Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Screencasting Google
This screencast, using Camtasia, is a tutorial on how to use Google in Internet Explorer. It teaches the user a few of the basic skills necessary to “Google” such as defining a search and picking websites.
Screencasting Microsoft Word 2007
This screencast, using Jing, is a tutorial on how to use Microsoft Word 2007. It teaches the user a few of the basic skills necessary to change the style and font of a document, such as how to change the font, use the bold, italicize and underline feature, how to change the color and similar functions.
Screencasting
Screencasting can be extremely beneficial in a school environment and in a business environment. In today’s day and age, computers are more than a necessity; they are an integral part in the way we live our lives. Computer skills are necessary in almost every job and students are expected to research and complete assignments on the computer. Technology is advancing at a rapid rate and, unfortunately, many people are not technologically savvy.
Screencasting can be very beneficial to schools. The administration can create training videos for teachers who are not as technologically savvy and who could benefit from the use of the computer in their classroom. This would eliminate the need for the administration to hire a professional to teach teachers or other staff members to enhance computer skills. Teachers can create tutorials and software reviews for students. They can also create whiteboard presentations which can be beneficial no matter which subject is being taught. In addition, teachers can produce demonstrations and how-to videos for students to watch on their own time. As a teacher’s time is very limited and many students need his or her individual attention, screencasting can be a great time saver for teachers and students alike. Students can watch these teacher-provided screencasts and learn how to do what is being asked of them. Teachers can also give video handouts at the end of class. Video handouts are much more helpful than photocopied or even computer-made sheets as they can be visual and auditory. Teachers can also use sketchcatch.com to explain math or science concepts to students. Teachers teaching virtually any subject can benefit from providing narration to powerpoint presentations and saving them as screencasts. In all of the above cases, students can watch – and rewatch if necessary – the screencasts to ensure that they can understand the material and can complete the assignments. Of course some teachers will have more benefit from screencasting than others. For example, a computer teacher may use screencasts in every lesson. A math teacher, on the other hand, may only use screencasts for difficult concepts. Regardless of how often a teacher chooses to use screencasts in his or her classroom, it is a very useful tool for teachers in all subjects.
Screencasting can also be very beneficial for companies. Technology is advancing at a rapid rate and, in order to compete in today’s business environment, one needs to know how to use the computer efficiently and effectively. Companies can create training screencasts which their employees can watch and learn from and, when applicable, clients can watch and learn from as well. This eliminates the need for companies to hire a professional to teach their employees to enhance their computer skills. Companies can create corporate in house interactive e-learning videos for internal employees which can be watched and studied on their own time. In addition, companies can also create web presentations, marketing demos and how-to screencasts which can be used internally or posted on the company’s blog or website to help customers. Many people are not as technologically savvy as others so companies can take screenshots and add them to a how-to blog post or company website to answer questions. They can create how-to videos or a detailed screencast training program available to paid subscribers. They can also add narration to a powerpoint presentation and save it as a screencast, which can then be used in business meetings or shown to clients. Compamies can also use screencasts as concept software to explore software which doesn’t exist yet but could in the future. Of course how much a company chooses to use screencasts will depend, in large part, on the nature of the product or service being provided. Companies which are in the computer field or on the Internet may heavily rely on screencasts to help their customers. Companies which sell services and products which are not computer related may not use screencasts as often. It is important to note that most companies have an online presence today and many allow customers to purchase their products or services over the Internet. Some customers who are not technologocally savvy need help and screencasts can be very helpful. In addition, all companies need to train their employees how to use new software or computer programs which will enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness of the company and screencasts are a great way to train employees. Regardless of which field a company is in, screencasts can be an essential tool to enhance any company!
Some of the information in this post has been taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell
Screencasting can be very beneficial to schools. The administration can create training videos for teachers who are not as technologically savvy and who could benefit from the use of the computer in their classroom. This would eliminate the need for the administration to hire a professional to teach teachers or other staff members to enhance computer skills. Teachers can create tutorials and software reviews for students. They can also create whiteboard presentations which can be beneficial no matter which subject is being taught. In addition, teachers can produce demonstrations and how-to videos for students to watch on their own time. As a teacher’s time is very limited and many students need his or her individual attention, screencasting can be a great time saver for teachers and students alike. Students can watch these teacher-provided screencasts and learn how to do what is being asked of them. Teachers can also give video handouts at the end of class. Video handouts are much more helpful than photocopied or even computer-made sheets as they can be visual and auditory. Teachers can also use sketchcatch.com to explain math or science concepts to students. Teachers teaching virtually any subject can benefit from providing narration to powerpoint presentations and saving them as screencasts. In all of the above cases, students can watch – and rewatch if necessary – the screencasts to ensure that they can understand the material and can complete the assignments. Of course some teachers will have more benefit from screencasting than others. For example, a computer teacher may use screencasts in every lesson. A math teacher, on the other hand, may only use screencasts for difficult concepts. Regardless of how often a teacher chooses to use screencasts in his or her classroom, it is a very useful tool for teachers in all subjects.
Screencasting can also be very beneficial for companies. Technology is advancing at a rapid rate and, in order to compete in today’s business environment, one needs to know how to use the computer efficiently and effectively. Companies can create training screencasts which their employees can watch and learn from and, when applicable, clients can watch and learn from as well. This eliminates the need for companies to hire a professional to teach their employees to enhance their computer skills. Companies can create corporate in house interactive e-learning videos for internal employees which can be watched and studied on their own time. In addition, companies can also create web presentations, marketing demos and how-to screencasts which can be used internally or posted on the company’s blog or website to help customers. Many people are not as technologically savvy as others so companies can take screenshots and add them to a how-to blog post or company website to answer questions. They can create how-to videos or a detailed screencast training program available to paid subscribers. They can also add narration to a powerpoint presentation and save it as a screencast, which can then be used in business meetings or shown to clients. Compamies can also use screencasts as concept software to explore software which doesn’t exist yet but could in the future. Of course how much a company chooses to use screencasts will depend, in large part, on the nature of the product or service being provided. Companies which are in the computer field or on the Internet may heavily rely on screencasts to help their customers. Companies which sell services and products which are not computer related may not use screencasts as often. It is important to note that most companies have an online presence today and many allow customers to purchase their products or services over the Internet. Some customers who are not technologocally savvy need help and screencasts can be very helpful. In addition, all companies need to train their employees how to use new software or computer programs which will enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness of the company and screencasts are a great way to train employees. Regardless of which field a company is in, screencasts can be an essential tool to enhance any company!
Some of the information in this post has been taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Podcasting
I created two podcasts.
The link for the first is http://bracha999.mypodcast.com/
It is the reading for the first two pages of Chapter 7 from Ann Bell's Web 2.0.
The link for the second is http://bracha9999.mypodcast.com/index.html
It is the reading of the first page and a half of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling.
Please note that there a several seconds of silence at the end of the second podcast.
The link for the first is http://bracha999.mypodcast.com/
It is the reading for the first two pages of Chapter 7 from Ann Bell's Web 2.0.
The link for the second is http://bracha9999.mypodcast.com/index.html
It is the reading of the first page and a half of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling.
Please note that there a several seconds of silence at the end of the second podcast.
Podcasting
Now that I have had more experience using podcasts, I realize that podcasting is a very beneficial tool in any professional setting.
