Blogging at Queens College http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/ en Copyright 2009 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:33:34 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Movable Type FAQs for Faculty Click here for a printer friendly PDF version of this document.
What should a student do if s/he does not have a Movable Type account?

First, all students should have an Active Directory (AD) account, which can be activated through the College Accounts Management System (CAMS) at https://cams.qc.cuny.edu/. See the Student FAQ Handout for instructions. Note that an AD account is used for many purposes, including web registration, so it’s important that students activate their AD account.

Student Movable Type accounts and blogs will be created en masse three times. As indicated below, we will create a Movable Type account/blog for those students who have, by the date indicated, a) enrolled in your course and b) activated their AD account:

By: Blog created on:
Mon, Jan 20th Sat, Jan 24th
Mon, Feb 2th Sat, Feb 7th
Mon, Feb 9th Sat, Feb 14th

If students activate their AD account before one of these deadlines, advise them to wait until the “Blog created on” date and then try to sign on to Movable Type. If they still cannot sign on to Movable Type, and have followed all the Student FAQ Instructions, then they should contact QCblogs@qc.cuny.edu, provide their AD username, and request assistance.

What should a student do if s/he has lost a Movable Type password?
Movable Type passwords are identical to AD passwords and change whenever AD passwords are reset. Students may reset their AD (and thus their Movable Type) password via CAMS (https://cams.qc.cuny.edu/). If students have trouble resetting their AD password, they can contact the Help Desk at 718-997-4444.
What if an enrolled student doesn’t appear in the blogroll?
Blogrolls will be updated with the new student blogs created on each “Blog created on” date above. If this date has passed, and you know the student has activated his/her AD account, and s/he still doesn’t appear in the blogroll, contact QCblogs@qc.cuny.edu. We will investigate and will either revise the blogroll manually or offer further instructions.
What should I do if I get stuck as I’m trying out a Movable Type feature (for example, posting images or creating links) for the first time?
First, consult the at http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/blogtutorials/. If you don’t find what you need, contact QCblogs@qc.cuny.edu and describe your question. We will try to respond immediately, but please allow up to 2 business days for a reply.
How can I check to see how many comments students are posting?
This is easy! Just open your Main Menu and click the Comments tab in the menu on the left side. You will see all comments posted by members of your course blog, listed by date (most recent first). There is a Search Comments feature at the top right of this window. You can use this to check to see how many comments an individual blogger has posted. Just plug in the blogger’s name (or blog name, if that’s what you ask students to use when they comment), and hit the magnifying glass icon. A list of that blogger’s comments will appear.
How can I contact other faculty using Movable Type, if I want to compare notes, ask for advice, or just talk through ideas, problems, or challenges?
Orientation sessions are scheduled early in the semester where you can meet other faculty. In addition, a mid-semester roundtable discussion will be offered. You will be contacted regarding that date.
]]> http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2008/01/movable_type_faqs_for_faculty.html http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2008/01/movable_type_faqs_for_faculty.html Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:33:34 -0500 Getting Started: Students Click here for a printer friendly PDF version of this document.

Your Movable Type Account

First, be sure you have an Active Directory (AD) account. If you haven’t done so already:

  • Go to the CAMS (College Account Mgmt System) web page: https://cams.qc.cuny.edu
  • Click on "new to CAMS" and enter SSN, zip code, and six-digit PIN.
    • Your PIN (Personal Identification Number) is the same as used for the web registration system (eSIMS). If you need to reset your PIN, you need to go in-person to the Registrar’s office (Jefferson Hall). It may take 24 hours for the request to be processed. After 24 hours, you can try to activate your AD account again via CAMS.
    If you still have questions about your AD account, please contact the OCT Help Desk at 718-997-4444.
  • Choose "student," and click the "I accept the terms..." box and click on “Login”
  • The next screen is Account System Overview.
  • Two accounts should be shown: Lotus Notes/Email and AD.
  • Make a note of your Username. You will use it to log on to Movable Type
  • Click on the yellow "DeActivated" button for each, one at a time.
  • For each account (Lotus Notes and AD), click on the "details" button to the right of the yellow "Deactivated" box.
  • Choose a password — we suggest using the same password for both e-mail and AD.
  • If you activated your AD account before the semester began, your Movable Type account should have been created automatically. If not, you must activate your AD account during the first week of classes, so that your Movable Type account can be created.

