How do instructors request and set up a class blog on UChicago Voices?

Updated

Instructors request a class blog by submitting the Class Blog Request form on UChicago Voices. The site is a free, self-service platform provided by IT Services, powered by WordPress, and hosted by Edublogs, and class blogs are fully supported by Academic Technology Solutions (ATS) staff. That support covers setting up the site, enrolling your students, technical support, and in-class training. If you need a site for another academic use, such as an ePortfolio, the path is different: contact Academic Technology Solutions directly instead of using the class blog form.

Before you request

Confirm the site fits your purpose. UChicago Voices is intended for students, faculty, and staff building blogs and websites for portfolios, courses, research groups, clubs, and similar uses. For a course you are teaching, the class blog route applies; for an ePortfolio or other academic use, go through ATS.

You will also need your CNet ID and password, since identity on the platform is managed through CNet credentials.

Step-by-step: requesting a class blog

  1. Open the Class Blog Request form. From the UChicago Voices site, choose the option to request a class blog. The form is specifically for instructors creating a blog for a course they are teaching.
  2. Submit your course details. Fill out the form with the information it asks for about your course and the site you need. The page does not publish the individual form fields, so work from the prompts shown on the form itself.
  3. Wait for ATS to set up the site. ATS staff handle site setup for class blogs. You do not need to configure WordPress or hosting yourself.
  4. Have your students enrolled. Student enrollment is part of the ATS support for class blogs, so coordinate enrollment with the staff assisting you rather than adding users manually.
  5. Request training or technical support as needed. ATS also provides in-class training and ongoing technical support. Ask for these when you submit the request or when you are contacted about setup.

Expected result: a working course blog on UChicago Voices, with your students enrolled and support available for training and technical issues.

What you get with a class blog

Feature What it means for your course
Collaboration Write alone or publish with multiple authors, so students can contribute posts
UChicago Theme Customize the official template to suit your site
Mobile ready Create and manage content from a computer, tablet, or phone
Voices in the Cloud Backups and security are handled for you
Insight A dashboard tracks statistics and who is visiting
Secure Identity is managed by your CNet ID and password
Diversity of content Upload and embed videos, photos, files, podcasts, and more
Plugins Dozens of installed plugins extend what your site can do

Other academic uses

If your site is not a class blog—for example, an ePortfolio—do not use the class blog form. Contact Academic Technology Solutions to discuss the right setup. The same applies if you are unsure whether UChicago Voices is the right fit; the site's own guidance points to ATS for academic uses beyond course blogs.

Common snags

  • Using the wrong request path. The class blog form is for courses you are teaching. Portfolios and other academic sites go through ATS.
  • Trying to self-configure enrollment. Class blog support includes enrolling students, so raise enrollment with ATS instead of working around it.
  • Skipping training. In-class training is offered as part of class blog support; use it if you plan to have students publish on the site.
  • Assuming login works without CNet. Access is tied to your CNet ID and password, so make sure your credentials are active before setup begins.