Direction to set up the environmental blog is below.  

To Prepare:

• This multiweek Assignment requires you to record your work in an individual blog within the classroom (your “log”) that will be accessible to both your peers and your Instructor at all times.
• To complete your blog entries, navigate to your blog in the Blogs area of the course menu.
• Click on Create Blog Entry.
• Title your blog using your name and the week. For example, “Smith_J Week 2.”
• In the Entry Message area, make an initial entry that very briefly states the purpose of your blog and the focus area on which you intend to concentrate.
• Click on Post Entry when you are finished. You will follow these steps for each blog entry.
• Access at least two listservs and at least two active blogs in order to follow topics and trends. These can be those listed in your weekly Learning Resources or those chosen on your own. Make weekly notes in your blog to capture topics and developments in the field. Your blog should include periodic reflection on the content.

Reminder: As you make posts in your log, be sure to support your postings with specific references to the resources you use. Use APA formatting to cite your sources.

Sources for your Environmental Scan: The Learning Resources list several listservs to which you can subscribe. You will need to conduct an Internet search for assessment and evaluation blogs. Do not assume that all blogs are equal; some are marketing tools by consultants that may not advance your knowledge. If you use websites as resources, be certain they are updated frequently and are not simply static repositories of information.

What to log: The purpose of a scan is to read and reflect on many sources of information. Realistically, however, you will not be able to reflect on all topics. Create your own heuristic technique for a simple tally of all topics that emerge; and in addition to that, select several topics to actually report on. Your report may take the form of synthesis of comments on these topics, or the report may compare and contrast the treatment of those topics on the different listservs and blogs.