the menu the video you would like to upload.

7.  Click on 'Select' and the selection will be automatically uploaded to your blog.

Creating a youtube account

Creating a youtube account

Having already created a google account, signing up to youtube is straightforward.

To sign-up for a youtube account, simply enter your gmail address and then select the youtube icon.

When the youtube homepage opens, it will show that you are already logged in.

[Apparently, when you create an account in one of the google suite of software, you are automatically signed into all the accounts.]

Creating a Twitter Account

Creating a Twitter Account

To set up a Twitter account is quite straightforward - even simpler than for Facebook.  Click on the link below to find out more about Twitter and to set up an account:

https://twitter.com/about 

Creating a Facebook Account

Creating a Facebook Account

1.  Type 'facebook.com' into your address bar; hit the enter key

2.  The facebook homepage will appear.

3.  Fill in your details under 'Sign up'.

4.  You'll need a current email address and to come up with a suitable password.

5.  When you have finished entering your details, click on 'sign up'.

6.  Once your account has been created make sure you change your privacy and security settings.

7.  To sign into your account, enter 'facebook.com' into your address bar and hit the 'enter' key.

8.  Enter your email and password in the 'sign in' are at the top of the page.

Creating a Post on Blogger

Creating a Post on Blogger

1.  Go to blogger.com

2.  Once you are inside your email account, you can access your Blog by signing in to your 'blogspot.com' account.

3.  Select 'New Post' or click on the orange box with an image of a pencil inside.  

4.  Choose a title for your post.

5.  Write your title for your post in the title box, just like using 'Word' software.

6.  Enter or copy text into the 'edit box'.

7.  Add video or a picture(s) by selecting tools from the 'Tool Ribbon' (aka 'Toolbar').

8.  Highlight text to edit, for example, to change the font size or style.

9.  Select 'Preview' to see how your post will appear to the audience/viewers.

10.  Once you are happy with the appearance of your post, select 'Publish'.