Meg's BrushUP! - Recently Updated Pages

1. What is a wiki?

MeganPoore — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:04:03 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To identify the structural characteristics of wikis.
To compare the functionality of at least two different types of wiki software.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write it down (or, better still, discuss it on this wiki's forum. Don't worry -- we can set up a wiki for you at the end of the module ...) or discuss with a partner or small group in the class.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

Wikis are one of the most powerful Web 2.0 applications to have arisen in recent years and they are starting to really make an impact on education because of the collaboration and communication they encourage amongst students. They also enhance the student learning experience by encouraging group, rather than individual, approaches to learning. This module introduces you to wiki basics. In this module you will learn:

Wikibasics.
How to find a suitable wiki host.

Focus questions: What do you know about wikis?

What do you know about wikis? In what context have you heard them discussed? (On the radio? Your kids or workmates have mentioned them? Maybe you know someone who has a wiki or who has added to Wikipedia...) Have you ever read a wikipage? Why do people wiki? What do you need to know more about? Write down your experiences, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Wikis: the basics

A wiki is simply a website. But it is a website that others can edit. You can either make your site editable by anyone (with a username and password, usually) or only by those people you invite. This is what makes wikis a 'Web 2.0' technology: the ability for writers and readers to participate directly in the conversation. A wiki can

Be professional or personal.
Have single or multiple authors.
Be open to the public or only viewable to those who you invite.

Most wikis are structured like this:

Pages can include any amount of interactive media, including links, photos, video, audio and graphics.
Each page has a discussion or comment area attached, where background conversations about the page can go on.
Pages have a 'history' function, where you can check out what changes have been made and by what user.
Pages are also 'tagged' (meaning that authors give them multiple keywords so that they can be retrieved later on) and archived.

There are many wiki sites that will allow you to set up a wiki for free. Some of the most popular are WetPaint, WikiSpaces, and PB Wiki. All you need to do to get a wiki is to sign up with a wiki site by creating a username and password. You could be wikiing in 30 seconds from now! Wikis are

Collaborative.
Dead easy to set up.
Dead easy to use.
Customisable.

Watch the video below from CommonCraft for Wikis in Plain English.

Finding a suitable wiki host

When introducing students to online spaces, DET Victoria (Word) recommends that you consider the following:

Is the site age appropriate?
Does the site provide a privacy statement?
Does the site provide support - for example does it have a FAQ section and an email address for assistance with problems?
Are the services offered by the site appropriate for readers of your posting to use?
Are there are any costs associated with creating and maintaining your participation on the site?
Is there advice about how you can remove any information posted and how quickly that can occur?

Exercise: Compare wiki sites

Visit at least two different wiki sites (or, better still, register with them (next module) -- it will make the exercise easier). Explore the functionality of each (e.g.,WetPaint, WikiSpaces, and PB Wiki), especially noting

What sort of support is provided? FAQs? Forums?
Can you moderate comments?
What are the conditions of use of the wiki?
Can you customise the look of the wiki?
Can you add widgets?
How much space is your wiki allocated?
Are there any ongoing or hidden costs?
What are the privacy options?
Can you delete the wiki?

Write down your discoveries, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, oror discussit on this wiki's discussion forum. You could also cross-reference the features of each wiki site by visiting the wikimatrix wiki comparison site.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help
WetPaint
WikiSpaces
PB Wiki
Wiki comparison site
SAS Asian History wiki site

9. Organising pages

MeganPoore — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:24:46 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To organise your pages in your Navigation pane.
To 'nest' some pages under others so that you can create 'sub-pages'.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

It's easy enough to set up main pages in your Navigation pane, but WetPaint also allows you to 'nest' pages so that you can have sub-pages appearing under your main pages. In this module, you will learn:

How to add new pages.
How to add sub-pages so that you have sub-pages under your main pages.
How to move pages.
How to order your pages.

Focus questions: Page architecture

How would you like to set up pages in WetPaint? Do you want to be able to 'nest' pages so that sub-pages appearunder main pages? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Ordering your pages

WetPaint displays your pages in the Navigation pane in the order in which you made them. Any new page you create will automatically become a sub-page of the one you were viewing at the time you created the new page. This is important to remember. A page with sub-pages will show up with a little sideways triangle next to it in the Navigation pane. However, you can easily reorder and reorganise pages if you want.

