A1.2: ePortfolio
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A1.2: ePortfolio OVERVIEW: ●
This is assignment will guide you through the process of setting-up and managing a ‘blog’ which will be used as your ePortfolio.
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Think of your ePortfolio as a kind of online sketchbook. Your ePortfolio will be used throughout the year to present your work created on the iArt course and also Textiles and Art & Design outcomes.
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As well as serving as an ePortfolio, your blog will also provide you with a platform to explain your work, a bit like a diary.
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There 1. 2. 3. 4.
are 4 main outcomes required from you to complete this assignment: Sign-Up Setting up Customise Post
Guidance: ●
Throughout the iArt course it is important that you learn how to use the Apple Mac computer. As such refrain from choosing 'Windows' as your preferred OS (Operating System).
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Ensure you have organised a set of storage folders on your network home area/ space to allow you to save and access your work throughout the course. You will not be given a sketchbook for this course, instead all work produced should be of a 'digital' format.
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If you miss a lesson, ensure that you catch-up using Art Club (every Wednesday 3-4pm) and/or by visiting the VLE eLearning pages for the iArt course where you can access resources and learning content to help you throughout the course.
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A1.2: ePortfolio Task 1: Signup to WordPress.com ● During this task you are to signup to a popular online blog service called: WordPress. ● Read and follow the step by step instructions carefully below: Step
Instructions
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Open a web browser like safari or chrome and navigate to www.twava.co.uk
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Locate the Wordpress button and click it to go to the signingup screen.
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Blog and Username: You need to activate your blog. ● Using your academy network UN & PW, enter them in the login box.
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● Click the Log In button. ● Go to ICT Support and inform them you have ‘Activated’ your blog and kindly ask them to create it for you. www.twava.co.uk
A1.2: ePortfolio Task 2: Setting up your ePortfolio/Blog If you have successfully followed the previous task, you now have your own blog. Well done! Before you begin using your blog as an ePorfolio, you will need to set up a few things...
The picture above shows an example of the ‘Dashboard’ as seen when you first sign up. Go to the next page....
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A1.2: ePortfolio Task 2: Setting up your ePortfolio/Blog You have many ways to setup and personalise your blog. This can be great fun, and rewarding too. But, it can get complicated if you try to do too much too soon. Before we begin settingup your blog. You need to be familiar with the main menu that sits across the top of the screen:
If you get lost and need to return to your dashboard, use the Dashboard link to return to the settings page/ screen:
If after making changes to your blog, you need to see what they look like, but can’t seem to find a way to your blog page, using the same My Blog menu, click the link called: Visit Site
Go to next page...
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A1.2: ePortfolio Instructions
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The first thing for you to do is to change to ‘theme’ of your blog. From the Dashboard find the APPEARANCE link and click on THEMES.
On this page you will see your current theme at the top of the screen. If you like this theme ‘keep it’, but you may like to see what other themes are available. Below the current theme there are other examples that you may like to use.
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A1.2: ePortfolio If/when you find an alternative theme that you would like to use for your blog. Click the link called: PREVIEW to view your blog as it would look using this theme.
If you don’t like what you see simply click on the ‘X’ located in the top left corner of the Preview screen.
If you find a theme that you would like to use, then click the ACTIVATE link located in the top right corner of the preview screen. With you new theme in place you can customise it further. To do this use the CUSTOM DESIGN link.
Changing your blog message/ title: By default all Wordpress blogs begin life with the same title and message. Change the title of you blog by going to the APPEARANCE menu (bottom left of the dashboard page) and click the GENERAL link
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A1.2: ePortfolio In the GENERAL settings you can change the name/ title of your blog and the Tag line. These will appear at the top of your blog on all pages.
After making your changes, click the SAVE CHANGES button, which is located near the bottom of the screen/page. To view your changes, simply go back to the Dashboard and click Visit Site
Here (right) you can see how the above changes affect the appearance of my blog with the new theme.
Go to next page...
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A1.2: ePortfolio Task 2: Setting up your ePortfolio/Blog With your blog set up as you would like it look (theme/style), the next thing for you to do is to ensure that your blog has some ‘Widgets’. Widgets are a set of tools that will live on your blog pages alongside your posts/ work. This can provide useful ways to navigate through your blog and access/ read your work. Step
Instructions
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Return to the ‘Dashboard’ of your blog.
