Presented to The University of Manitoba. Facilitated by Ben Akoh.

1. Blogging USING Wordpress By Francis Waithaka - KAPC Nairobi Kenya

2. What is a blog ? A blog is a website that allows users to reflect, share opinions, and discuss various topics in the form of an online journal while readers may comment on posts Examples of a blog Wordpress and Blogger Who is a Blogger? - a person who keeps and updates a blog

3. Why Wordpress I chose wordpress because I am interested in becoming a seasoned blogger. Word press is easy to use.

4. Pros for using Wordpress User-friendly: You do not require web-programming skills to do the coding. Flexibility: Wordpress allows for integration of text, video, pictures, audio, etc which means one can upload pdf, jpeg, or videos. Free plugins and widgets such as polls which enrich the blog.

5. Cost effective: It will not cost anything to host my blog compared to the traditional websites which require domain registration and renewal fee. Interactive: Viewers can write comments from posted articles and I can respond to their comments. Organized: I can tag or categorize topical issues to make it easier for people to find what they want Wordpress allows for linkage to other social media such as twitter and facebook. When I post an article, a link immediately appears in my facebook and twitter feed for people to read.

6. Wordpress uses RSS technology, which makes syndication of my content simple. Users can view my stories by subscribing through google reader or Ms outlook A blog can be viewed at any time and place. Which means learners can be at any location in the world and do not have to be online at the same time. People have time to reflect on any topic and respond thereafter.

7. Cons of using a blog You need a lot of commitment and energy to regularly update content on the blog. Even if you post only once a week, it’s still a demanding task since blogs must be consistently updated. There may be difficult questions that require transparency and accuracy, yet in addition to connecting better with supporters, there will be a few critics who disagree with your views. One has to constantly come up with creative ways of producing fresh and exciting content to keep the followers interest.

8. Creating an interesting blog requires serious thinking and research which may take time and hard work particularly if one has Search Engine Optimization goals. Since everyone can participate on a blog, biased or inaccurate information may arise. Slow or unreliable Internet connections can be frustrating for some people in remote parts and where videos are supposed to be viewed

9. Some learners prefer 1-way-teaching and to be told what they must do. Unmotivated learners or those with poor study habits may fall behind and it is difficult to bring them at par. Using a blog to teach is a tough call for some learners who are cultured to a teacher-dependent model of learning, a common style in many schools. Some courses such as traditional hands-on courses can be difficult to simulate

10. APPLICABILITY & FUTURE PERSONAL WORK, ENVIRONMENT? I want to use wordpress as my writing pad for my personal reflections where I will post my thoughts on what I learn on a weekly basis. I also want to encourage our teachers to use blogs to share and write their opinions on topical issues. I am keen to see the possibility of generating money out of blogging

11. Presentation mode My presentation can be viewed online using slide share. It can also be downloaded as a powerpointfile or pdf

12. Thanks: asante