Since I’m learning with each new technology I try, I discover the difficulties as well as the exciting parts. With this blog, I’ve discovered how easy it is to let a blog grow fallow. I haven’t made any great new discoveries lately, and I don’t like to simply blather (not really true, I do like to blather, but I try to avoid it). I probably would not have written this post if I hadn’t received notice that WordPress had updated its interface.
So I took a few moments to change the look of this site, both to learn how to do it, and to improve the readability (I always found the black-on-red to be irritating).
The reality of this is that we all need to be aware how easy it is to have cool ideas for technology use, and how hard it is to continue follow-through over time. If we are going to implement new hardware or software, we have to continually ask the question, ” What will it look like a year from now?” I always like to visit schools with laptop programs or other technology initiatives, but I want to see them a year later when the machines aren’t so shiny and exciting.
I’d welcome any comments on how keep students (and teachers) engaged and energized in technology use.
Personally, I don’t like the new WordPress admin back-end. Admittedly, it is a little harder to navigate, and it takes some getting used to. Although, I do like some of the new graphics they got from happycog. The widget dashboard is also a little easier to use as well. But, the drawback to using a free WordPress host is that you don’t get near the same functionality as you would for a WordPress install hosted on your own server. The $wpdb->prepare() is also a great time saver too, for developing plugins. As well, the rest of the new/improved features include: multi-file upload with progress bar, EXIF extraction, Search posts and pages, better tag management, password strength meter, concurrent editing protection, few-click plugin upgrades, friendlier visual post editor, built-in galleries, salted passwords, secure cookies, easy taxonomy and URL creation, inline documentation, database optimization, and shortcode API.
Keep up the great blog.
Round Blog Admin
Mater Dei Student