Sunday 10 January 2016

How to save a copy of your blog posts (old version)

Please note that there is an updated version of this blog post at 
https://howshouldiblog.blogspot.com/2020/11/saving-pdf-copy-of-your-blog-posts.html 

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Assessment criteria state that you'll have to upload a saved copy of your blog posts to the portal. This means you'll need to save them as a document.

How to save the content of your blog as a document

Remember that posting your blog's link in the portal is not enough when you submit your assignments. As a blog’s content can be modified, we need to have an archive of your blog at the time it is submitted for assessment. For this reason, we suggest the use of BlogBooker (http://www.blogbooker.com/) or PrintFriendly (https://www.printfriendly.com/) or you can just print your blog posts as PDF files by using your browser’s print option.

BlogBooker

If you use BlogBooker, you have to export your blog content and bring it into BlogBooker to convert it to PDF. There are instructions on the BlogBooker website on how to export your blog content, depending on which blog you are using (e.g. Blogger or Wordpress.) Unfortunately, Weebly is currently not supported by this service, though that feature may be added in future. For now, if you have a Weebly blog, you’ll need to take screen captures.

Printfriendly

If you have not tried Printfriendly, here is a brief 'how to':
  • Open the website
  • Copy and paste your blog address to the box entitled 'enter a url'
  • Click 'print preview'
The tool will convert your blog to PDF preview mode. You can then click 'PDF' and 'Download your PDF' to download the file to your computer. This tool is quite easy to use and quick in generating the PDF file with good quality images from your blog. However, the hidden content of any blog post needs to be open so that the tool can read it to print.

In addition to submitting your archived blog, please remember also to include the link to your live blog or send us (postgrad@themindlab.com) the invitation to view it (if it is set as private).

26 comments:

  1. I have struggled with a blog since the course started but have never had a comment or reply. I have used more as a journal, what is the difference between the blog and the community platform,

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    1. Hi hodge! Getting comments to your blog posts is definitely not easy, and I'd say that getting readers in general is the first big step for any blogger. You might have heard about the 1% rule that still seems to apply for things we do online? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_(Internet_culture) Your blog's analytic data should show how many lurkers you have - and you should also see if they came via our G+ community or from other places. Our G+ community is the closed intake specific sharing and caring platform, but blogging is (as you also mentioned) your own reflective journal. And you can choose to share your blog with the wider public. You might definitely need to advertise your posts so that people would find them. You could for example link some posts to G+, with thought provoking questions? Or use other social media platform to get some responses? Or you could maybe suggest to comment on your fellow student's posts if they'll do the same for you?

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  2. This blog assignment has been so difficult as my school has a total block on the Google+ site. I am not able to submit with my school computer and so I have had to resort to using other computers when they are available.

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    1. Hi imbob. First of all, I'm so sorry to hear that. Hopefully it helps when I remind you that your online participation can happen also outside our G+ community. You can for example tweet, use other social media sites or comment on blogs. And those blogs don't always have to be your fellow students ones. Your own blog can also be created by using any blogging software - maybe wordpress.com, www.wix.com or www.weebly.com would be easier choices for you? And please let us know (postgrad@themindlab.com) if you need any more ideas or assistance, we are happy to help!

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    2. Hi imbob.
      Our school became fully Google (gmail, classroom etc) at the start of Term 2, but they also had the G+ feature blocked. I used my first blog around Communities of Practice to support my request to the Deputy Principal to unblock this feature. Using G+ and creating our own communities, staff have the ability to have professional learning conversations in and outside of school time, and inviting other "experts" or interested parties. (As well as for our own personal PLD on this course!)
      The DP thinks it is a great idea and has requested access. :)
      Good luck with your request.

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    3. What an inspiring story Julia! Thank you for sharing that!

