Explore Blogging

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$389

AUD

35% off

$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
3205 Students

Learn how to create your very own blog and add a podcast too using the tools that you already have available on your computer.

If you're thinking of starting a blog or just beginning one, this course is for you. Perhaps you'd like to try out podcasting too. You can and it's easy. In this course, you'll learn how to create, manage, and promote your own blog and audio and video podcast using tools that you already have on your computer—no paid software or equipment is needed.

You'll begin by developing a plan for the content, setup, and long-term maintenance of a blog, and then you'll use free blogging software like Blogger and WordPress to put that plan into action. After that, you'll learn how to record a professional-sounding audio podcast with a very simple recording tool you already have. You'll edit the file with another free software program, add music to it, and then post it online for others to enjoy. Your instructor will guide you through all these steps. Finally, you'll find out how to record a video podcast. You'll use pre-recorded video to learn the editing process, and then you'll apply what you've learned to your own video file. You'll edit it, add special effects, drop in a podcasting-safe music file, and then publish it online.

Through hands-on exercises, you'll discover the benefits of using free web tools like Blogger, WordPress, Audacity, and YouTube. Guided by an expert instructor, you'll find that creating a blog and podcast is much easier than you ever imagined. And by the end of this course, you'll be amazed how much you've accomplished.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Welcome to the beginning of your blogging adventure! During the next six weeks, you're going to learn how to blog, produce your own audio and video podcasts to add to your blog, and market and promote your blog—all skills you can put to use on personal, business, educational, or even political projects, right away. In this first lesson, you'll get acquainted with blogging terms, the parts of a blog, and the important differences between a blog and a website. We'll also critique a couple of blogs and figure out what makes them work successfully. You'll learn the best way to search for and locate blogs on topics that interest you, and you'll discover ways to creatively use blogs to express yourself, teach, advocate for a cause, promote a product . . . the possibilities go on and on!

It makes sense to give something a try before doing it yourself, right? So today you're going to learn how to participate in the blogosphere by commenting on a blog of your choosing. Before you click Submit Comment, though, we'll explore the process together and talk about the do's and don'ts of blog commenting etiquette. After that, it'll be time for you to start planning your own blog. We'll walk through a series of questions to help you develop a sustainable plan for your blog's content, setup, and long-term maintenance.

In this lesson, we're going to explore your options for blogging software and hosting, and you're going to decide where and how you'll build and store your blog. You'll learn about free online blog software options, and you'll get hands-on experience working with two free blogging services, Blogger and WordPress, as you set up an account to use as a practice blog throughout the course. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a blog all ready to go, with a nice-looking design and a clean layout.

Why settle for a cookie-cutter blog when you can create a custom blog look? In this lesson, you'll pick the perfect image for your background and spice up your blog's header on your Blogger and WordPress blogs.

Now that your blog has the perfect look, it's time to start to thinking more about your readers and what they'll need. In this lesson, you'll get to decide who can read your blog. You'll learn how to set your blog's privacy levels in case you'd like to limit who can read your blog. We'll also set up your comment fields so that you can manage who is able to comment on your blog. You have control over these features, so take advantage of them. Finally, we'll add a few gadgets that will help your blog readers navigate through your blog.

Today you'll learn to write an effective first blog post, and you'll consider the writing style you'd like to use for your blog. You'll also practice working with formatting tools to make your first post look great online. You'll learn how to change the font, color, and size of your text, and you'll add lists and links to enhance the content and interactivity of your post.

You've mastered the process of formatting the text of your blog post, so now it's time to add some photos. After learning how to locate and incorporate appropriate images into your draft, you'll create labels to categorize the content of your post so that your blog readers interested in your topic will be able to find your post. Next, you'll learn the seven steps of how to promote your blog to boost readership. We'll finish this lesson by looking at how Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are useful blog promotion tools.

Today we'll start exploring the podcast. You'll learn the podcasting terms you'll need to know to feel at home with this technology, and you'll discover the important differences between radio broadcasts and podcasts. You'll find out how to search for and locate podcasts you'd like to listen to, and you'll download and install a free podcatcher you can use to subscribe to your favorites. Finally, you'll take the first step in the PREP method of podcasting: You'll plan your own podcast, following our effective formula of developing strategies for content, setup, and long-term maintenance. By the end of this lesson, you'll be one step closer to adding this interactive tool to your blog, too.

In this lesson, we're going to explore the minimum equipment you'll need to record your first audio podcast—as well as other equipment you may find of interest if you become a serious podcaster. You'll experiment with your telephone as a microphone, and we'll talk about how to make the most of your voice before you press the Record button. We'll discuss how to script or outline a podcast so you feel confident and comfortable in front of the microphone. And, after that, you'll continue to follow the PREP method of podcasting by recording your first podcast using Audacity, a free audio recording program.

Today you'll work with the last two steps of the PREP method of podcasting: editing and publishing. I'll provide you with sample voice and music files for your practice edit. You'll learn how to cut out dead air and an unexpected sneeze, adjust the volume so listeners don't have to strain to hear you, and add effects so the sound fades in at the beginning and out at the end. Then, you'll use one of the sample files I've provided to add background music to the practice podcast. After mastering these skills, you'll use them to edit and enhance your own recording. When you're done, I'll walk you through the steps to get your file Web-ready, and then it will be time to publish your work.

Now that you know how to prepare, record, edit, and publish an audio podcast, doing the same for a video podcast is going to be a lot easier. But, of course, there are some important differences between the two podcasting styles, so we'll begin today's discussion by exploring what makes video podcasting different. We'll discuss the equipment you can use for video podcasting—and you may be surprised to discover that even a simple cell phone with video capabilities will do! You'll learn about video editing software and video podcast hosts. We'll discuss how to develop a recording script so that everything runs smoothly when the camera's rolling. And, finally, you'll learn how to import and edit video using a sample file I've created for you to practice with. We're going to use Windows Live Movie Maker, but the principles you'll learn with this program can be adapted for use in other video editing programs, for example iMovie or Final Cut Pro for the Mac.