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Navigate to the APPEARANCE menu (bottom left) and click on the WIDGETS link
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You will see a number of available widgets on the main menu. Click and drag as many widgets onto your SIDEBAR as you like, although it is important that your blog has at least the following widgets: ● Meta ● Calendar ● Tag Cloud ● Categories ● Most Recent ● Search ● Archives When done, click the READ BLOG link to see your changes.
Image help
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A1.2: ePortfolio Go to the next page...
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A1.2: ePortfolio Task 3: Customise your blog In the previous tasks, your will already have gone some way customising your blog. During ‘this’ task you will add your own banner. You were asked to created your own banner in a previous lesson/HWK. Now is the time to put your banner to good use as it will feature on your blog pages. ● NOTE: Only some themes will allow you to change the header of your blog. Check your theme options before you begin this task! If you don't have the option to change your Header/Banner then apply your Banner as a background instead. Step
Instructions
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Go to the dashboard of your blog
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Navigate to the APPEARANCE > Header
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When the next screen appears, make a note of the image SIZE. If needed resize your banner by using Adobe Fireworks.
Image help
● Upload your banner by using the CHOOSE FILE button. ● Then click the UPLOAD button
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A1.2: ePortfolio 4
You will then see a ‘Preview’ displayed of your uploaded banner. ● Tick the YES option for DISPLAY TEXT ● Select a colour for your text. ● Click SAVE CHANGES
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View your blog by using READ BLOG link to see your new banner in place.
Go to next page...
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A1.2: ePortfolio Step 1: Go to Dashboard > Settings > Permalinks
Step 2: Select option 2 (as below) and save changes.
Go to next page...
Task 4: Your 1st Post Of course you can always modify and change the appearance and functionality of your blog at any time. But, www.twava.co.uk
A1.2: ePortfolio if you have completed the previous tasks/instructions, then your blog is now ready for your 1st post. A ‘Post’ is an item of work/ message that you publish to your blog. Just like working inside a traditional sketchbook, every new page that you work on in your sketchbook is kind of like adding a new post to blog (and viceversa). Your 1st post is going to be about your previous assignment (A1: Reasearch). Within this post you should include the work that you created on your word document. So open your word document and minimise it so that you can copy your work into your blog when needed. Step
Instructions
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Find, open and minimise your previous assignment (A1: Research/task 1)
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Go to your blog and use the link in the main menu to add a new post.
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When the next screen appears you will need to give your new (1st) post a title: What is Digital Art?
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Next you need to add your work from the previous assignment (document). Inside the text box either type up your work or copy and paste from your document the content. Above the text box is an editor (similar to what you would see on a word processor). To insert images use the buttons at the top www.twava.co.uk
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A1.2: ePortfolio (highlighted above). 5
Your 1st post should emulate your previous assignment and include facts, opinion, images/ examples and links to the sources of your work/ content/ images. During writing your post(s) you can save your work and preview your work a any time using the buttons on the right of the screen.
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After you have finished your 1st Post, before your PUBLISH your work, you need to add: ● Categories ● Tags The category is the assignment you are working on (which assignment your post relates to) Tags are KEYWORDS that you must assign to each post. See the example (right)
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Tick the correct category from your list
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A1.2: ePortfolio 8
Check that you have added tags
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When you have finished writing your post and have added categories and tags, you are then ready to PUBLISH your work/ Post. To do this click the PUBLISH button near the top right of the screen.
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To view your Post click the link above the post editor:
Repeat the above steps for adding any new Post/ work to your blog. Your 1st set of ‘Posts’ should be: 1. What is Digital Art? 2. Types of Creative Software 3. Different Types/Methods of Digital Art 4. My Banner
Do you have a smart phone? If so you can use the camera on your phone to access online resources to help you with this assignment. All you need is a QR code reader app, point your phone web browser to one of readers below: www.twava.co.uk
A1.2: ePortfolio ● ● ● ● ●
http://reader.kaywa.com http://get.beetagg.com http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/download.asp http://europe.nokia.com/support/productsupport/nokian80/phonesoftware/smartphone For iPhone users. Go to iTunes and search for: QR Code reader
Once you have a reader/ app on your smart phone. Simply take a quick snap of the code below, and you will be redirected to the required resource, directly on your phone.
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