As a student studying business, I believe that podcasting is an extremely useful tool for companies and for individual businesspeople. In our ever changing world, companies and individual business people need to absorb an enormous amount of information to enable them to make sound decisions and compete effectively. Most businesspeople are busy with numerous responsibilities and they often do not have the time to spend listening to a lecture, radio or TV show at the time that it is being broadcasted. Podcasting allows businesspeople to gather the necessary information when and where it is convenient for them, be it on their MP3 as they are driving in the car or on their laptop at twelve o’clock at night. In addition, managers can post lectures or trainings on pertinent business subjects which their subordinates can listen to on their own time. In the same vein, anyone working in a company can post lectures on interesting and useful concepts which their colleagues can listen to on their own time. In the event that a businessperson must miss an important meeting, he or she can “catch up” if the meeting was recorded on a podcast. This is more beneficial than reviewing the minutes of the meeting as it enables the businessperson to ensure that he or she has not missed out any aspect of the business meeting, even the little details which may not have been recorded in the minutes of the meeting but may turn out to be important in the long run. Podcasting also allows individuals to record conversations – something which can be very useful in professions which require exact quotes or attention to detail. As I have gotten more experience using podcasts, I realized that they are a very beneficial tool to communicate with customers as well. Businesses can offer podcasts on a variety of topics and customers can subscribe to programs they are interested in. For example, preschools can provide podcasts on parenting tips, travel agents can offer audio tours of specific cities and medical facilities can offer information on pertinent health matters. Unlike many other forms of online communication, the company or individual businessperson does not need to email the customer. Instead, new podcasts put out by the company are automatically downloaded into the customer’s computer as soon as they are available. The customer can then take that podcast and listen to it wherever they want. This effectively provides a unique manner of communication between the customer and the business in which neither hassles the other. In other words, the business can create the podcast on its own time and the customer can listen to the podcast on his or her own time, at his or her own convenience. In addition, I realized that podcasts are especially beneficial to business because they transcend geographical borders which, in effect, increase the company’s marketing reach. Podcasting also provides a regular line of communication to subscribed listeners. Finally, podcasting increases loyalty to the company because of the value added content. In other words, the customer is getting something more, an added value, through the podcast. This added value can be anything from tips to advice to anything related to the company’s line of business – as long as the customer believes that the information is valuable. Customers who believe they are receiving more value at a particular firm, tend to stay with that firm. Of course, individuals who are not customers may subscribe to business podcasts as well. However, this can only help the company because these individuals will probably trust the company whose podcasts they are listening to so, when they need the goods or services provided by that company, they will most probably go to that company as opposed to any other.
Of course, podcasting is extremely useful for schools as well. Teachers can make podcasts to summarize lessons or teach new material to students. Teachers can also make directories of podcasts related to the subject they are teaching and post them so that students can acquire more knowledge. Students can add to the podcast directory – although this may need to be monitored by a teacher or another responsible adult. Teachers and students can use podcasts to share poetry or creative writing, debate issues, review literature and apply concepts or topics to real world events. Podcasting is very useful outside the classroom as well. Podcasting can be used to promote school activities. Guest speakers, school concerts and school games can be posted as a podcast enabling students and their families to enjoy the event long after it has been completed. School board meetings, PTA meetings, school news, daily news, weather reports, school closings, press announcements or any other piece of news the school wishes to share with its student and parent body can be broadcasted in either audio or visual format through the use of a podcast. As an online student, I believe that podcasting is especially beneficial for schools as it enables teachers to post complete lessons online and students can listen to these lessons on their own. Although online education cannot replace a teacher sitting in a classroom teaching the subject at hand and answering the students’ questions, it is one step closer to making an online classroom resemble a traditional classroom! As I have gotten more experience with podcasts, I realized that podcasts have some other benefits for schools as well. First of all, podcasts enable teachers to meet the needs of more students with varying learning styles and aptitudes. In today’s heterogeneous classrooms, this is extremely important. In addition, audio podcasts are very beneficial for students who are non native speakers, as students can replay the podcast over and over again, until they understand everything being taught. In fact, podcasts give all students the ability to replay and review the information which helps embed the lesson in their memory. Podcasts can also be used as resource material which can enable students to work independently on the assignment. In large classrooms with students from different backgrounds, it is often difficult for teachers to be “everywhere at once”. Podcasts therefore let the students work independently. They also enable students to work on their own pace, backing up and reviewing the material when needed without slowing down the entire class. In a classroom there will always be a few students who need additional help and podcasts help the professor help these students. The professor can simply direct the student to the podcast resource which will answer his question during independent study time. Of course, podcasts cannot replace the teacher, however, it can be a great asset for the student when the teacher is unavailable. Podcasts can be extremely beneficial for students who do not speak the native language or who are learning a new language. The students can be given iPods with the material in the foreign language and listen to them over and over again - which can greatly improve their reading, comprehension and verbal skills. Finally, podcasts can be used by classrooms to create content for other classrooms or other schools around the world. Comprehension of a topic grows when one is required to teach it to others. Therefore, the process of creating a lesson becomes the lesson itself!
In order to subscribe to podcasts, I realized that I needed to install iTunes, Juice or use an RSS feeder. As I had already installed iTunes on my computer and subscribed to various podcasts, I continued to use that medium to listen to my podcasts. Then, I found several podcasts that were interesting to me as a business student and former teacher. It is important to note that, as iTunes is installed on my computer, I had to go back to the websites and post a link to the website to my blog and to the discussion forum.
The first podcast I subscribed to was a Bobby Brooks podcast. Bobby Brooks is an award winning educator and shares ideas on how educators and parents can keep their children engaged in the learning process. There were five podcasts on his website, all about keeping children engaged. The first was a video podcast; the rest were audio podcasts. I listened to all five of them. The link to these podcasts is http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/bobby-brooks-keeping-them/id349055795.
The second podcast I subscribed to was a podcast by Martin Wolf. It was done on July 13, 2010. The world economy has suffered tremendously in recent years. This podcast describes some of the reasons for the financial crises and what leaders of the world’s economies will have to do to ensure that we do not suffer further “earthquakes” (ie financial crises). The link to this podcast is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=842.
The third podcast I subscribed to was important world news which impacts the business world substantively. This included the violence in Somalia and the threat it poses in Eastern Africa, the impact US imposed sanctions on Iran are having around the world and the Chinese economy and how it is affecting American businesses. Richard McGregor, David Blair, William Wallis and Simeon Kerr contributed to the discussion. The link to this podcast is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=841
The fourth podcast I subscribed to discussed the election in Guinea. It is interesting to note that Guinea is having its first election since 1958. Tom Burgis, the Financial Times West African correspondent, discusses the election with Tom O’Sullivan, the Financial Times Assistant World News Editor. They discuss why the election is important for investors and how Election Day is expected to go. The link to this site is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=841.
The fifth podcast I subscribed to discussed strategic entrepreneurism. While every new business owner wants to be “the next big thing”, most new businesses fail. Strategic entrepreneurism shows business owners how to run and manage a new company and how to design a company for the end result of selling that company to a larger company. Jon Fisher, one of the authors of the book Strategic Entrepreneurism, was interviewed. The link to this podcast is http://www.smallbusinesspodcast.com/programs/permalinks/SBP_2009-05-11_Strategic-Entrepreneurs.htm.