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  3. I am still not keen to share on G plus. I have made the blog in Blogger but have just sent links to a few people.
    I am worried about the PDF issue so great to read this comment. THANKS

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  4. Thank you so much for the gift of 'how to save the blog to PDF'!! I was beginning to get a little worried about doing this and want to be able to play with it prior to due date. Much appreciated :)

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    1. You are welcome Kylie! Using your browser's 'print' option is an easy way too, since you can add the posts to the portal as separate documents. Just have the page's open one by one, go to the settings to print (or press Ctrl+P), and choose to print as a pdf.

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  5. Hi Milla
    I wrote my blogs in word before cutting and pasting to WordPress is it OK to submit these, the content is the same , although the layout is a little different

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    1. Hi Peter, I just realised that I totally missed this comment of yours in October. I'm so sorry. Just as a future reference (since we have yet again another 400 students that just started their online part of the Mind Lab journey), it would be good to use the browsers print option especially if your blog is public. That just makes it a lot easier for us assessors to check that it really is the same content in both. But to be exact, any saved copy will do, even a word document, as long as you know the content really is the same :) And drafting a blog post in another tool such as Word definitely makes sense.

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  6. Hi, I have written my weekly reflection as a Word document and don't know how to get it onto the blog website.

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    1. You can sign up with wordpress. It's free and quite easy to use. Just ask me if you have any problems. Blogspot is another popular one to use

      Regards
      Natasha

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    2. Hi Therese, if needed you can also submit your reflections as a word document to the portal. But it would be nice if you could rehearse the skill of blogging on the last 5 weeks of the course. That would mean you could get some feedback from your peers and make your learning journey more collaborative. Reading this article could help to choose a platform http://howshouldiblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/which-platform-to-choose.html and and there is a quick guide on Week 3 Leadership Related Media that might help. Please remember to reach out to your fellow students or out online facilitators for any extra support. We are here to help!

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    3. Thanks. I had forgotten about copy and paste, so all good now.

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  7. Hi Milla, so does this mean we do not have to create a Turitin report for the blogs? Also do we upload three different PDF's for the three weeks worth of blogs then a seperate word/pdf document with the screenshots of our interactions for part B? thanks

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    1. Hi Ian, no you don't have to run the blog posts through the turnitin. And yes, the PDF(s) for the 3 blog posts for part A and the screenshots of online interaction for part B. Sometime, you can have the blog setting that can display all the posts in one page so you can have one PDF for all of the blog posts, but if your blog isn't set like that then you need to open each post, convert it to PDF and so 3 PFDs are also fine. Cheers.

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    2. Posting the comment again as I realised I didn't reply to your comment, Ian. Hope this time, it notifies you.

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  8. Hi Ian, no you don't have to run the blog posts through the turnitin. And yes, the PDF(s) for the 3 blog posts for part A and the screenshots of online interaction for part B. Sometime, you can have the blog setting that can display all the posts in one page so you can have one PDF for all of the blog posts, but if your blog isn't set like that then you need to open each post, convert it to PDF and so 3 PFDs are also fine. Cheers.

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  9. Hi ,
    I do not wish to put my blog on public domain ,just wondering i can invite use postgrad@themindlab.com e mail to do the invited private reader.
    thanks

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    1. Hi Anuradha,
      Yes, it's absolutely fine, though we think you would get more feedback from a wider audience. Perhaps later, once you get a hold of writing your posts and commenting on other people's blog. Other people may want to visit yours and leave feedback for you.
      Anyway, to invite us, in your blog setting, please add postgrad@themindlab.com as a reader, you can also invite other fellow students who you have been interacted regularly from the f2f or online sessions.
      Cheers

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  10. Hi
    I have just submitted my weekly blog posts which went through, but I am stuck with not being able to submit my comments via online communities because the upload media does not pop up. It tells me that I am now awaiting grading.
    Can anyone help me please.

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  12. Nice & informative article, I highly appreciate your efforts, we have a plan of saving in American Eagle Gold Coin for you in US.

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