Logging On

You can log into Movable Type at the following URL:

http://mtblogs.qc.cuny.edu/mt.cgi

Use your AD username and password to log in.

If you have an active AD account but cannot log into Movable Type, please contact your professor.


Using Your Blog

Once you are logged in, you will see a menu on the left side of the screen. If you click on New Entry, you will be taken to a window where you can create your first post. See Blog Tutorials page for instructions for creating posts and using other Movable Type features:

http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/blogtutorials/.

Customizing Your Blog

If you click on the Settings button, you will be taken to a window that allows you to rename your blog and create a description for it. However, do not change any of the following three items:

  1. Publishing paths for your Blog
  2. Username and password.
  3. E-mail address for your account.

Doing so will cause your blog to become inactive.

If you make changes to your blog, it’s a good idea to hit the Rebuild button (left-hand menu) after saving them. This will ensure that the changes are activated.



If you have questions about your blog, consult the Blog Tutorials site (http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/blogtutorials/). If you don’t find your answer, speak to your professor.

]]> http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2008/01/students.html http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2008/01/students.html Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:09:47 -0500 Welcome!
  • What is a blog?
  • Overview of QC blogs
  • Movable Type FAQs for faculty
  • Getting started: Students
  • Blog login
    • ]]>     http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2007/02/welcome.html http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2007/02/welcome.html Welcome Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:08:07 -0500     What is a blog? As the name suggests (blog is short for weblog), a blog is an electronic, public journal. The ease with which they are created and maintained has led to a proliferation of blogs on nearly every subject. A common feature of these sites is their interactivity; many bloggers encourage readers to comment on - that is, to post public responses to - their entries. The provided links explain blogs in greater depth and list some notable blogs on a variety of subjects.

    Introduction to Blogging
    An easy-to-read discussion of what blogs are, what they can be used for, and why you should be interested in them. From BlogBasics.com.
    Wikipedia entry on blogs
    A detailed discussion of blogs, including their history and influence in contemporary media and journalism.
    Blogs 101
    A selection of popular and interesting blogs, as chosen by The New York Times.
    Technorati
    An exhaustive blog repository, featuring a searchable database and a Top 100 list.

    Some thoughts on classroom blogging

    ]]>     http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2007/02/what_is_a_blog.html http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2007/02/what_is_a_blog.html Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:49:36 -0500     Overview of QC blogs Several Queens College instructors are experimenting with the use of blogs in their courses. Using the Movable Type software, participants in classes ranging from English to Linguistics to Music use blogs to present and share their work with classmates and the Web at large. These links give more information on the Movable Type software and how to use it, and current QC bloggers can follow a link to update or edit their own sites.

    If you're interested in using blogs in your QC course, please contact Jason Tougaw, Director of the QC Writing Across the Curriculum program. His contact information can be found at the WAC homepage.

    Blog Tutorials
    A collection of detailed lessons on how to carry out common tasks in Movable Type. Created by Boone Gorges, CUNY Writing Fellow at Queens College.
    Movable Type
    Home page of blogging software Movable Type, with links to some frequently asked questions.
    CAMS
    College Account Management System. Students or faculty wanting to use Movable Type must first activate their CAMS accounts.
    Blog Admin login
    Click here to log into your QC blog account.
    ]]>     http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2007/01/qc_blogs.html http://blogs.qc.cuny.edu/blogs/frontpage/2007/01/qc_blogs.html Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:55:15 -0500