As a student studying business, I believe that podcasting is an extremely useful tool for companies and for individual businesspeople. In our ever changing world, companies and individual business people need to absorb an enormous amount of information to enable them to make sound decisions and compete effectively. Most businesspeople are busy with numerous responsibilities and they often do not have the time to spend listening to a lecture, radio or TV show at the time that it is being broadcasted. Podcasting allows businesspeople to gather the necessary information when and where it is convenient for them, be it on their MP3 as they are driving in the car or on their laptop at twelve o’clock at night. In addition, managers can post lectures or trainings on pertinent business subjects which their subordinates can listen to on their own time. In the same vein, anyone working in a company can post lectures on interesting and useful concepts which their colleagues can listen to on their own time. In the event that a businessperson must miss an important meeting, he or she can “catch up” if the meeting was recorded on a podcast. This is more beneficial than reviewing the minutes of the meeting as it enables the businessperson to ensure that he or she has not missed out any aspect of the business meeting, even the little details which may not have been recorded in the minutes of the meeting but may turn out to be important in the long run. Podcasting also allows individuals to record conversations – something which can be very useful in professions which require exact quotes or attention to detail. As I have gotten more experience using podcasts, I realized that they are a very beneficial tool to communicate with customers as well. Businesses can offer podcasts on a variety of topics and customers can subscribe to programs they are interested in. For example, preschools can provide podcasts on parenting tips, travel agents can offer audio tours of specific cities and medical facilities can offer information on pertinent health matters. Unlike many other forms of online communication, the company or individual businessperson does not need to email the customer. Instead, new podcasts put out by the company are automatically downloaded into the customer’s computer as soon as they are available. The customer can then take that podcast and listen to it wherever they want. This effectively provides a unique manner of communication between the customer and the business in which neither hassles the other. In other words, the business can create the podcast on its own time and the customer can listen to the podcast on his or her own time, at his or her own convenience. In addition, I realized that podcasts are especially beneficial to business because they transcend geographical borders which, in effect, increase the company’s marketing reach. Podcasting also provides a regular line of communication to subscribed listeners. Finally, podcasting increases loyalty to the company because of the value added content. In other words, the customer is getting something more, an added value, through the podcast. This added value can be anything from tips to advice to anything related to the company’s line of business – as long as the customer believes that the information is valuable. Customers who believe they are receiving more value at a particular firm, tend to stay with that firm. Of course, individuals who are not customers may subscribe to business podcasts as well. However, this can only help the company because these individuals will probably trust the company whose podcasts they are listening to so, when they need the goods or services provided by that company, they will most probably go to that company as opposed to any other.
Of course, podcasting is extremely useful for schools as well. Teachers can make podcasts to summarize lessons or teach new material to students. Teachers can also make directories of podcasts related to the subject they are teaching and post them so that students can acquire more knowledge. Students can add to the podcast directory – although this may need to be monitored by a teacher or another responsible adult. Teachers and students can use podcasts to share poetry or creative writing, debate issues, review literature and apply concepts or topics to real world events. Podcasting is very useful outside the classroom as well. Podcasting can be used to promote school activities. Guest speakers, school concerts and school games can be posted as a podcast enabling students and their families to enjoy the event long after it has been completed. School board meetings, PTA meetings, school news, daily news, weather reports, school closings, press announcements or any other piece of news the school wishes to share with its student and parent body can be broadcasted in either audio or visual format through the use of a podcast. As an online student, I believe that podcasting is especially beneficial for schools as it enables teachers to post complete lessons online and students can listen to these lessons on their own. Although online education cannot replace a teacher sitting in a classroom teaching the subject at hand and answering the students’ questions, it is one step closer to making an online classroom resemble a traditional classroom! As I have gotten more experience with podcasts, I realized that podcasts have some other benefits for schools as well. First of all, podcasts enable teachers to meet the needs of more students with varying learning styles and aptitudes. In today’s heterogeneous classrooms, this is extremely important. In addition, audio podcasts are very beneficial for students who are non native speakers, as students can replay the podcast over and over again, until they understand everything being taught. In fact, podcasts give all students the ability to replay and review the information which helps embed the lesson in their memory. Podcasts can also be used as resource material which can enable students to work independently on the assignment. In large classrooms with students from different backgrounds, it is often difficult for teachers to be “everywhere at once”. Podcasts therefore let the students work independently. They also enable students to work on their own pace, backing up and reviewing the material when needed without slowing down the entire class. In a classroom there will always be a few students who need additional help and podcasts help the professor help these students. The professor can simply direct the student to the podcast resource which will answer his question during independent study time. Of course, podcasts cannot replace the teacher, however, it can be a great asset for the student when the teacher is unavailable. Podcasts can be extremely beneficial for students who do not speak the native language or who are learning a new language. The students can be given iPods with the material in the foreign language and listen to them over and over again - which can greatly improve their reading, comprehension and verbal skills. Finally, podcasts can be used by classrooms to create content for other classrooms or other schools around the world. Comprehension of a topic grows when one is required to teach it to others. Therefore, the process of creating a lesson becomes the lesson itself!
In order to subscribe to podcasts, I realized that I needed to install iTunes, Juice or use an RSS feeder. As I had already installed iTunes on my computer and subscribed to various podcasts, I continued to use that medium to listen to my podcasts. Then, I found several podcasts that were interesting to me as a business student and former teacher. It is important to note that, as iTunes is installed on my computer, I had to go back to the websites and post a link to the website to my blog and to the discussion forum.
The first podcast I subscribed to was a Bobby Brooks podcast. Bobby Brooks is an award winning educator and shares ideas on how educators and parents can keep their children engaged in the learning process. There were five podcasts on his website, all about keeping children engaged. The first was a video podcast; the rest were audio podcasts. I listened to all five of them. The link to these podcasts is http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/bobby-brooks-keeping-them/id349055795.
The second podcast I subscribed to was a podcast by Martin Wolf. It was done on July 13, 2010. The world economy has suffered tremendously in recent years. This podcast describes some of the reasons for the financial crises and what leaders of the world’s economies will have to do to ensure that we do not suffer further “earthquakes” (ie financial crises). The link to this podcast is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=842.
The third podcast I subscribed to was important world news which impacts the business world substantively. This included the violence in Somalia and the threat it poses in Eastern Africa, the impact US imposed sanctions on Iran are having around the world and the Chinese economy and how it is affecting American businesses. Richard McGregor, David Blair, William Wallis and Simeon Kerr contributed to the discussion. The link to this podcast is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=841
The fourth podcast I subscribed to discussed the election in Guinea. It is interesting to note that Guinea is having its first election since 1958. Tom Burgis, the Financial Times West African correspondent, discusses the election with Tom O’Sullivan, the Financial Times Assistant World News Editor. They discuss why the election is important for investors and how Election Day is expected to go. The link to this site is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=841.
The fifth podcast I subscribed to discussed strategic entrepreneurism. While every new business owner wants to be “the next big thing”, most new businesses fail. Strategic entrepreneurism shows business owners how to run and manage a new company and how to design a company for the end result of selling that company to a larger company. Jon Fisher, one of the authors of the book Strategic Entrepreneurism, was interviewed. The link to this podcast is http://www.smallbusinesspodcast.com/programs/permalinks/SBP_2009-05-11_Strategic-Entrepreneurs.htm.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Blogs
After using a blog for the past two months, I realize that blogs are very beneficial for everyone, no matter what profession one has or which school one attends.
