Too many Widgets, which ones to Choose?

This post is created as a reflection on Step 5 of Educator Professional Blog Challenge, working with widgets

Step 5: Working with Widgets

 

Hiccups: 

While adding Google Translator widget to my sidebar, I learned that when embedding a code, I need to copy & paste the code in text box of side bar, save it & then close the textbox.   Failing to close the textbox and just saving the embedded code will result in the code being posted on sidebar instead of the Google Translator widget.  Hmmm! Who knew, not following a simple step in the direction will result in a headache!  Guess, I have to learn some stuff hard way!

Adding twitter widget, in timeline mode may not be wise for brevity.  I need to go back & explore to adjust the settings so only selected / favorite tweets will appear on sidebar.

 

streamlining 

There are too many many widgets to choose from.  I wish to share a thought provoking  and clutter free blog with you.  Therefore, I have to pick and choose which widgets to keep & which to fondly remember.   Some of the widgets had to go but which ones?   Avatar, and about me with an image fell on sword of delete button and get annihilated.   Posts, Categories, links & Tag Cloud were able to plead their case & succeeded to stay on sidebar for now.  After visiting several blogs, subscribe to the blog via email and Google translator won prominent places.  Though I needed to upgrade the blog to Pro in order to add Subscribe me widget, the $$ I spend is worth it.

 

Show & Tell:

After learning about what is widget, how to enhance the functionality of e-portfolio by adding widgets and judicial use of widgets, I have decided to create a Prezi to share my must have widgets with you.

 

 

 

 

In process of creating widgets for my blog, I visited several blogs.  I am sharing with you three of  the uncluttered, visually appealing blogs from colleagues with solid content with hope that just like me, you will also benefit by visiting them.  Notice how each of these educators have proudly displayed their professional learning badges to validate their expertise.

 

I liked double sidebar, one with blogroll & professional achievements second with everything else, of Cindy’s blog,  http://thissideofthird.edublogs.org 

 

Dan Galagher have used Google Plus image and Visitor map in his almost whimsical blog  A tech perspective ….or something like that.  I  liked how he is always teaching; he invites us for  professional learning opportunity by adding an active image to virtual reality boot camp on his blog.As I am mentoring students in 100 word challenge, and Student blogging challenge, I would like to learn how to add live links.

 

Finally,  Sue Fitzgerald of unpretentious librarian shows us how give snippets of blogs she likes to visit by her choice of widget.

 

Thank you for visiting with me.

 

After visiting with me, I hope you will choose to visit some of the blogs I mentioned in this post.  As always, let me know what you like & how I can improve.

 

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7 thoughts on “Too many Widgets, which ones to Choose?

  1. Hi Purviben,

    Wow, you are taking on this challenge with gusto. Go you!

    I can see you are developing a thorough understanding of widgets. I too have dilemmas about which widgets to show on my own blog. I certainly used to have more than I do now. When my students had blogs, they were always drawn to widgets too. So it’s good to consider the pros and cons.

    I’m familiar with Dan’s blog but haven’t seen Sue’s or Cindy’s so I will have to check them out.

    The Prezi is fantastic too. Well done!

    Keep blogging, Purviben. You’re doing a great job.

    ~Kathleen

    • Kathleen,

      Thank you. I have added your twitter account @kathleen_morris as one the the people I am following. 🙂

      The easy to follow Edublogs tutorials are awesome.

      A question, how often the tutorials get updated?

      Best wishes.

      Purviben

      • Hi Purviben,

        Thanks for adding me on Twitter. I love your idea of reading time at home!

        The tutorials just get updated by Sue Waters as needed.

        Thanks,
        Kathleen

  2. Kathleen,

    Thank you. I have added your twitter account @kathleen_morris as one the the people I am following. 🙂

    The easy to follow Edublogs tutorials are awesome.

    A question, how often the tutorials get updated?

    Best wishes.

    Purviben

  3. G’day Purviben,
    Your blog is looking great and I can see you have worked out how to add live links to the sidebar where you have the students you are mentoring.

    As Kathleen said, when you have students with their own blogs, they also have to decide which widgets to include. I know many have pets like a menagerie on their sidebars. Can be annoying if the sound is on permanently with the bird singing.

    • Miss W,

      What a beautiful analogy between too many widgets & birds tweeting all day long 🙂

      I was thinking between blogger & edublogs as my blog platforms. Edublogs have excellent tutorials and challenged me to learn step by step. Having support such as you, Kathleen and others was an added bonus.

      Thanks for mentoring & feedback. Recently, while attending Wood Badge Training for Adult Boy Scout Leaders, we were reminded that feedback is a gift. Please keep gifting me.

      Best wishes.

      Mrs. Trivedi-Ziemba

    • Thanks Ms. W.

      Please keep visiting my blog & provide feedback.

      I have placed a tile for Student Blog Challenge 2017 and one for 100 Word Challenge in the Symballo I created for GA Tool. From left, tile for student Blog Challenge is 3rd column, 5th row; the 100 Word Challenge Tile is 7th column (2nd column from right), 5th row.
      http://trivediziemba.edublogs.org/2017/10/27/participate-1-joining-a-dlc/

      Best wishes.

      Mrs. Trivedi-Ziemba

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