Exercise: Add new pages

To order your pages as you want, you firstly need to have more than one page (!), so make sure that this is the case. Follow these steps:

Click on 'Add a new page' in 'More tools'.
Check your page's location. If you want it to be a main page and to appear at the same level as your home page, then make sure your Page Location path reads Home > new page.
Give your page a name and add keyword tags.
Click on 'Add Page'.
Repeat for as many new pages as you want to write, remembering to check that your page location is correct. That is, if you want your page to appear as a main page under your home page, then you must create your page whilst you are viewing your home page.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Exercise: Make sub-pages

If you want to add a sub-page to another page, do the following:

Go to the page under which you want to create the sub-page.
Click on 'Add a new page' in 'More tools'.
Check your page's location.
Give your page a name and add keyword tags.
Click on 'Add Page'.

Exercise: Move pages

If you want to change thelevel at which your pages are displayed, do the following:

Go to the page you want to re-order.
In the 'More tools' area, click on 'MovePage'.
Choose where you would like your page to appear, making sure you double-check the Page Location at the top of the box.
Click 'Set Page Location'.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Exercise: Re-order pages

If you want to change thelevel at which your pages are displayed, do the following:

Go to the page you want to re-order.
In 'More tools', click on 'Move Page'.
Choose where you would like your page to appear.
Click 'Set Page Location'.
A new box will pop up that will help you change the order of your pages.
Click to 'Move Up' or 'Move Down' to move the page up or down.
Click 'Set Page Order'.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help

Welcome to Meg's BrushUP!

MeganPoore — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:38:38 CDT

This is my site for educators about how to set up a WetPaint wiki. The various modules cover topics such as

Writing pages
Setting privacy options
Using widgets
Using categories and tags
Organising your navigation
Customising the presentation of your wiki
Managing users

The site is meant to be used in conjunction with the workshops that I run for educators on blogging, but if you find the modules useful outside of that setting, then good for you! What's more, you can do the course at your own pace and in whatever order you want.

Set up your own wiki

For all users, however, I recommend that you set up your own wiki at the beginning of the course and you start blogging your answers, thoughts and reflections to the questions raised in the course. With a wiki, you can record your own learning journey and keep a track of any useful material that you find yourself on the Web. For example, each module asks you to clarify what your own learning objectives are and then to reflect at the end on what you've learnt (or not!). If you blog these questions, and your answers to the focus questions and exercises, you will:

Learn more about how blogs work in the technical sense
Begin to think more deeply about what it is that you're trying to achieve with blogging in the classroom

BrushUP! aims to take the ‘freak out' factor out of setting up a wiki or wikis for your classroom and, to that end, the site is aimed at novices.

I hope you enjoy the site. Let me know if you find any really terrific resources that you think should be added, or just let me know what you think of the modules. Each module has a discussion post set up for it, so you can leave your comments and discoveries there.

Have fun!

meg.

Dr Megan Poore
Educational Consultant
MeganPoore.com

This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 2.5 Australia Licence

Module icons by Judge

8. Managing users

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:42:06 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To set the permissions on your wiki for how you want other users to take participate on your wiki.
To invite users and define their roles.
To apply the privacy settings you want on your wiki.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

WetPaint allows you to manage your users and site permissions in a number of ways. It will even let you make your wiki only visible to users you choose. In this module you will learn how to:

Set your permissions for how you want others to contribute to your site.
Define the roles of users.
Invite people to join WetPaint so that you can add them to your wiki.

Focus questions: How should people use your site?

How do you want people to use your site? Do you want anyone to be able to edit your pages, or should they be registered users of your wiki before they can do that? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or wiki it!

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Setting your Permissions

Setting your 'Permissions' means deciding who can and cannot edit your wiki. There are three settings for Permissions:

WetPaint's default permission is to allow anyone who joins your wiki to edit it.
Anyone can edit your wiki, even anonymously
Only people you invite can join and edit your wiki.

Exercise: Set your Permissions on your wiki

Click on 'Wiki Settings' underneath your username at the top of the right-hand rail.
Click the 'Permissions' tab.
Click 'I Want to Change These Settings' if you want to change the Permissions on your site.
Decide on who you want to view your site and edit it: e.g., do you want a completely private site, or do you want people to read your site but to have to be registered in order to make edits?
Click 'Next'.
Click 'Yes, Make the Change Now' if you are certain that that's what you want to do.

User roles

Users are people who have some kind of control over your blog and can be set to different levels. The levels of user are:

Administrator: has complete control over all aspects of the wiki. Only one person should be the administrator.
Moderator: can publish, manage and lock pages, including other people's pages.
Writer: can publish and edit pages on an "invite only" wiki.
Registered user: can publish andedit pages if you are a member of the site.
Anonymous user: anyone can write and edit pages.

For more detailed information on the roles of users, visit the WetPaint User Permissions page.