Blogs can be used in a variety of areas in a school. In a classroom setting, blogs enable the teacher and students to subscribe to rss feeds on the subjects that they are learning. Blogs enable teachers to post additional information on the subject taught in class and the homework assigned. Blogs also allow students to communicate with each other at all times to discuss the material or post interesting links which other students can benefit from. Blogs teach students critical thinking skills, collaboration skills, communication skills and writing skills. Blogs enable students to become more media and information literate, a tool which is necessary to succeed in today’s technological environment. Blogs also teach students how networks function, how to hyperlink, how to cite the work of others and how to comment appropriately. Finally, blogs help develop students’ confidence and self expression, skills which are integral in all aspects of a person’s life – after all, it is not only the teacher who sees and comments on their work, but the other students or possibly even strangers!
Blogs can be beneficial outside of the classroom as well. Blogs can help schools communicate internally. School committees or school groups can archive the minutes of meetings, continue dialogue between meetings, share links on relevant information and store documents and presentations for easy access later. Blogs essentially enable users to manage and communicate the knowledge that is within a group, be it a student group such as the cheerleading squad, a parent group such as the PTA or an administrative group such as the curriculum coordinators. School boards can use blogs share ideas, lesson plans, worksheets and projects with the schools in their district. This enables teachers and administrators to view the material on their own time and to comment at their own pace. In addition, schools can have blogs in addition to the school website – and some would even argue that the blogs can replace the school website. This is very beneficial because it enables every department to update their blog whenever they want and make changes whenever necessary without waiting for the webmaster to do it. The school blog can also be used to post information, announcements, school projects, photos, school events and the school calendar. Simply put, a school blog can be used as a means to communicate with the school body, school staff and parent body.
Many of the abovementioned benefits can be used in any other professional setting as well. As a student studying business, I would like to add some other areas where blogging can be beneficial to a business. Business blogs can be used as powerful marketing and communication tool. Blogs can help companies build better relationships with their customers, shareholders, suppliers, the media and the general public. It is important to note that setting up and maintaining a business blog costs virtually nothing and, when used correctly, the results can be astounding. One benefit of business blogs is that they are constantly updated, which leads Google to reindex the site more frequently. This enables people to find the blog more easily which, in turn, gives the blog’s rankings a boost. In addition, a company which has a blog has the advantage of having direct communication with clients and potential clients. Clients can comment in the comment section and subscribe to receive updates. In the same vein, a business blog is a great way to build up the company’s brand and get the word out to thousands of people who may have otherwise never even known the company existed. The company can also blog about sale promotions or new products which, in turn, can generate excitement from customers and potential customers. A company can write whatever it desires in their blog – which gives the company the ability to show clients and potential clients what differentiates it from the competition. In the same vein, a company can post honest, transparent and heartfelt articles to instil trust in potential clients and manage its online reputation. Finally, a blog allows the company and its readers to build a personal relationship; the readers can comment, the company can respond and a relationship can ensue. Perhaps this is the single most important benefit of a business blog; it facilitates the relationships with stakeholders and, in the long run, it is the relationships a company builds which determine its success or failure.
My thoughts on blogs have not changed very much since I started using a blog. However, I now realize just how beneficial blogging is to schools and companies. Previously, I had not realized how easy it is to use a blog and to customize a blog for the purpose one desires. I also had not realized how easy it is to edit and modify a blog. I would venture to say that, after working with a blog for the past two months, any organization which does not capitalize on this great resource is missing out tremendously!
This first piece of media that I embedded into my blog was static pictures. I chose three pictures, taken from a trip to Israel. One was of the beach in Natanya. The other two were overlooking the hills of Jerusalem. Then, I embedded three youtube videos. The youtube videos contrast the fireworks in Canada, The United States and Mexico on national holidays. Finally, I embedded three Google maps. The first map was a satellite view of Times Square. The second was a map view of Hollywood, California. The third was a map view of Miami Beach, Florida.
Then, I had to choose three other types of media and embed them directly into my blog. I researched media on the Internet to discover what types of things would fall under the definition of media. Once I had chosen my three types of media (a slideshow, a news web page and an mp3 clip), I had to research how to embed them onto my blog. This was a time consuming process and, even after I discovered the correct codes, it took a while to figure out how to embed them onto my blog.
The fist type of media I embedded was a slide show. Slide shows are often used in presentations, be it business, professional or fun and they are an informative and easy-to-use type of media. Because I had already created a flickr account and was unsure of copyright laws applied when taking pictures from the Internet, I changed my flickr pictures into a slideshow. Then, I pressed share, which enabled me to get the html code. I copied the code and pasted it into my blog and, voila, my flickr slideshow was embedded on my blog.
The second type of media I embedded into my blog was a web page. Newspapers and news web sites are a very important source of media. It took me a long time to figure out the correct code to embed a webpage into a blog. Finally, I discovered the correct code. By putting in the correct URL, I was able to embed a CNN.com news web page onto my blog. I had to change the width and height to fit into my blog. The sidebars enable the reader to see the entire page by scrolling up and down or back and forth.
The third type of media I embedded into my blog was an mp3 clip. Today mp3 clips are an important source of media, especially for young people who own mp3 players. Again, it took me a while to discover the correct code to embed mp3 clips into my blog. Finally, I discovered this the correct code. I researched the URL of Lady Gaga’s song, Bad Romance, and inserted it in the correct spot. Again, I had to play with the width and height to get the width and height that I wanted on my blog.
Some of the information in this post has been taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
Blogs can be used in a variety of areas in a school. In a classroom setting, blogs enable the teacher and students to subscribe to rss feeds on the subjects that they are learning. Blogs enable teachers to post additional information on the subject taught in class and the homework assigned. Blogs also allow students to communicate with each other at all times to discuss the material or post interesting links which other students can benefit from. Blogs teach students critical thinking skills, collaboration skills, communication skills and writing skills. Blogs enable students to become more media and information literate, a tool which is necessary to succeed in today’s technological environment. Blogs also teach students how networks function, how to hyperlink, how to cite the work of others and how to comment appropriately. Finally, blogs help develop students’ confidence and self expression, skills which are integral in all aspects of a person’s life – after all, it is not only the teacher who sees and comments on their work, but the other students or possibly even strangers!
Blogs can be beneficial outside of the classroom as well. Blogs can help schools communicate internally. School committees or school groups can archive the minutes of meetings, continue dialogue between meetings, share links on relevant information and store documents and presentations for easy access later. Blogs essentially enable users to manage and communicate the knowledge that is within a group, be it a student group such as the cheerleading squad, a parent group such as the PTA or an administrative group such as the curriculum coordinators. School boards can use blogs share ideas, lesson plans, worksheets and projects with the schools in their district. This enables teachers and administrators to view the material on their own time and to comment at their own pace. In addition, schools can have blogs in addition to the school website – and some would even argue that the blogs can replace the school website. This is very beneficial because it enables every department to update their blog whenever they want and make changes whenever necessary without waiting for the webmaster to do it. The school blog can also be used to post information, announcements, school projects, photos, school events and the school calendar. Simply put, a school blog can be used as a means to communicate with the school body, school staff and parent body.
