Weekly Report & Relfection #7

Photo copied from:
http://emrefirat.edublogs.org/2012/08/18/todaysmeet/

I really enjoyed working with my group members and discussing the collaborative project using TodaysMeet. The interesting aspect of this project was that neither of the group members physically met in person yet everyone was able to collaborate and create a presentation online. Thinking back to years ago, it is quite evident that successfully working on this project would have been quite difficult. With the help of cloud technology, people around the world can work together without having to meet each other in a face-to-face setting. One of the challenges of working on a project in a digital environment is having the ability to share work in an effective and organized manner as communication takes place using countless emails. To overcome this problem, Google has created a tool known as Google Docs. The tool can be found in a person’s Google Drive and is used to allow group members to work on a single document, whether it be a PowerPoint or a Word document to name a few, at the same time.

Photo copied from: http://www.youngupstarts.com/2012/04/12/52-great-google-docs-secrets-for-students/

Working with Google Docs was a great experience. I have used Google Docs in the past and I find that after taking a few minutes to set up the Google Docs PowerPoint presentation and adding the group members who can view and edit the presentation, I feel great ease. I no longer have to worry about my respective group members waiting for me to send them my portion of the project because they can work on the presentation at the same time and they see any updates made within seconds. After the responsibilities of the project are divided, everyone can independently finish their parts while viewing what everyone is doing and they can discuss where improvements can be made by adding comments to the specific slides. By having access to this tool, people can save time that tends to be spent on figuring out when group members are free and setting up a meeting time. Google Docs can be used in a company to share and work on files between co-workers who are possibly dispersed around the world as long as the person has access to the internet. Most importantly, I no longer have to worry about carrying a USB or having to send emails back and forth.

Photo copied from:
http://blog.arvixe.com/what-is-a-personal-learning-environment/

With regards to the PLE I created in Week 2, I do not feel the need to remove any of the tools I initially I added because I have used those tools in the past, have found them to be useful and will continue to utilize them in the future. Some of the new tools I have discovered can be more useful to the work I wish to complete and therefore I will be adding them to my PLE diagram. Feedly, Google Docs, Evernotes, and Diigo are all new applications that I will be adding to my PLE because they are tools I can benefit from. My PLE is evidently increasing in size simply due to the fact that I am being exposed to new tools that I did now know about before. I feel that I have been able to take advantage of the new tools and feel they will prove to be beneficial when I use them for school, work, and/or my personal purposes. After completing half of this course, I have found that I have been able to learn about new features on the sites and tools I used before taking this course which is great.

Through my Feedly Reader, I found an article about 5 questions teachers can ask students to help boost their learning experience. The questions suggested are quite simple but "powerful" as suggested by the article. I think questions like "Why do you think that" or " How do you know this" will let teachers really reach their students as they try to help them understand and further develop their train of thought on various topics. Although teachers may have already thought about these questions, I believe keeping track of how often and when these questions are asked is very important as it ensures that these questions are consistently being asked. These questions can be beneficial as they can potentially allow students to become more comfortable and confident when asking questions and/or sharing their opinions. 

Weekly Report & Reflection #6

I had the opportunity of exploring Evernote this week. The basic premise of Evernote is that it is a note taking tool. However, there are more features than just note taking. You can add research, web pages, clips, tasks and to-dos, photos of whiteboards, emails, handwritten organizers in a notepad, and camera phone snapshots all to your Evernote notebooks (Hamilton, 2010). Considering all that Evernote has to offer, it is obvious that it is not a standard note taking application.  

My favourite feature about Evernote is the synchronization and multi-platform ability. Evernote works with computers (Windows and Mac), mobile phones, tablets, and even webOS! As you can see, there are so many platforms you can use Evernote on. For example, if I make notes on my laptop during a lecture, I can view the notes on my phone when I am on the bus as long as I have internet connection. The cloud access and the ability to access notes on almost anything with internet is a very beneficial feature that will attract more users to Evernote in the future. As a note taking application, Evernote is helpful for educational purposes as it includes a feature that helps learning by sharing notebooks. You do not have to give a physical copy of your notes to someone but can allow users to access your notebook. This results in knowledge sharing and is helpful for collaboration in group projects. This will be a helpful tool when I work on my research project with my partners. Furthermore, I also liked the reminder feature that I explored with as it allowed me to set reminders on my account and through emails. Doing this will help me with keeping track of due dates due or remind me that I should start working on my task as the deadline is coming up. For example, I can use this tool to create notes for a topic while I work on it. Afterwards, I can set a reminders for next week stating that I need finish it before the project is due making Evernote a great tool that can benefit my time management skills. This blog is helpful in helping you set out reminders. Make sure you take a look!