It's time to fine-tune your video podcasting skills as well as your video podcast. In this final lesson, you'll learn how to add transitions and video effects to your video file, trim unwanted portions out, and make audio enhancements. You'll discover how to convert your video podcast into a file format suitable for the Web, upload to YouTube, and embed that file as an entry on your blog.

Robin Sellers

Robin Sellers is a certified teacher with a Master of Arts degree with a concentration in Technical and Professional Communication. She has over 11 years of experience in the traditional classroom and has been an online instructor since 2000, trai... Read more

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

This class was fun and very practical. I feel that I can apply the material right away and help me grow my web presence. Thanks!

Verified Student

Great hands-on exercises, easily available tools. I have no complaints, it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.

Verified Student

I was very happy with the course and with the instructor. I got more than I expected. I would definitely recommend both the course and Robin to others. I hope to take other classes Robin teaches as I believe she is a gifted teacher.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Explore Blogging you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

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Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

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At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Explore Blogging

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$389AUD

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Microsoft Word 2010 for Teachers

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
320 Students

Master Microsoft Word 2010 and get the training you need to use and teach this powerful program effectively in the classroom.

Master Microsoft Word, and be a more productive and creative teacher! This powerful software can make your documents come to life and help you integrate technology in your classroom.

You'll start by learning how to create, open, edit, and save your documents. Next, you'll become skilled at using formatting tools including tabs, margins, and spacing. In addition, you'll find out how to add borders, clip art, WordArt, shapes, pictures, and tables. You'll even learn how to make your own student-of-the-week certificates!

As you take a virtual tour of Microsoft Word, you'll encounter handy program features that enable you to control document presentation, stay organised, and keep your students inspired and excited. You'll get to try out all your new skills as you create a classroom poster, produce templates for tests, and use table tools to design a class grade roster.

And of course, you'll want to share your new knowledge with your students! That's why you'll find lesson plans for introducing Word to your learners. These include activities for every age, from picture books to letter-writing projects and book reports.

Whether you're new to Word or a veteran, join us and find out how to turn this dynamic program into a launching pad for creative lessons and engaging classroom activities. As you master its features in fun, hands-on activities, you'll discover that Word enhances your teaching in ways you didn't think possible. Get ready to wow your students . . . and their parents too!

In our first lesson, you'll discover Word 2010's navigation principles and its indispensable new tabs. We'll also go over the basic editing features that will allow you to dive into more complex word processing feats and teach your students the ins and outs of this powerful program.

Letter writing is a great skill to teach your students in any discipline, so today you'll use Word to format a letter. You'll also find out how to use keyboard navigation for document shortcuts. You'll make your life in the classroom a whole lot easier by putting this lesson to use right away, and you'll learn about some great letter-writing lessons for your students too.

Get ready to take your first steps toward becoming an organized Word user! In this lesson, you'll learn how to save, resave, and relocate documents to different drives on your computer. You'll go through the process of saving files so that you can teach your students how to do it correctly.

How many times have you wished you'd caught a spelling error that slipped by? Well, with Word's spell-checker, you'll never have that problem again. Today, you'll look at some more productivity tools, like the spelling and grammar checker, how to cut and paste, and how to delete files. Then, you'll learn how you can teach these time-saving tools that will make working with Word—and writing in general—much easier for your students.

Fonts, formatting, and WordArt, oh my! Today, you'll start spicing up your work with these fun Word tools that let you put your unique stamp on classroom and personal documents. You'll have the tools to teach your students to create book report covers, poster projects, and much more.

Surprisingly, you have a lot of options when it comes to document printing and adding clip art. In this lesson, we'll take a look at smart ways to navigate through these choices. Word lets you preview everything you print, which is really helpful for catching any errors before it's too late. And clip art will open up a whole new world to you—enabling you to make your documents more visually friendly to young learners.

Today, you're going to master setting margins, headers, and footers. You'll learn about adding page numbers, changing your margins to fit different document needs, and adding borders to give classroom documents a little extra flair.

In this lesson, you'll take a closer look at your document and examine how to format paragraphs and make lists with bullets and numbers. We'll also take a quick tour of indents, which will help you easily fix tricky spacing.

Let Word's drawing features dazzle you as you find out all the neat things you can do with AutoShapes—like filling them with colors and pictures to help you illustrate your document. With all the shapes available in Word, you'll have no shortage of creative inspiration, and at the end of the lesson, you'll have a student of the week poster to use in your classroom.

Creating tables in Word allows you to do all kinds of useful things such as present charts, math problems, and other information in creative and visually appealing ways. Word offers a lot of flexibility in table design, including specifying cell height and width, color formatting, and sorting functions that will make your table pop! You'll see how it all works today and you'll use Word's table feature to create a class grade roster.

In this lesson, you'll learn all about Word templates. A template is a pre-formatted document that you'll be able to use over and over again for specific purposes—things like lesson plans, quizzes, grades, posters, and more. As a teacher, you'll find that templates can save you a great deal of time. You'll also see how Word's language tools can increase student vocabulary and how you can use track changes to incorporate group writing and revisions into your classroom.

In this lesson, you'll get to examine three sample lesson plans that integrate the use of Word. The first lesson plan is for lower grades; the second is for middle grades; and the third is for the upper grades. I'll give you my ideas for how to adapt each plan to different grade levels and content areas, and I encourage you to share your ideas with me and your fellow teachers!