Many of the abovementioned benefits can be used in any other professional setting as well. As a student studying business, I would like to add some other areas where blogging can be beneficial to a business. Business blogs can be used as powerful marketing and communication tool. Blogs can help companies build better relationships with their customers, shareholders, suppliers, the media and the general public. It is important to note that setting up and maintaining a business blog costs virtually nothing and, when used correctly, the results can be astounding. One benefit of business blogs is that they are constantly updated, which leads Google to reindex the site more frequently. This enables people to find the blog more easily which, in turn, gives the blog’s rankings a boost. In addition, a company which has a blog has the advantage of having direct communication with clients and potential clients. Clients can comment in the comment section and subscribe to receive updates. In the same vein, a business blog is a great way to build up the company’s brand and get the word out to thousands of people who may have otherwise never even known the company existed. The company can also blog about sale promotions or new products which, in turn, can generate excitement from customers and potential customers. A company can write whatever it desires in their blog – which gives the company the ability to show clients and potential clients what differentiates it from the competition. In the same vein, a company can post honest, transparent and heartfelt articles to instil trust in potential clients and manage its online reputation. Finally, a blog allows the company and its readers to build a personal relationship; the readers can comment, the company can respond and a relationship can ensue. Perhaps this is the single most important benefit of a business blog; it facilitates the relationships with stakeholders and, in the long run, it is the relationships a company builds which determine its success or failure.
My thoughts on blogs have not changed very much since I started using a blog. However, I now realize just how beneficial blogging is to schools and companies. Previously, I had not realized how easy it is to use a blog and to customize a blog for the purpose one desires. I also had not realized how easy it is to edit and modify a blog. I would venture to say that, after working with a blog for the past two months, any organization which does not capitalize on this great resource is missing out tremendously!
This first piece of media that I embedded into my blog was static pictures. I chose three pictures, taken from a trip to Israel. One was of the beach in Natanya. The other two were overlooking the hills of Jerusalem. Then, I embedded three youtube videos. The youtube videos contrast the fireworks in Canada, The United States and Mexico on national holidays. Finally, I embedded three Google maps. The first map was a satellite view of Times Square. The second was a map view of Hollywood, California. The third was a map view of Miami Beach, Florida.
Then, I had to choose three other types of media and embed them directly into my blog. I researched media on the Internet to discover what types of things would fall under the definition of media. Once I had chosen my three types of media (a slideshow, a news web page and an mp3 clip), I had to research how to embed them onto my blog. This was a time consuming process and, even after I discovered the correct codes, it took a while to figure out how to embed them onto my blog.
The fist type of media I embedded was a slide show. Slide shows are often used in presentations, be it business, professional or fun and they are an informative and easy-to-use type of media. Because I had already created a flickr account and was unsure of copyright laws applied when taking pictures from the Internet, I changed my flickr pictures into a slideshow. Then, I pressed share, which enabled me to get the html code. I copied the code and pasted it into my blog and, voila, my flickr slideshow was embedded on my blog.
The second type of media I embedded into my blog was a web page. Newspapers and news web sites are a very important source of media. It took me a long time to figure out the correct code to embed a webpage into a blog. Finally, I discovered the correct code. By putting in the correct URL, I was able to embed a CNN.com news web page onto my blog. I had to change the width and height to fit into my blog. The sidebars enable the reader to see the entire page by scrolling up and down or back and forth.
The third type of media I embedded into my blog was an mp3 clip. Today mp3 clips are an important source of media, especially for young people who own mp3 players. Again, it took me a while to discover the correct code to embed mp3 clips into my blog. Finally, I discovered this the correct code. I researched the URL of Lady Gaga’s song, Bad Romance, and inserted it in the correct spot. Again, I had to play with the width and height to get the width and height that I wanted on my blog.
Some of the information in this post has been taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Podcasting
I created my own podcast. It is a podcast of me reading the first two pages of Chapter 7 (Podcasting) of Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell. The link to my podcast is http://bracha999.mypodcast.com/.
Podcasting
Podcasting is very beneficial in all professional settings.
In a school setting, podcasting can be a great tool to promote school activities. For example, students as well as their family members can enjoy guest speakers, school concerts and sporting events – even after they have long been completed. School board meetings, PTA meetings, school news, daily news, weather reports, school closings, press announcements or any other piece of news the school wishes to share with its student and parent body can be broadcasted in either audio or visual format through the use of a podcast. Families can stay connected to the school and students can keep up with their lessons if they must be away from school for an extended period of time. In addition, podcasting can be a great aid to teachers. Teachers can use podcasts to summarize lessons or teach new material to students. Teachers can also make a directory of podcasts related to the subject they are teaching and post them so their students can acquire more knowledge. Students can add to the podcast directory as well – although this may need to be monitored by a teacher or another responsible adult. Podcasting can also be used to share poetry or creative writing – or any other subject matter. It can also be used to debate issues and discuss a variety of viewpoints, review literature and apply topics and concepts to real world events. As an online student, podcasting can be especially beneficial as teachers can post complete lessons and students can listen to them on their own time. Although online education cannot replace a teacher sitting in a classroom teaching the subject at hand and answering the students’ questions, it is one step closer to making an online classroom resemble a traditional classroom!
As a student studying business, I believe that podcasting can be extremely useful in companies as well. Business people need to keep up with a variety of research and information to enable them to make sound business decisions and to compete in today’s business world. Podcasting allows business people to gather this information “on the go”. Information and research findings can be shared between colleagues or different companies. Managers can post lectures on pertinent business subjects so their subordinates can listen to them on their own time. Colleagues who must miss an important meeting can catch up through the use of a podcast. This enables them to ensure that they have not missed any aspect of the business meeting, even the little nuances which may not be repeated by colleagues but may turn out to be important in the long run. It is even possible to record business conversations – something that can be very useful to people in professions that require exactness and attention to detail such as investigators or lawyers. In today’s highly competitive business world, when knowledge is power and we have all become mobile learners, podcasts are gems!
My personal experience with podcasts began today, when I went on the Internet to find information about podcasts and to subscribe to several podcasts.
First of all, I discovered that I needed to install iTunes, Juice or use an RSS feeder. I chose to install iTunes. Then, I found several podcasts that were interesting to a business student and subscribed to them. It is important to note that, as iTunes is installed in my computer, I had to go back to the sites to post a link to my blog and to the discussion forum.
As a business student, I subscribed to five podcasts that were related to the business field.
The first podcast I subscribed to is a CNN podcast. In this podcast, one of the editors of Fortune Magazine, Geoff Colvin, interviews NRG, a wholesale provider of energy, to discuss the next big trends in the business, such as clean coal (which basically amounts to carbon taken out of coal so it is not let up into the environment). The link to this podcast is http://podcasts.cnn.net/cnn/services/podcasting/csuite/video/2008/05/29/fortune.csuite.nrg.coal.fortune.m4v.
The second podcast I subscribed to was from the Financial Times. This podcast discusses how to prevent cyber attacks. Peter Whitehead interviews Edward Amoroso, the chief security officer at AT&T. They discuss the things that companies can do to protect themselves from cyber attacks. They also discuss what countries can do on a global level to prevent themselves from cyber attacks. In addition, Stephen Pritchard interviews Stephen Brost, chief technology officer at Teradata, about the things that firms can do about with all the data they collect over time. The link to the podcast is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=815.
The third podcast I subscribed to was called Business of the Green. It is also a CNN podcast. In this podcast, Olivia Zaleski, one of the editors of Fortune Magazine, interviews Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford. They discuss new ideas that new entrepreneurs are coming up with for the auto industry, specifically the hybrid, plug-in hybrids and American batteries. The link to the podcast is http://ht.cdn.turner.com/money/big/podcasts/bizgreen/video/2009/07/07/f-bg-ford-batteries-hybrid.fortune.m4v.