Photo copied from: http://goinswriter.com/capture-ideas-evernote/

What's great about Evernote is that it meets many needs and, like some of the other tools I have been introduced to, can fit into more than one category within my PLE. Evernote can be part of the categories create and organize because it not only organizes content that I have collected but it also helps me to compile research into notebooks I create. I will add Evernote to my PLE because, as I previously mentioned, it is an extremely useful tool with everyday applications! With the help of Evernote, I was able to bring my Digital Communication to another level.

I am open-minded towards using Evernote for working with a partner for an online assignment. Using digital communication to work with a partner is going to be a new experience. All of my university class assignments involved meeting and interacting with group member face-to-face. At the same time, I feel that being able to use Evernote will develop stronger communication skills by interacting using different methods.

When I was first learning about Evernote, I had doubts about facing difficulty when using the program so I checked my Feedly reader to see if there were any blogs about Evernote and I found one. The Evernote blog gives you tips and stories about Evernote, updates with Evernote and just helps you use Evernote to the best of your abilities. So if you are interesting in learning more about Evernote, or how to best use it for your tasks take a look at this blog!

Weekly Report & Reflection #5

Photo copied from: Metamorphosis in Education: Personal Learning Networks

This week’s session allowed me to create a Twitter account while exploring the social media tool and learning how tweeting can enhance my educational experience. Before I talk about Twitter, I want to touch upon my experiences with regards to how I participated in learning from others in a personal learning network (PLN). Using various methods and channels of communication, I was able to discuss tools and topics that have been covered in this ADED course thus far. I enjoy hearing my peers’ opinions and thoughts on a variety of topics, specifically ones that I have discussed in my blog. I truly appreciate it when my peers leave me a comment on what I have wrote or a new discovery they made while reading my blogs because it allows me to think about new perspectives while also viewing a topic from a different angle. Considering this, I hope to learn quite a bit from my PLN. Overall, I think learning and communicating with others in my PLN is one of the best learning experiences I have had and I hope to continue to explore new tools and ideas by utilizing it.

Twitter was quite a fascinating tool that I explored this week. Twitter is famous for its micro-blog approach and its ability to create a social network market by using symbols and limited characters that users can glance at with ease. Some say that Twitter builds your PLN but in reality it is up to you to make it work as a positive learning network and tool. Only you can contribute to Twitter and only you can enhance your PLN within the social network tools. Twitter’s advantages include having the ease of navigation and sorting out great resources that can assist in building your PLN but it is still important to remember that it is still up to you to discover which resources are credible when following and adding people to your PLN.

Photo copied from:

Advice to Junior Academics on How to Get Involved With Twitter

Twitter fits in my PLE, but similar to the other tools I use, it cannot be added into one section of my PLE because it is a multi-purpose tool.  When looking back at my PLE diagram from week 2, it is obvious that Twitter can fit in to all of the 4 categories: create, learn, organize, and search and learn.  Twitter allows me to create personalized short tweets on my own which can be posted on Twitter. It allows me to connect and search for my fellow classmates, friends and whatever else I may be interested in. It allows me to organize information by creating lists for specific groups, such as my ADED 1P32 classmates.  Overall, Twitter is a very well rounded tool that fits well into my PLE.

Looking at my Feedly reader I have added a few more blogs and websites to my reader as the weeks have gone by. My reader includes a mix of personal interests as well as helpful learning websites that are useful in my classes. I have a midterm coming up next week for one of my in class courses which means it is time to study. I am finding it hard to study as I am a bit lost with regards to where I should start since I am yet to be informed about what the setup of the midterm will look like. To help me through this next week of studying I added http://studysuccessful.com/ to my Feedly reader. Not only does this link provide me with a variety of studying techniques, it also provides tips that can be beneficial when trying to survive as a university student who is under stress. I recommend people to look out for tips, facts and other helpful guides as they are likely to help you in your college and/or university careers. 

From my Feedly reader I am able to connect what I read to my learning inside and outside of this class. As stated in the paragraph above, everything people learn about is connected to what educators and individuals are using to learn and educate each other across the world. Feedly allows me to read relevant information and twitter allows me to share that information with like-minded individuals. I am constantly reading articles that stress the importance of technology in education and that discuss the merits of using technology to create an environment where one can grow.

Considering the points I have made in this week’s blog, I look forward to adding more tools to my PLN!

Weekly Report & Reflection #4

I found the exploration of the bookmarking tools to be useful as it allowed me to bookmark information I may need to refer to at a later time; this tool will benefit me in the future, specifically when I am researching and brainstorming ideas for a project. I have bookmarked websites in the past but found difficulty in finding the valuable information when returning to the site because I could not remember why I bookmarked it. Considering this, Diigo is a suitable tool for educational activities because it allows me to save, highlight, read, and bookmark information. Diigo is also useful considering that the information can be saved on my account and it can be accessed on any computer if the application is downloaded. Another benefit to the Diigo tool is that I am able to save time spent on rereading material that is unrelated to the topic I am trying to find information on. I also realized that being able to effectively utilize Diigo will help me in becoming a positive digital citizen as it relates to the 9 Elements of Digital Literacy because "evaluating online resources" is a key skill that relates to Digital Literacy (Ribble, 2011, p. 27).

