Sue Waters

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MY NEW Look! Do I Look Younger or Older?

Been feeling frustrated because my personal blog, Mobile Technology in TAFE, and The Edublogger look similar. Felt each blog needed it’s own unique feel so readers could easily tell them apart. Then Anne Mirtschin commented that her third most ‘hit’ page/post is her ‘About page’. And my blogs? Second most ‘hit’ page/post on Mobile Technology…

Sue Waters
1 minute
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Been feeling frustrated because my personal blog, Mobile Technology in TAFE, and The Edublogger look similar. Felt each blog needed it’s own unique feel so readers could easily tell them apart.

Then Anne Mirtschin commented that her third most ‘hit’ page/post is her ‘About page’. And my blogs? Second most ‘hit’ page/post on Mobile Technology in TAFE and thirtieth most ‘hit’ page/post on The Edublogger.

Really loud noise in my head said “Mobile Technology in TAFE blog needs blog make over!“

This is what I did:

  1. Replaced Cutline theme with Mistylook.
  2. Uploaded own custom header – this is photo from local bushland. Hopefully it symbolize our learning journey and it’s color works well with theme. Your thoughts?
  3. Changed my tagline to make ‘my name’ and ‘what I’m about’ immediately obvious when readers visit my blog.
  4. Rewrote my ‘About page’ – changed wording, blended ideas of photos from Nathan Toft‘s Grade5nt class blog, added a Dipity timeline and added information on how to comment.
  5. Removed my ‘Browse page’ from header – rarely visited. Bad name or bad concept not sure which?
  6. Changed name of ’31 Day Project’ page to Blogging Challenges – not convinced ‘Blogging Challenge’ is a good name – Any better suggestions?
  7. Added information about Comment Challenge and Student blogging Competition to ‘Blogging Challenges’ page.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Definitely now has different look and feel from The Edublogger! So I hope you like the new look?

How’s the information/wording on my ‘About‘ and ‘Blogging Challenges’ page?

17 responses to “MY NEW Look! Do I Look Younger or Older?”

  1. cameron Avatar
    cameron

    Sorry that is not the right answer but that is a good guess. The correct answer is stars.

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  2. Laura Whitehead Avatar
    Laura Whitehead

    I like this theme, calmer colours (I know the last theme was white, but these colours work really well together). Like the picture – good choice, and also the ‘about’ page is really infomative too.
    So yes, voting for ‘younger’!

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  3. Larry Ferlazzo Avatar
    Larry Ferlazzo

    Sue,

    It looks great! You’ve got an “eye” for design….

    Larry

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  4. Sarah Stewart Avatar
    Sarah Stewart

    I’m loving the new layout and photo. As I said before, it feels nice and crisp. I’m wondering if I should do the same with my blog.

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  5. Simon Brown Avatar
    Simon Brown

    Hi Sue – looks great to me! (Don’t know why – it just does… look… younger?) Fresh and crisp anyhow.

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  6. Christine Martell Avatar
    Christine Martell

    Sue,
    Definitely younger, fresher. Much more visually integrated. Certainly better reflecting how your blog focus has developed.
    Great work.

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  7. murcha Avatar
    murcha

    Well, Sue you have certainly set a challenge. Despite that fact that I know my ‘about me’ page is so widely hit, and again has been since you linked this post to it, I still have done little about it.
    So, during this week I am determined to improve mine as well. I really like the features you have added and the timeline is a great idea. I always feel such a newbie, and know that my L plates are still on, as I have only been blogging for just on 12 months. Both my most used blogs also have a similar appearance and title, but I am such a conservative, will think about a possible makeover there. I love stats as they can teach us so much about improving, future directions and general use.
    This week I am attending the ACEC conference in Canberra and hopefully wifi works in my accommodation and I get my ‘about me’ page into gear.

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  8. Ken Allan Avatar
    Ken Allan

    Kia ora Sue!

    I like it. I guess that’s important.

    Christine Martell has a post (I’m sure you’ve seen) on effective blog headers. I studied it up and examined the examples she uses when I designed the header for my own blog. Your header follows her lines as far as ‘eye’ can see:-).

    The metaphor of ‘the journey’ is there. But it is more than just that for me. Your header looks inviting. It invites me to go along that journey with you too.

    Younger? Hmmm. Fresh and new, yes. Newer. Connotation has a lot to do with what’s being discussed, and connotation is unique to the beholder in a lot of instances.