The fourth podcast I subscribed to was about innovation and risk management. Companies are always trying to be innovative and creative. However, when one is innovative and creative, there is generally a bigger chance at his or her ideas failing. This podcast discusses how to keep the innovation and creativity alive while dealing with the risk of an original or out-of-the-box idea, whatever it may be, failing miserably. The link to this podcast is http://www.podcastsforbusiness.ca/extras/3_innovation_and_risk/index.php.
The fifth podcast I subscribed to discussed strategic entrepreneurism. While every new business owner wants to be “the next big thing”, most new businesses fail. Strategic entrepreneurism shows business owners how to run and manage a new company and how to design a company for the end result of selling that company to a larger company. Jon Fisher, one of the authors of the book Strategic Entrepreneurism, was interviewed. The link to this podcast is http://www.smallbusinesspodcast.com/programs/permalinks/SBP_2009-05-11_Strategic-Entrepreneurs.htm.
Some of the information in this post has been taken for Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
In a school setting, podcasting can be a great tool to promote school activities. For example, students as well as their family members can enjoy guest speakers, school concerts and sporting events – even after they have long been completed. School board meetings, PTA meetings, school news, daily news, weather reports, school closings, press announcements or any other piece of news the school wishes to share with its student and parent body can be broadcasted in either audio or visual format through the use of a podcast. Families can stay connected to the school and students can keep up with their lessons if they must be away from school for an extended period of time. In addition, podcasting can be a great aid to teachers. Teachers can use podcasts to summarize lessons or teach new material to students. Teachers can also make a directory of podcasts related to the subject they are teaching and post them so their students can acquire more knowledge. Students can add to the podcast directory as well – although this may need to be monitored by a teacher or another responsible adult. Podcasting can also be used to share poetry or creative writing – or any other subject matter. It can also be used to debate issues and discuss a variety of viewpoints, review literature and apply topics and concepts to real world events. As an online student, podcasting can be especially beneficial as teachers can post complete lessons and students can listen to them on their own time. Although online education cannot replace a teacher sitting in a classroom teaching the subject at hand and answering the students’ questions, it is one step closer to making an online classroom resemble a traditional classroom!
As a student studying business, I believe that podcasting can be extremely useful in companies as well. Business people need to keep up with a variety of research and information to enable them to make sound business decisions and to compete in today’s business world. Podcasting allows business people to gather this information “on the go”. Information and research findings can be shared between colleagues or different companies. Managers can post lectures on pertinent business subjects so their subordinates can listen to them on their own time. Colleagues who must miss an important meeting can catch up through the use of a podcast. This enables them to ensure that they have not missed any aspect of the business meeting, even the little nuances which may not be repeated by colleagues but may turn out to be important in the long run. It is even possible to record business conversations – something that can be very useful to people in professions that require exactness and attention to detail such as investigators or lawyers. In today’s highly competitive business world, when knowledge is power and we have all become mobile learners, podcasts are gems!
My personal experience with podcasts began today, when I went on the Internet to find information about podcasts and to subscribe to several podcasts.
First of all, I discovered that I needed to install iTunes, Juice or use an RSS feeder. I chose to install iTunes. Then, I found several podcasts that were interesting to a business student and subscribed to them. It is important to note that, as iTunes is installed in my computer, I had to go back to the sites to post a link to my blog and to the discussion forum.
As a business student, I subscribed to five podcasts that were related to the business field.
The first podcast I subscribed to is a CNN podcast. In this podcast, one of the editors of Fortune Magazine, Geoff Colvin, interviews NRG, a wholesale provider of energy, to discuss the next big trends in the business, such as clean coal (which basically amounts to carbon taken out of coal so it is not let up into the environment). The link to this podcast is http://podcasts.cnn.net/cnn/services/podcasting/csuite/video/2008/05/29/fortune.csuite.nrg.coal.fortune.m4v.
The second podcast I subscribed to was from the Financial Times. This podcast discusses how to prevent cyber attacks. Peter Whitehead interviews Edward Amoroso, the chief security officer at AT&T. They discuss the things that companies can do to protect themselves from cyber attacks. They also discuss what countries can do on a global level to prevent themselves from cyber attacks. In addition, Stephen Pritchard interviews Stephen Brost, chief technology officer at Teradata, about the things that firms can do about with all the data they collect over time. The link to the podcast is http://podcast.ft.com/index.php?pid=815.
The third podcast I subscribed to was called Business of the Green. It is also a CNN podcast. In this podcast, Olivia Zaleski, one of the editors of Fortune Magazine, interviews Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford. They discuss new ideas that new entrepreneurs are coming up with for the auto industry, specifically the hybrid, plug-in hybrids and American batteries. The link to the podcast is http://ht.cdn.turner.com/money/big/podcasts/bizgreen/video/2009/07/07/f-bg-ford-batteries-hybrid.fortune.m4v.
The fourth podcast I subscribed to was about innovation and risk management. Companies are always trying to be innovative and creative. However, when one is innovative and creative, there is generally a bigger chance at his or her ideas failing. This podcast discusses how to keep the innovation and creativity alive while dealing with the risk of an original or out-of-the-box idea, whatever it may be, failing miserably. The link to this podcast is http://www.podcastsforbusiness.ca/extras/3_innovation_and_risk/index.php.
The fifth podcast I subscribed to discussed strategic entrepreneurism. While every new business owner wants to be “the next big thing”, most new businesses fail. Strategic entrepreneurism shows business owners how to run and manage a new company and how to design a company for the end result of selling that company to a larger company. Jon Fisher, one of the authors of the book Strategic Entrepreneurism, was interviewed. The link to this podcast is http://www.smallbusinesspodcast.com/programs/permalinks/SBP_2009-05-11_Strategic-Entrepreneurs.htm.
Some of the information in this post has been taken for Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Photo Sharing
Thr following website is my photostream from flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bracha999. The pictures were taken from some of my vacations albums over the past few years.
Photo Sharing
Photo Sharing is an activity that can be used in a wide variety of manners.
Photo Sharing can be used in schools for educational purposes. Students can find pictures of places, events or activities that they are studying using tags and tag clouds. Educators can share, promote or store documents of school events. For example, pictures of field trips, graduation, school events or school projects can be embedded on the school’s website or blog, enabling parents to see them immediately. Educators can also create motivational and personalized posters, magazine covers or CD covers using the application flickr toys. In the classroom itself, teachers can grab feeds from photographers, or anyone who posted pictures for that matter, and discuss them in class. History teachers can give students a walking tour of historic buildings. Architecture students can photograph buildings and present them to the class through a slideshow. Science teachers can photograph plants or animals and share it on the class website or blog or through a slideshow. Language teachers, specifically foreign language teachers, can post pictures of words, places or events that they are studying and have the students describe them. Foreign language students can practise the language they are learning by leaving comments on the photos in that language. Finally, Photo Sharing can be a gem for media literacy students, as they can model and critique pictures or create a visual story through flickr visual. Photo Sharing can also be used between students themselves for projects or assignments by sharing photos or information on the topic chosen or assigned.