Photo copied from: http://mariaguillily.com/e-portfolio/e-learning-for-educators-course/diigo-e-learning-for-educators-group/

I found the Storify website to be really interesting and I enjoyed using it because it allowed me to add minimal text, graphics, and videos. As a student, I am required to complete multiple readings and this can become frustrating but by using Storify, I am able to use the web and reach the main point of the topic. By familiarizing myself with these digital tools, I am able to increase the number of tools I have access to and they can also be added to my Personal Learning Environment, which is a great achievement for me.  

Photo copied from: http://www.content-marketing.com/tools-storify/

Although I am a part of the technological generation know as "Generation Y", I know I have a long way to go in terms of learning about technology which made me realize that becoming a digital citizen can be difficult. I was unaware of many of the tools that have been introduced in this course thus far therefore learning how to effectively use the tools is going to take longer than one week. I have also learned how having digital literacy relates to learning how to read and write because everything requires me to consistently practice in order to become efficient. Nonetheless, I have gained more confidence in my abilities as a blogger and using the online bookmarking tools I have learned about thus far.

While exploring the RSS Feeds from last week, I discovered the convenience of receiving updates that are integrated in a news feed and are presented to me in one place. The article I have chosen to discuss this week is applicable to university students. The article “5 Ways to Completely Ruin Your Job Interview!” provides readers with meaningful interview tips. One of the points made aligned with the topic of having a positive digital footprint on social media websites like Facebook and LinkedIn because having a “poor social media reputation” can negatively affect any candidate's chances of being hired. For example, you may be removed from the candidate pool early on in the hiring process if your profile displays any signs of unprofessional and inappropriate behaviour, such as online bullying or pictures of you drinking. Reading these type of articles further reiterates how I need to be careful while also ensuring that I do not disclose personal information and pictures online as it may unintentionally effect my employer in a negative manner.

Photo copied from: http://www.recruitingdivision.com/tag/behavioral-interviewing/

Text Reference:

Ribble, M. (2011). Digital citizenship in schools (2nd Ed.).Washington, D.C:  International Society for Technology in Education

Weekly Report & Reflection #3

This week’s session allowed me to learn how important it is for everyone to have control over the internet because doing so will allow them to become knowledgeable as they continue their journey in becoming a responsible digital citizen. RSS feeds create a resource for information to immediately be exposed to the user which allows for them to make a better use of their time. This relates to saying how “locat[ing] online sources [you] trust, can be a time-consuming task” and I agree as I found this to be very true (Educase, 2007, p. 1). Whether I am attempting to find relevant resources to write a paper or simply searching for an idea, I have had to spend multiple hours surfing through the internet and multiple web pages. Considering this, I found that the RSS feed to be greatly useful as it allows me to acquire meaningful information while also "saving [a] considerable [amount of] time and effort” (Educause, 2007, p.2).

My Feedly reader can now fit into multiple categories from my Personal Learning Environment, specifically in the organize, connect, and search and learn categories. The RSS Feed Reader is a great tool that finds and collaborates information from many sources available on the internet and later organizes it into a layout that is easy to follow and reduces the chances of anyone getting lost in the many sources out there. In addition, Feedly allows users to connect with other people and it enables them to view new articles, Twitter tweets, and blog posts to name a few.

Photo copied from: https://www.musicclout.com/contents/article-482-8-tips-for-attracting-fans-on-twitter.aspx

Users can develop a strong digital literacy by learning how to use new databases such as Feedly. According to Ribble, digital literacy is a process in which one learns how to successfully use technology (Ribble, 2011). Taking this thought and further thinking about it allowed me to realize that my digital literacy was able to grow and become stronger this week. For example, I had not heard or used Feedly before but after learning about it in this session, I was able to understand and see how it allows me to better organize myself. Furthermore, properly citing the information I have used for this course also indicates how I am digitally responsible (Ribble, 2011). As I move forward in the course, I hope to learn, use, and understand all of the nine elements as doing this will allow me to successfully strengthen my digital citizenship.

Photo copied from: http://www.smsd.us/webpages/jjarrett/resources.cfm?subpage=1355131 

The most interesting post I read discussed the downfall of Apple's new iPhone 6. I found the Apple Blog Post to be very informative in saying how even though Apple released a new phone, many flaws have been found by the users that make it an unattractive purchase. For example, many people have noticed iPhone 6’s bending feature and although this was supposed to be a selling feature, people considered it to be a default as the phone remained bent rather than returning to its initial form. Consumers have found this to be a major concern as the phone is already expensive and so they expect to gain a higher return on their investment and rightfully feel it should be a high quality phone. I found this to be very unfortunate as I was looking to purchase a new phone and considered the iPhone 6 but after hearing this news, I am weary about the idea of purchasing it. I feel fortunate to have seen this post as the information presented is something that affects me.