Adding users by inviting people to join your wiki

You can set roles for people on your wiki (such as moderator, writer, or registered user -- see above), when you invite them to join your wiki. WetPaint will automatically generate an invitation to potential users for you, once you fill in a few details.

Exercise: Invite someone to join your WetPaint wiki

Click on 'Invite'.
Choose the user's role.
Fill in the rest of the form and click 'Send Invitations'.
Your invitation will be sent in the next few hours.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help

WetPaint Permissions overview

WetPaint User Permissions page

Change WetPaint User Permissions

7. Discussions

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:41:36 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To add a discussion thread to your wiki.
To add a discussion thread to a wiki page.
To 'watch' a thread.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

Your WetPaint wiki is automatically set up with a discussion forum under the Naviation menu in the left-hand rail. In this module, you will learn:

How to add a discussion thread (also sometimes called a 'topic').

Focus questions: Discussion forums

Have you ever visited a discussion forum before? What are their characteristics? What are posts? Are threads and topics the same thing? How do you navigate a forum? Have you ever posted to a forum before? Did you have to sign up first? How easy was it to do? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

WetPaint's discussion forums

In WetPaint, a Discussion Forum is attached to your wiki site as a whole, as well as to each individual page you create. This allows contributors to comment on both individual pages as well as your entire wiki project. Any threads that are added to individual pages are automatically added to the wiki-wide Discussion Forum. You can also search forums to find threads of interest.

Exercise: Start a thread on the wiki-wide Discussion Forum

Click on 'Discussion Forum'.
Click on 'StartThread' at the right.
Fill in the Subject line and post your comments or thoughts in the Message field.
Provide 'tags' or keywords so that others can search and find your message.
Check the box 'Watch This Thread' if you want to add the thread to your 'Watchlist' under your profile.
Click 'Post'.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions including how to delete threads

Exercise: Start a thread on a page's Discussion Forum

Navigate to the page where you want to add a discussion thread.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the 'Threads' section.
Click on 'Start Thread' at the right.
Fill in the Subject line and post your comments or thoughts in the Message field.
Provide 'tags' or keywords so that others can search and find your message.
Check the box 'Watch This Thread' if you want to add the thread to your 'Watchlist' under your profile.
Click 'Post'.
Your thread will also be added to the wiki-wide Discussion Forum.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions including how to delete threads

Watching threads

To save you having to go through all the discussion forums on your site to see the latest updates to threads you have started, you can 'watch' individual threads. When you 'watch' a thread, the thread is added to your 'Watchlist' under your personal profile.

Exercise: View your Watchlist

Start a thread in a Discussion Forum.
Under the message field, check the box 'Watch This Thread' if you want to add the thread to your 'Watchlist' under your profile.
Click 'Post'.
Go to your profile by clicking on [Your username] - view profile, in the top right hand corner.
Click on the 'Watchlist' tab.
Click on the thread you want to view.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help

5. Customising your wiki

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:41:01 CDT

Meg's PressGo objectives

To apply a new style to your wiki.
To upload and apply a different header to your wiki.

Your PressGo objectives

Introduction

You can change the way your WordPress blog looks by applying different 'styles' to it. Styles might include different colours, fonts, headers and pictures. In this module, you will learn:

How to change the style of your wiki.
Add a different header to the current style you are running.

Focus questions: How should your wiki look?

How would you like your wiki to look? Young and funky? Corporate? Cartoony? Sparse? What colour scheme would appeal to you? What image are you trying to project to your audience? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Customising your style

You canchange the WetPaint default style entirely, or you can upload an image into theheader.Here are examples of some WetPaint styles:

Exercise: Change the style of your wiki

Go to your Wiki Settings under your personal profile (top right corner).
Click on the 'Styles' tab.
Check the radio button next to the style you want to use.
Click on 'Save Changes' at the bottom.

Exercise: Add a specific picture header from your computer

Go to your wiki's Settings(top right corner).
Click on the 'Name & Logo' tab.
Click on 'Upload a Logo Image' under 'Site Logo Image'.
Tell WetPaint that your image ison your computer.
Click 'Browse' and find a picture (not too big!) from your computer.
Click 'Open'. When you do that, the location of the picture in your computer is automatically sent to WetPaint.
Click 'Upload Image'. Your new header should now appear on your page.

Exercise: Add a specific picture header from elsewhere on the Web

Go to your Wiki Settings under your personal profile (top right corner).
Click on the 'Name & Logo' tab.
Click on 'Upload a Logo Image' under 'Site Logo Image'.
Tell WetPaint where your image is onthe Web.
Get the URL for the picture by either a) right-clicking on image and then clicking 'Copy image location', or b) right-clicking on image and then clicking 'View Image'. Then, save the URL for the image.
Paste in the URL you copied in Step 5 into the 'Find your Image' field.
Click 'Upload Image'. Your new header should now appear on your page.