Photo sharing can be used in one’s personal life as well. Individuals can post pictures of their family, of events they have been to, activities they have done or places they have travelled to to share with family and friends. They can also find like-minded people who traveled to the same places as they did or are interested in the same type of activities or events as they are. This can lead to discussions on the subject. Information can be shared and friendships can develop.
As a student studying business, I believe that Photo Sharing can be used in businesses as well. On a practical level, Photo Sharing allows co-workers to share business photos, business projects and business proposals quite easily, which enables co-workers to view and approve documents with little difficulty. Photo Sharing can also give a human face to the company, allow the company to connect and interact with potential customers, provide links to the company’s website and blog, create visuals to integrate into company websites and blogs and create maps for websites or blogs by tagging pictures with addresses. Photo Sharing also allows customers to view images of the company’s products and, in certain cases, it can be used instead of a company website.
Most photo sharing sites seem to be quite safe and provide users with the option to make photos private. This is advantageous as many people do not want strangers to view personal pictures, especially pictures of children or loved ones, and they certainly do not want their pictures posted all over the Internet. That being said, many people assume that their posted photos are private even though they may not make the necessary changes to ensure that their photos do, indeed, remain private. Pictures that are not private can be viewed and commented on by the public. These pictures can also be copied and posted in different venues on the Internet. Of course, pictures posted by an individual person are generally considered his or her property and are subject to copyright. Nevertheless, some people may choose to disregard this fact and use the pictures for their business or personal use. Often, no malice is intended. The user just needed a picture of something and this picture fit his or her criteria. In addition, with the advent of photo shop and similar programs, pictures can be altered, sometimes in very negative manners. This can create a concern for people who wish to post personal pictures and allow them to remain public. It is important to note that most Photo Sharing sites have privacy settings. However, the individual must make a conscious effort to set the settings to ensure that his or her privacy is protected. In addition, in the event that one’s pictures are stolen or doctored, even though the individual may be protected by copyright, it is a big headache to fight and prove that the pictures are, indeed, one’s property and to undo whatever damage was done.
On the other hand, the benefits of Photo Sharing services are tremendous. Family and friends can view and comment on pictures of their loves ones. Some Photo Sharing sites even provide professional prints of pictures for a fee. People can connect with like-minded individuals. They can gain information on places they have been to or places they want to go and activities they have done or activities they want to do. Educators can use photo sharing as a tool when teaching their students. Schools can use Photo Sharing to promote or share school events with parents, sometimes even while they are happening. Business can use Photo Sharing to gain new customers and promote their company. Co-workers can collaborate on projects or proposals. Finally, photo sharing can be of great benefit to the individual who wants to discover new places or new things and, through viewing public tagged photos on the subject, can visit the places and learn about the things he or she never thought possible.
Some of the information in this post was taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell
Photo Sharing can be used in schools for educational purposes. Students can find pictures of places, events or activities that they are studying using tags and tag clouds. Educators can share, promote or store documents of school events. For example, pictures of field trips, graduation, school events or school projects can be embedded on the school’s website or blog, enabling parents to see them immediately. Educators can also create motivational and personalized posters, magazine covers or CD covers using the application flickr toys. In the classroom itself, teachers can grab feeds from photographers, or anyone who posted pictures for that matter, and discuss them in class. History teachers can give students a walking tour of historic buildings. Architecture students can photograph buildings and present them to the class through a slideshow. Science teachers can photograph plants or animals and share it on the class website or blog or through a slideshow. Language teachers, specifically foreign language teachers, can post pictures of words, places or events that they are studying and have the students describe them. Foreign language students can practise the language they are learning by leaving comments on the photos in that language. Finally, Photo Sharing can be a gem for media literacy students, as they can model and critique pictures or create a visual story through flickr visual. Photo Sharing can also be used between students themselves for projects or assignments by sharing photos or information on the topic chosen or assigned.
Photo sharing can be used in one’s personal life as well. Individuals can post pictures of their family, of events they have been to, activities they have done or places they have travelled to to share with family and friends. They can also find like-minded people who traveled to the same places as they did or are interested in the same type of activities or events as they are. This can lead to discussions on the subject. Information can be shared and friendships can develop.
As a student studying business, I believe that Photo Sharing can be used in businesses as well. On a practical level, Photo Sharing allows co-workers to share business photos, business projects and business proposals quite easily, which enables co-workers to view and approve documents with little difficulty. Photo Sharing can also give a human face to the company, allow the company to connect and interact with potential customers, provide links to the company’s website and blog, create visuals to integrate into company websites and blogs and create maps for websites or blogs by tagging pictures with addresses. Photo Sharing also allows customers to view images of the company’s products and, in certain cases, it can be used instead of a company website.
Most photo sharing sites seem to be quite safe and provide users with the option to make photos private. This is advantageous as many people do not want strangers to view personal pictures, especially pictures of children or loved ones, and they certainly do not want their pictures posted all over the Internet. That being said, many people assume that their posted photos are private even though they may not make the necessary changes to ensure that their photos do, indeed, remain private. Pictures that are not private can be viewed and commented on by the public. These pictures can also be copied and posted in different venues on the Internet. Of course, pictures posted by an individual person are generally considered his or her property and are subject to copyright. Nevertheless, some people may choose to disregard this fact and use the pictures for their business or personal use. Often, no malice is intended. The user just needed a picture of something and this picture fit his or her criteria. In addition, with the advent of photo shop and similar programs, pictures can be altered, sometimes in very negative manners. This can create a concern for people who wish to post personal pictures and allow them to remain public. It is important to note that most Photo Sharing sites have privacy settings. However, the individual must make a conscious effort to set the settings to ensure that his or her privacy is protected. In addition, in the event that one’s pictures are stolen or doctored, even though the individual may be protected by copyright, it is a big headache to fight and prove that the pictures are, indeed, one’s property and to undo whatever damage was done.
On the other hand, the benefits of Photo Sharing services are tremendous. Family and friends can view and comment on pictures of their loves ones. Some Photo Sharing sites even provide professional prints of pictures for a fee. People can connect with like-minded individuals. They can gain information on places they have been to or places they want to go and activities they have done or activities they want to do. Educators can use photo sharing as a tool when teaching their students. Schools can use Photo Sharing to promote or share school events with parents, sometimes even while they are happening. Business can use Photo Sharing to gain new customers and promote their company. Co-workers can collaborate on projects or proposals. Finally, photo sharing can be of great benefit to the individual who wants to discover new places or new things and, through viewing public tagged photos on the subject, can visit the places and learn about the things he or she never thought possible.
Some of the information in this post was taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Social Bookmarking Site
My social bookmarking site is http://delicious.com/bracha999.
I used 20 sites. Some are news stories. Other are sports stories. Still others have to with business as that is the field I am currently studying.
I used 20 sites. Some are news stories. Other are sports stories. Still others have to with business as that is the field I am currently studying.
