1. The document discusses moving from traditional principal newsletters to more modern communication tools like blogs and podcasts. 2. It provides reasons for schools to adopt web-based communication methods like sharing information more cheaply, quickly and with a wider audience. 3. Effective design principles for digital communications are outlined, including using short, targeted posts on a regular basis and visual elements like images and alignment.

1. Moving From
Principal Epistles to
Blogs and Podcasts
Amanda DeCardy
and Andrew Torris
Shanghai American School

2. Formal Communications
• HELP!
• Tech Support!
• CAREFUL Roll Out with
your Community!

3. Principal Epistles

4. The Dawn
of DTP
DTP= Desktop Publishing or Death to Paper (Budget)

5. The ONSLAUGHT of
Web-based Mass
Communications
Tools

6. Ch
Expectation of
a-
Mass Publishing!
One Month=
18- A3 pages
X
C hin
2000 Families!
g!

7. Audience - Not
Community
www.saschina.org

8. Community - NOT
Audience
One Stop
Shopping!
http://teachers.saschina.org/mspudong

9. o l
o
h
c ?
S g
d lo
l B
u
o s
S h er
y ad
h e
W L

10. Why?- Sharing Events
• Upcoming events
• Awards
• Classroom
Highlights
• Reminders
• Lunch Menus
• Co-Curricular
• Deadlines
..... anything newsletter-like!

11. Why?- Progress Monitoring
•New Facilities
•New Curricula
•New Staff
•Initiatives
..... keep the community
informed!

12. Why?- Status Alert
•Emergencies
•Short-Term Problems
•Event Cancellations
Build
community
habits to seek
information!

13. Why?- Marketing
•Cheaper
•Faster
•Current
•Create a buzz...

14. Why?- Public Relations
Primary
Communicator
of School Info!
The Kids!

15. Why?- Customer Relations
Demands of our Clients!

16. Why?- Branding
WEB-BASED
FACE of your SCHOOL

17. Why?
Give ‘em something
positive to talk about!
Customer Evangelists

18. Why?
Give ‘em something
positive to THINK
about too!
Thought Leadership

19. Think out loud!

20. RSS FEEDS! The Power
of Free Subscriptions!

21. Life is too
Short
to
have
UGLY
Publications

22. Good Design
Is as easy as…
Learning the Principles
They’re simpler than you might think
Recognize when you’re not using them.
Put into words- name the problem
Apply the Principles.
You’ll Be Amazed

23. not just function but also…
g n
si
e
D
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

24. not just argument but also…
Story
Telling...

25. not just focus but also…
n y
h o
mp
s y
…
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

26. not just logic but also…
Empathy
http://static.flickr.com/51/106509125_d686615fff.jpg http://static.flickr.com/67/199736037_d891a6d820.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72298969@N00/143880776 http://static.flickr.com/3279/2646787328_b2486d9da4.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/2279/2341519122_56f2452123.jpg http://static.flickr.com/44/143880776_0c3bf12a14.jpg http://static.flickr.com/3040/2833098434_a3b3b30dae.jpg

27. A Y
P L
…

28. Frequent
Action Oriented
Short
Targeted
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

29. 10-20-30 Rule
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

30. 10 or
s r
e e
l
S sid P
os t
P onth
M

31. MI 20
NU
or S TE
li !
ne
s!

32. 10
Bigger is better!
14 <-- Minimum text body size!
24
32 <--Minimum
headline
48
64
288
72
96

33. CONTRAST
Avoid merely similar elements
Make elements NOT the same VERY DIFFERENT

34. Repetition
Repeat Visual Elements (lines,
shapes, colors, textures, special
relationships, etc.)
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

35. Alignment
Ali
gn
me
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com
nt
All items on a screen
should have visual
connection with another.

36. •Items related to each other
should be grouped close
together. Pro
•Items in proximity become xim
ity
one item
•This helps organize
information
•Reduces Clutter
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

37. Note:
Non-Generic titles will keep
your readership focused and
coming back for more!
slide photo courtesy of Ian Jukes (www.ianjukes.com

38. Resources Needed!

39. Flickr Storm
http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/

40. Podcast!
Combo of the words quot;iPodquot; and
quot;broadcastquot;
The Apple iPod being the brand of
portable media player for which the first
podcasting scripts were developed.

41. Podcast!
quot;Personal On Demand broadCASTINGquot;

42. Resources Needed!

43. Expand your audience
Spread your positive message!

44. What’s a Twitter??

45. Technology: Learning Together
Terms of Confusion...
WIKI
What is it really?
What can it do? A wiki is a Website that
allows users to
collaboratively add and edit
What can it NOT do? content posted online. We set
up a wikispaces account to
What is all the fuss?? write the initial drafts of the
technology plan.

46. Technology: Learning Together
WIKI
The name comes from
the Hawaiian word for
quot;quick,quot; and the term is
generally attributed to
Ward Cunningham, who,
in 1995 set out to create
quot;the simplest database
that would work.quot;

47. Things to Consider:
Policy
Student Photos?
Student Names?
School Security?
Branding/Marketing/
Trademark?
Copyright?

48. Quality Technical
Expertise

49. http://somecommontechsense.wikispaces.com

50. Thank You!