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help

4. Adding links, images and tables

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:40:31 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To add and hyperlinks to your pages using the EasyEdit Toolbar.
To add an imagesto your pages using the EasyEdit Toolbar.
To add tables to your pages using the EasyEdit Toolbar.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

The Easy Editor in WetPaint gives you many for formatting your pages, such as adding bold or italics, bullets or images or hyperlinks, as well as more advanced options. In this module you will learn:

How to add a hyperlink.
How to add an image.
How to add a table.

Focus questions: Using a 'visual editor'

Have you used a 'visual editor' on the web before? Maybe the 'learning management system' you use at school (such as MyClasses) or uni (such as BlackBoard or WebCT) has a visual editor embedded in it somewhere? Write down your experiences, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or wiki what you know.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Adding hyperlinks

You will want to add hyperlinks to your wiki when you want to share things you've found on the web. This is easily done by copying the URL of the site you want to link to and then pasting it into your wiki using the link creator.

Exercise: Direct link to another website

Start up a newpage or open up an existing one.
Activate the EasyEdit Toolbar on your page.
In the EasyEdit toolbar, highlight the text you want to link through.
Go to the toolbar at the top of the visual editor and click on the 'Link' button (the little one that looks like a chain link).
The 'Insert/edit link' box will appear.
Paste in the Link URL from the site you want to link to.
Click 'Add Link'.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Adding images

There are two ways to add images in WetPaint. The first is to create a hyperlink to the image wherever you found it on the Web. This is easiest and saves you space because the image is hosted elsewhere. The second means manually uploading a picture (or other media) file to your WetPaint uploads area and means that you will be hosting the image on your WetPaint site, thus using up some of your free space.

Exercise: Direct link to an image

Add an image to your post by linking directly to it.

Find a picture on the Web that you like the look of (preferably something fairly small).
Get the URL for the picture by either a) right-clicking on image and then clicking 'Copy image location', or b) right-clicking on image and then clicking 'View Image'. Then, save the URL for the image.
On your wiki page, make sure you have the EasyEdit ToolBar activated.
Click on the 'Image' button (the one with the mountain and sun on it in the toolbar).
Check the radion button "On the Web".
Paste in the URL you copied in Step 2 into the"On the Web" field.
Give the image a name.
Click "Add Image".
Your picture will now appear on your page.

Exercise: Upload an image through the EasyEdit Toolbar

Add an image to your post by uploading it to your blog and then inserting it.

Activate the EasyEdit Toolbar on your page.
Click on the 'Image' button (the one with the mountain and sun on it in the toolbar).
Check the radion button "On my computer ...".
Click 'Browse' and find a picture (not too big!) from your computer.
Click 'Open'. When you do that, the location of the picture in your computer is automatically sent to WetPaint.
Give the image a name.
Click "Add Image".
Your picture will now appear on your page.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Adding a table

Tables provide a good way to organise content on your page. Use the EasyEdit Toolbar to add tables.

Exercise: Add a table

Add an image to your post by uploading it to your blog and then inserting it.

Activate the EasyEdit Toolbar on your page.
Click on the 'Table ' button
Specify your table's properties in the 'Add Table' box.
Click 'Add Table'. Your table will now appear on your page.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

More EasyEdit options

In the EasyEdit, you can see various options including those for bolding and indenting text, creating lists, adding widgets (more on that in another module) and running a spell check.

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help

3. Writing pages

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:39:51 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To create and save a page for your wiki.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

The most common thing you will want to do as an educator using WetPaint is to make pages. Pages are at the core of any wiki, but especially so if you are using WetPaint as a class or learning management system (where you create modules with your course content -- such as I'm doing here with BrushUP!), or if you are asking students to use a wiki to create a website around a class topic.In this module you will learn:

Page basics.
How to write and save your page.

Focus questions: What would your wiki be about?

What sorts of things would you publish on your wiki's pages? Tips? Information? Class news? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Page basics

A page usually contains static information and is linked to via the navigation pane at the side of your site, ready for visitors to look at whenever they want. All of my BrushUP! modules are made as static pages because the content will remain pretty fixed over time (although I can still change it, add to it, improve it as I want).

