Scribd makes it super-easy to upload just about any type of content. You can even link to your Google Docs account and then select any number of documents you want to export to Scribd.

I recommend using Scribd for embedding text documents, as embedding a Google Docs document does not format as well. So, whenever you have an artifact created in Google Docs, embed it using Scribd instead of linking to it. Your reader can stay on your blog and it looks even more professional.

Please read this WordPress.com support document on how to locate the embed code for a WordPress.com blog: http://en.support.wordpress.com/scribd.

Here is an example of a Scribd document embedded on a WordPress.com blog:

WordPress.com support provides detailed information on how to access the embed code: http://en.support.wordpress.com/google-docs.

For any embeddable object to be visible to readers, you need to make it publish or publish it. This ability to embed Google Docs makes it very handy to embed spreadsheets, presentations, documents, just about anything you have in your Google Docs collections.

If you are using the NEW look of Google Docs, then the Publish feature is now in the File menu. Yeah, digital literacy is all about adapting to change!

Below is an example of a Google Docs presentation embedded on a post:

Here’s a quick video I prepared to show you how to do this:

Also, review the instructions on the WordPress.com support site: http://en.support.wordpress.com/videos/vodpod/

Give it a try when you get a chance. You will be able to embed your VoiceThread on your Learning Log post this way, which will look very professional.

WordPress always has a default category (initially called “uncategorized” to assign to posts you do not assign a category or categories to) which you can edit but not delete.

I have changed the default category to “Reflections.” Remember, you can always add any other category you want, too. So, make your Learning Log your own and adjust it as needed.

In this example, I’ve also included post tags “reflection, edtech501.” Remember to separate your tags with commas.

The bibliography was created from resources collected in EDTECH 501: Introduction to Educational Technology and demonstrates the systematic use of resources (online articles, websites, and other resources) for learning. Zotero, a Firefox plugin, facilitated my ability to collect data on online articles, books, and other materials, organize them, write annotations, and use them for research and writing. The ability to create an annotated bibliography from the resources and use the Notes feature of Zotero enabled me to identify needed articles to cite for research and also create a professional document for sharing annotated resources with others.

Information management is also demonstrated through using Zotero, by collecting storing, transferring, and processing information in order to use it for research, resulting in learning. Our class Zotero library demonstrates useful and efficient information management of online resources.

Artifact: Annotated Bibliography (You should link to your artifact. In this example, you could copy/paste text to another blog post and link to that, publish it in Google docs and link to that URL, save it as a PDF file and insert it as media file through WordPress. Once you begin to see how you can link, embed, or insert content in WordPress, you will think of many ways to present your media.)

You might want to create a VoiceThread, getting feedback from others on your work. You can embed just about any type of multimedia, so let your creative juices flow. You will find that personalizing and adding interesting elements to your portfolio makes it a more full-featured and dynamic presentation.

Try out different themes in WordPress and see which one might work for you. As you write each post and add artifacts and reflections, you can always add and adjust your categories (AECT Standards) and the structure. You can also make some posts private or password-protected, should you wish. Or, you can make your entire blog private, adding your instructor as a viewer.

You will also include “tags” for each blog post, which provide additional ways to sort your blog posts. Each tag should include at a minimum the course number of the artifact (501, 502, etc) and any other words that would describe your post. Make sure you understand what tags are and how to format them in WordPress.

So, I am going to post this entry to a couple of AECT Standards that are addressed by this project in EDTECH 501, Standard 3 Utilization and Standard 4 Management. If you want to put in the subsections of each standard, you can do that after you create the higher-level standards. I will also add 501 as a tag.

Artifact: Technology Proposal (published URL from Google docs): http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfp69sx9_853h4spmgv

(Or, you can upload a file of your document by clicking Upload/Insert in the menu.)