Photo copied from: http://forums.techarp.com/reviews-articles/28227-ed-184-bendgate-isn-t-new-but-could-finally-change-industry-better.html

My Experience with RSS Feeds

Week 3’s session included the task of creating and analyzing concepts related to RSS’s and Feedly. The exercise and website proved to be useful as it does not require one to search for specific information; instead the website sends the receiver information based on their interests and what they need information for. The website also provides a person with the capability of subscribing to a variety of websites which are later grouped together and contain new information so that a person is able to discover it at a faster pace.

Photo copied from: http://libguides.ivytech.edu/content.php?pid=180869&sid=1521286

A post that I found to be intriguing and advantageous was “20 Memorization Techniques for College Students” which written by Jonathan Fritiz.  Being a university, I found this post to be relevant as it gave me advice and tips with regards to techniques I can use when studying and how I can be prepared and successful when writing exams. The post provides specific advice on how to memorize course related information so that one can achieve the marks they are hoping for. In addition, this basic idea can be further analyzed as the blog advises one to create acronyms from the first letter of the information a person is trying to memorize.

Photo copied from: http://leanblitzconsulting.com/2012/01/new-years-resolutions-smart-goals/

I found Feedly to be a great tool that can be explored in order to retain new information and news. Considering my initial experience with the Feedly tool, I believe it will help me find and collect information in the future. 

Weekly Report & Reflection #2

A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) is a system that is made up of a variety of sources that an individual uses to help them manage their learning while having control over it. Every person, including myself, has their own personal toolbox that is filled with resources that help them when learning and interacting with others; this can include a variety of digital tools as well. There are many websites that I use on a daily basis but I simply thought of them as social media websites. While creating my PLE and thinking a little deeper, I realized that social media websites are helping me learn as they not only allow me to connect with family and friends; they also allow me to learn about things happening around the world. Though some people may find the use of technology a major distraction, I have found it to be a great source for learning and enhancing my knowledge of many topics. The video “The Networked Student”, discussed how a student used digital tools to allow him to gain a better understanding of certain topics. He was also taught that building a network would strengthen his learning process. I found what he was doing was somewhat similar to what my peers and I do for this course. Everyone in this course is able take control of their learning while making connections with their peers. Blogging is a great tool that can be used for making connections as we are able to read people’s opinions and are able to express are thoughts in the process.

Sarwar, F. (CC) 2015.

In 5 to 10 years’ time, I would have graduated from Brock University with a Bachelors of Business Administration degree and would have completed my Human Resource Professional exams. I hope to be working towards advancing my career by taking advantage of a variety of professional opportunities. In terms of staying connected with my network, I see myself maintaining and creating new relationships with current and prospective professionals. I hope to be in a position where I am able to work towards bettering the reputation of Human Resources by being a professional who is accountable and loyal. Overall I hope I am able to meet and/or exceed the expectations people have while meeting my personal goals.

Photo copied from: http://simulblog.com/2014/10/01/my-bright-future/

After creating my personal PLE, I gained a realization that I use many digital tools which not only allow me to connect with others, but also help me manage and organize myself while learning. Social media has proven to have many benefits as it is a great tool for connecting with others. All of the systems I use allow me to share my ideas, perspectives, and opinions while I try to understand concepts that are presented in a simplified manner. Clint Lalonde’s blog post states the importance and effectiveness of Personal Learning Network as it creates a close network of people that can help individuals guide their learning and share opportunities and ideas while advancing ones learning (Lalonde, 2012). I was able to discover more about myself as a learner while creating my PLE and Word Cloud. Since I am able to better understand new material when communicating with people in person versus reading a textbook, having a strong PLN will prove to enhance my learning while I become an effective learner.

Sarwar, F. (CC) 2015.

My takeaway from the word cloud exercise is that it is a great way to summarize an abundant amount of text by simply visualizing it. Although I have seen advertisers use word clouds for making connections, I did not realize that I could use it to creatively compile the information I need to understand as a learner. The use of the word cloud was a relevant and ideal activity that also allowed me to reflect on the significance of having a positive digital footprint and how I must follow technology rules when using all of the tech-based resources and tools that are within my PLE. As I was creating the Wordle, I kept examining the thought of how people made them and was surprised to learn how effective my word cloud was at summarizing the main points and themes from my first blog post. This exercise allowed me to learn about a new system for organizing the tools and resources I have access to and that can effectively be used in a digital context.

- Fajar Sarwar