    Two criteria I do think it has to meet:

    1- your approval – do you like it?
    2- your approval – do you believe others like it?

    If you’re happy with it, your commenters certainly are.

    Ka kite
    from Middle-earth

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  9. Pam Thompson Avatar
    Pam Thompson

    Great new look Sue. Seems more inviting somehow. Love the header as a journey too.

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  10. Robin Ellis Avatar
    Robin Ellis

    Sue, the make over looks great, and yes, you do look younger! Great work 🙂 I have been thinking about doing the same, sometimes you feel better with a new look.

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  11. Ann Krembs Avatar
    Ann Krembs

    Great new look Sue! I’m glad you still have The Edublogger too. I’ll start reading this one as well:)

    Ann

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  12. Heather Bailie Avatar
    Heather Bailie

    I like the new look, specially like that it makes it different to the Edublogger. I’ve been subscribed for a little while so I usually only see your posts on my iGoogle page, this post made me come to the site for another look around – I’m glad I did. Looking at your other sites was really interesting and I think will be very helpful to me – thanks for all the great stuff you share!

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  13. asia Avatar
    asia

    thank you, I strongly believe that all things are possible and that all we can do is try and pursue our dreams. . .
    but I am also glad to hear that many people hsve gotten back into the musical area, not only because it is fun to listen to and play along with your favorite bands, but it also can help student academicaly. It trains students in a way where we can do all these other curricullar activities and still be able to cope with all of our grades. But now, personally I don’t believe that the grades you see on a report card are all that important. My reasoning is because, as you proceed on in life, not all the things you do in life absolutley need a straight A student. There are presidents, lawyers, and maybe even doctors that were not nuber one in their class, and look where they have come? All a teacher sees when you enter their classroom is the report card that you have received telling you where you stand. But what they really need to see is what is in that student’s mind, not what they see on that sheet of paper, because someone could be amazingly smart but do horribile in school. It happens, that’s why I think that it is more important to get to know that students better as people rather thatn judge them by a peice of paper. . .

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  14. Sue Waters Avatar
    Sue Waters

    @Cameron I think we might need to keep it a secret but it is beginning to look like perhaps I’m really bad with riddles. Bats were a good answer though.

    @Laura Glad it makes me look younger.

    @Larry If you had seen some of my really bad custom headers you wouldn’t think that.

    @Sarah So have you started your own makeover?

    @Simon I think younger, slimmer and power dressed.

    @Christine tried to keep all colours in the same tones. Wanted the icon colors to be similar too but couldn’t find ones in the green tones that I could use. Hopefully I’m getting better with the photo aspects.

    @Murcha it was all your fault. Been frustrating me and then it was a DUH moment that meant I had to act. Have fun at the conference — don’t do too much work.

    @Ken Definitely I like it but then get frustrated when I see other people using MistyLook — may need to do some work on their theme for them 🙂

    @Pam Thanks. Hopefully it will be more inviting. My next step is my photo avatar but that may take some time.

    @Robin Let me know when you have done your new look so I can pop past to check out.

    @Heather LOL let’s not get me thinking of how to make my posts different between each blog. But I can say I do express considerably more humour and you do know me more as a person (I hope) when you read my personal blog.

    @Asia What can I say? You’ve expressed your thoughts really well. Marks and doing well in life are something my husband and I often talk about. Most of the people who I went to school with who easily achieved high marks with minimal effort struggled after leaving school to reach their true potential. While people who worked hard because it didn’t come naturally achieved the better outcomes.

    The best aspect of blogging is you get a far deeper insight into your students and who they are then is ever achievable during a class.

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  15. asia Avatar
    asia

    thank you for your insight on my comment. I really do think that it is very important to learn about your students. Hopefully, as time passes more people will notice this and change the world for the better, and who knows, it may be me, or you, or anyone else in the world. . . someday.

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  16. herky Avatar
    herky

    like the new look oh and by the way if u like riddles pleasee check out my blog thanks

    herkyf09

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  17. julya Avatar
    julya

    HEHE

    Your bblog Makes you lok 10 years Younger 🙂 though it was never old. But I must say I love it 🙂 its very touchy I think… Mabey Some music? Just thinking! So when students pass by they can dance to your page like you did to my page( in which nobody knows about)

    Anyway Check Out My page I got new post new header Page Setter and New Music!!!!!!

    YAY

    julyaf09.edublogs.org

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