WordPress Class Blogs

Multiple plugins and a theme wrapped packaged as a single plugin that make it easier to manage class blogs created using WordPress. The plugin can work when running WordPress in multisite mode, where the professor controls the main blog and each student is given a dedicated blog, or when running normally, where the professor is the administrator on the blog and students are reduced-privilege users.

Requirements

• PHP >= 5.2.0
• WordPress >= 3.0

Installation

Copy the entire class-blogs folder to the wp-content/plugins directory of a valid WordPress installation, then go to the 'Plugins' administration page to activate it.

Plugins

The class blogs plugin is a wrapper around many different plugins, which are as follows:

Classmate Comments

Automatically approves any comment left by a logged-in student on another student's blog.

Disable Comments

Provides an admin option to disable commenting on current and future posts.

Gravatar Signup

Adds a link for the student to sign up for a gravatar to each account activation email sent out.

New User Configuration

Creates a first and last name for a newly added user based on their email address.

Random Image

Provides a widget that displays a randomly selected image chosen from all the images used in all student and professor posts.

Student Comments

Provides a widget that shows recent comments left on all student posts, a professor-only admin page showing a table of all student comments, and a student-only admin page showing a table of all comments that they have left.

Student Posts

Provides a widget that shows recent student posts, offers the ability to override the main blog's posts with all recent student posts when running in multisite mode, and a professor-only admin page showing a table of all student posts that have been published.

Student Tags

Provides a widget showing a tag cloud built from the tags used in all student and professor posts, and, when running in multisite mode, allows usage of a tag to be viewed across all student blogs.

Student Blog Links

When running in multisite mode, provides an admin option that allows an unlimited number of arbitrary links to be added to the first widgetized area on every student blog.

Student List

Provides a widget that shows a list of all students, with each student name linking to a page to show all of their posts.

Student Pseudonym

When running in multisite mode, adds a page to the Users group on the admin side of any student blog that allows them to quickly change their username, blog URL and display name.

Word Counter

Adds a professor-only admin page that allows them to view student word counts by week, and adds a dashboard widget to each student blog that shows how may words they have written for the current and previous weeks.

YouTube Class Playlist

Maintains a list of all embedded YouTube videos, which can be shown via a widget or a deciated page.

Themes

The plugin also provides a custom theme that takes advantage of the student data aggregation and displays all recent students posts on the front page of the blog, grouped by student. When the plugin is active, the 'Class Blogging' theme will show up in the list of themes that can be activated.