Tumblr
Let’s Try tumblr!
What we hope you will learn:
What is tumblr?
How do I use tumblr?
How can I sign up for tumblr?
How do I follow a blog on tumblr?
How can I post on tumblr?
What is tumblr?
Tumblr is a free blogging platform. A blog is an online diary or scrapbook where you can share activities, ideas or thoughts about anything you want with others. When you put something on your blog, it is called a post. You can post anything that you like including your writing, pictures, or video.
Let’s say you like gardening. Tell us about what you are planting and post a picture of the plants you have potted. Do you enjoy the certain type of music? Tell the world all about it and find other people who feel the same. You can build a community of people who share the same interests by following, “liking” and commenting on other people’s blogs. Just search topics that interest you: cooking, soccer, shoes, cars… you’d be surprised. Click follow and you are connected.
How do I use tumblr?
You have been using a blog to share your thoughts and questions about these learning modules. Tumblr is a bit different because you make very short posts and you probably make them more often. This type of posting is called “micro-blogging.” You will get started on setting up your tumblr account below. Before you do that watch this short video about tumblr by planet nutshell
Sounds fun!
Activity #1: Sign up!
- Click on tumblr to go to the sign up page. Now you will see the tumblr registration webpage.
- On this page you will need an email address, a password (usually six characters) and a username. Your username will become the name of your tumblr blog. After you have entered this information, click start.
- On this next page you will enter your age. You are also asked to if you read and agree to the terms of service. That means you agree to follow tumblr rules. You can click on these terms to read the rules or just check the box and click next.
- You are almost done! Type the text on this screen and click done.
- Tumblr will ask you to pick some things you are interested in, but no pressure here, you can just click next. If you choose topics, tumblr will suggest some blogs that you might want to follow.
- If you want, you can give Tumblr permission to see if your friends on facebook or email contacts are already on Tumblr. Continue to the next page.
- What you are seeing is your dashboard which includes a line of pictures of tools to create blog posts and you have a space below to view the blogs you are already or will soon be following.
- Check in: Take a few minutes to comment at the bottom of this page on setting your tumblr account. Did you run into some challenges? Was it pretty easy. Let us know. To find out more about commenting, see How to Comment.
Activity #2: Follow a blog!
- You are on the tumblr homepage with a row of pictures on the top (that’s your dashboard) and a search window in the upper right corner.
- Type something that interests you into the search window and hit enter on your keyboard. You will see all the blogs that relate to that subject. Scroll down, read and enjoy.
- When you see a blog that you want to look at more, place your cursor on the upper right corner of the blog so that you “turn down” the corner of the blog page. Now you can double click on the blog and open it up. With the blog open, you can read other posts from that blogger.
- If you would like to see this blog again, click follow. Now you will see the blog you selected, listed on your home page. You can open them up and see the posts by clicking Following blogs.
- Check in: Take a few minutes to comment at the bottom of this page on following blogs. What blog topics did you search for? What did you find that was interesting? To find out more about commenting, see How to Comment.
Activity #3: Create a post!
- Go back to your homepage (the dashboard) and click pick an avatar on the upper left corner of the page under the head. Upload an image or photo for your blog. This picture can be the same one you used in the Facebook module.
- Once you have selected an avatar, click save on the right hand side.
- Tumblr will direct you to verify your email by clicking on a link sent to your email. Go to your email, click on the link, and then get back to tumblr.
- Now click on the image (your avatar) again to add a title for your blog. Click on customize in the upper right hand of the screen. The menu on the left will allow you to give a title to your blog and add a description. Click save.
- Now you can return to your dashboard to create a post.
- At the dashboard on your home page and select the icon for the type of post you want to make. You will see icons for tools to add text, photos, quotes, etc. to your posts. Click on each icon to see what it will do. If you want to post some writing, for example, click the letter “A.
- Check in: Take a few minutes to comment at the bottom of this page on creating a blog post. Did you write something, or upload a picture or video? Did you have any difficulty posting? To find out more about commenting, see How to Comment.
Congratulations & Thank You!
You have completed Module 6: tumblr from LINKS TO LITERACY
This Learning 2.0 module was originally designed and implemented by students in Dr. Michael Stephens‘ Transformative Literacies class in the Spring 2013. This class is part of San Jose State University’s School of Library and Information Science curriculum. It was authored by Robin Dearborn for Huntington Beach Public Library. It is available for use for other libraries or institutions. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