Exercise: Edit your wiki's home page

Click on the 'EasyEdit' button just above your homepage's name.
Write your page in the box provided, using the EasyEdit Toolbar to change formatting or to add a table, etc.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Exercise: Save your page and add a note

To save your page and publish it, click on the 'Save' button in the EasyEdit Toolbar.
If you want to add a note about the change that you made to the page, type in your note now and click 'Save'. Click 'Skip Edit Note' if you don't want to add a note.
To turn off the 'Edit Note' dialogue box so that you don't see it again, go to View Profile (above the Wiki Settings, top right). Type in your password if prompted. Under the 'Profile' tab, click Preferences > Hide edit note window when saving changes > Save.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Exercise: Save your page as a draft

To save your page as a draft without publishing it,click on ‘Save as template’. Give your template a name, make sure the 'Make this a draft, I'll publish it later' box is checked, and click on 'Add template'.
To retrieve your draft immediately, go to your Template toolbox on the right-hand side, and open it up again by clicking on 'Edit this template'.
To retrieve your draft later on, go to the Wiki Settings (top right, under your profile) > Templates tab.
Now you can either open the template and work on it again, or click 'Publish' to make it live.

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, oror discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help

2. Registering a wiki

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:38:36 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To register your wiki on WetPaint.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

Most wiki websites require that you register with them by signing up for an account with a username and password. This is standard. Registering with WetPaint will make you a part of the WetPaint community, which in turn means that you can have as many wikis as you like, and you can be made a contributor on other people's wikis. In this module, you will learn:

How to register a WetPaint wiki.

Focus questions: Registering on the Web

Have you ever signed up for a Web account before? For an online teaching site, perhaps? Or a shopping site such as Amazon.com or eBay? Write down your experiences, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Exercise: Register your account

Go to WetPaint.com's homepage.
Click on the great big green button that say, 'Go!'
Fill in the fields in the 'name and describe your wiki' area. When you create a 'URL/Address', make sure you choose a name that you're happy with, because once you've registered it you won't be able to change it later.
Set your editing options under 'tell us who you want to edit your wiki?'
Click on the big 'continue to step 2' button (the next bit really is the fun part, as WetPaint promises!) If you want to cancel what you've done, click 'cancel'.
Customise your wiki by clicking on a design that appeals to you.
Click on the big 'continue to step 3' button.
If you want to invite others to add to and edit your wiki, then do so now with the form provided. (You can also add other people later.)
If you just want to create your wiki now, click on 'I'll invite people later,just create my wiki now'.
Click on the 'Take me to my wiki' button on the next screen, after your wiki is created. You now have a wiki! yay!

Exercise: Explore WetPaint

Have a tool around the WetPaint user interface (i.e., the bit where you make your wiki happen -- the admin interface. What features have you noticed? What terms are unfamiliar? What do you think they might mean? Make a note of terms that seem a bit unusual: ask your classmates if they know what they refer to, ask me (in class) or google it (e.g., google "what does keyword tags mean?"). If you wanted to write a page, where would you do it? How would you change the look of your site again? What sorts of things can you change under 'wiki settings'? Can you upload your own header? Where would you add other contributors to your wiki? Write down your observations, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class, or discuss it on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help
Add-free education wikis from WetPaint

6. Adding widgets

MeganPoore — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:31:00 CDT

Meg's BrushUP! objectives

To add a YouTube widget to your page.
To add a Vizu poll to your page.

Your BrushUP! objectives

What are you hoping to learn from this module? Your objectives can be the same as mine, but is there anything else you are expecting to learn? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Introduction

A widget is just a 'thing' that contains code that lets you present your site as you want. The various widgets in WetPaint include ones for adding YouTube videos, for adding Vizu polls, and for including RSS feeds. This module will help you insert widgets into your page.

Focus questions: What are widgets?

Have you heard the term 'widget' before? In what context? Do you have any idea what widgets on websites do? Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Adding a YouTube video to your page using the YouTube widget

Each YouTube video has a unique URL that identifies it, as well as some special code that allows you to 'embed' the video into your website.

Exercise: Add a YouTube video to your page using the YouTube widget

Sign up with Vizu and follow the instructions to create a poll.
Export your poll and get the Export Code for the poll.
Copy the Export Code
On your wiki page, make sure you have the EasyEdit ToolBar activated.
Click on the 'Widget' icon
Click on the 'Vizu' option in the 'Add Widget' box.
Paste the poll's Embed Code into the box.
Click 'Add Vizu Poll'.
If you want to change the layout of the video, edit it now.
Click 'Done'.
Click Save.
Your poll will now appear on your page.

Check out WetPaint's FAQs for more instructions

Reflection

Write down your thoughts, discuss with a partner or small group in the class,or discussit on this wiki's discussion forum.

What have I learnt?
What is still unclear?
What do I need to follow up on?
Where to from here?
What other stuff I have read or accessed to help me make sense of it all?

Discuss it on the discussion thread for this topic.

Links and resources

WetPaint help