Ideas on how to use Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking is a very useful tool which can be used in many capacities. First of all, social bookmarking can be very useful in school because it enables students and teachers to collaborate with each other using information on the Internet. In addition, because social bookmarking enables users to comment and review the bookmark, teachers and students can interact with each other and teachers can check if students read and understood the material based on the comments or notes they have written. Social bookmarking can be used in group projects and in individual projects. When the entire class is working on a topic at the same time or when a particular group project is assigned, social bookmarking can be used for collaboration between members of the group or class. Teachers and students can select and archive resources relating to the topic and share those links with each other. Teachers and students can comment on the URLs and discussions, albeit limited, can ensue. When an individual is working on a particular project, the teacher can post URLs for the student to read. This reduces the time doing online research and improves the relevancy of the resources found. In the same vein, social bookmarking can be quite advantageous for companies as well. It can be used to share relevant information with the appropriate parties before important meetings or before meeting with prospective clients. It can also be used to publish important or interesting information to share with colleagues. Social bookmarking is not only about sharing. It can also be used to consume information. For example, an individual can use RSS to direct specific web-based information about himself, search others bookmarks using tags, tag clouds to see relationships between concepts and discover people with similar interests based on similarities in tags and bookmarked sites. As I am a college student, social bookmarking can be used to help me with individual projects and group projects. It can also be used as medium to post additional information relevant to courses I am currently taking which can enhance the course or provide clearer insight into topics discussed and their relevance today.
I had previously never heard of social bookmarking. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is relatively simple to do. It is, however, time consuming. I spent hours finding and tagging the 20 sites required for this assignment. While social bookmarking can be very useful for businesses, groups and schools, especially when working on specific projects, it is not as interactive as some other Web 2.0 technologies such as wikis, blogs and social networking sites!
Some of the information on this post is taken from Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell
I had previously never heard of social bookmarking. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is relatively simple to do. It is, however, time consuming. I spent hours finding and tagging the 20 sites required for this assignment. While social bookmarking can be very useful for businesses, groups and schools, especially when working on specific projects, it is not as interactive as some other Web 2.0 technologies such as wikis, blogs and social networking sites!
Some of the information on this post is taken from Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
My wiki
I have created a Wiki.
The site is: http://presentationclasswiki.pbworks.com
Please note that the wiki is to plan a sleepover party in Yosemite Park.
The site is: http://presentationclasswiki.pbworks.com
Please note that the wiki is to plan a sleepover party in Yosemite Park.
Impressions on Wikis
After reading about wikis and setting up my own wiki, I realized that wikis can be useful in a wide variety of manners. In a school setting, wikis can be used for group projects and class projects. Each student can collaborate, adding files, suggesting links and altogether creating a document that is comprehensive and up-to-date. Wikis promote a constructionist style of learning which is especially useful for students as they can build new ideas based on their previous knowledge. Wikis can be used to keep track of homework, tests, assignments and school events. They can also be used as personal workspace. At the same time, faculty members can have great use of wikis as well; they can create lesson plans and update curriculum as well as develop school policies. Wiki pathfinders can host teacher presentations, handouts and rubrics. They can also link researchers to important readings, thereby saving time and energy. Wikis can be useful in many other settings as well. For example, classroom communication, sports teams, community groups, book clubs and committees can greatly be enhanced through the use of a wiki. In addition, to-do lists, checklists, event planning, trip planning and party planning can be done through a wiki as well. As a business student, I find that wikis can be especially helpful in companies. They can be used for internal documentation but, more importantly, they can be used for collaborating on business projects and business proposals. Each member of the team can add to the project or proposal at his or her convenience. Earlier versions of the project can be seen at any time. With the aid of a wiki, the work done on the project or proposal does not need to take place solely in meeting; it can now be done whenever its members have the time despite their varying schedules, which can greatly enhance productivity and efficiently. In other words, members do not need to be at a meeting to contribute. Of course, business project or business proposal wikis are best when kept private to avoid leaking sensitive information. In addition, wikis can be very helpful for project management – from the conception to the finished project. They can also be used as operation manuals for workers or FAQ’s about the company. In fact, wikis can help the user organize almost anything. Finally, a student, employee or business person can always use a wiki as his or her personal workspace!
There were several things about wikis which surprised me. First of all, it is quite simple to develop a wiki. I had always thought of wikis as complicated and difficult. In reality, when working with a wiki sites such as PB Works, the process is easy to master. That is not to say that wikis are not time consuming, but wikis can add a tremendous amount of organization to any project. At the same time, I was surprised to realize how easy it is to edit a public wiki. Uninformed or uneducated people can easily modify the content of a wiki or, worse yet, put up false or misleading information. While it seems that the information on Wikipedia is fairly accurate and, when getting information from any source, one should verify it before believing it, I still find the fact that anyone can modify information rather worrisome. The reason is because, with most encyclopedias or information, there is an author who is writing or posting and that author is responsible for its content. In the case of a wiki, there is not one but many authors creating and modifying information. That means that anyone can edit the content without being responsible for the outcome – which may make people less wary about posting inaccurate information or pushing a certain viewpoint when stating facts. I have previously stumbled upon inaccurate information on wikis, probably posted by people who may not have known better. That being said I, like many students, use Wikipedia to learn more about subjects before researching them and I have found wikis extremely useful.
Some of the information in this post has been taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
There were several things about wikis which surprised me. First of all, it is quite simple to develop a wiki. I had always thought of wikis as complicated and difficult. In reality, when working with a wiki sites such as PB Works, the process is easy to master. That is not to say that wikis are not time consuming, but wikis can add a tremendous amount of organization to any project. At the same time, I was surprised to realize how easy it is to edit a public wiki. Uninformed or uneducated people can easily modify the content of a wiki or, worse yet, put up false or misleading information. While it seems that the information on Wikipedia is fairly accurate and, when getting information from any source, one should verify it before believing it, I still find the fact that anyone can modify information rather worrisome. The reason is because, with most encyclopedias or information, there is an author who is writing or posting and that author is responsible for its content. In the case of a wiki, there is not one but many authors creating and modifying information. That means that anyone can edit the content without being responsible for the outcome – which may make people less wary about posting inaccurate information or pushing a certain viewpoint when stating facts. I have previously stumbled upon inaccurate information on wikis, probably posted by people who may not have known better. That being said I, like many students, use Wikipedia to learn more about subjects before researching them and I have found wikis extremely useful.
Some of the information in this post has been taken from Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Impressions on Blogs and RSS Feeds
My early impressions of using a blog were quite positive. I had previously expected the experience of creating and maintaining a blog to be complicated and time consuming. This week taught me that I could not have been more wrong. Creating a blog takes between 2-5 minutes. I did not have a Gmail account and, since I was using Blogger which requires the user to have a Gmail account, I had to create one. Once I did that, the process was smooth, easy and extremely uncomplicated. Blogger guided me through the various steps necessary and, before I knew it, I had created my own blog! I was pleasantly surprised at the many features which are available to add and personalize a blog. The settings, layout and monetize tabs are filled with add-ons which can enhance and customize one’s blog as well as enable it to cater to a specific audience or field. In addition, the blogger has the ability to edit any post at any time and to change any add-on or customization without difficulty- another huge advantage for a beginner like me!
My early impressions of using a RSS feeder were positive as well – although I found it more difficult than creating blog. I used Google Reader to create RSS feeds. Google Reader’s website has a presentation on how RSS feeds work. After watching it, I was able to choose several news websites to follow such as CBC, BBC, FoxNews, CNN, ABC and MSNBC. I found it more difficult to put RSS feeders in my blog simply because I did not know how to add them. I “played around” with the blog for a while, exploring the various options in each tab, until I discovered that, in the layout section of the blog, there is an option to add feeds. I picked three websites to follow: CBC, FoxNews and CNN. Initially, I was not used to having all the updated news on these news sites in one place. It felt strange not having to check CBC, BBC, FoxNews, CNN, ABC and MSNBC individually. In addition, the layout was different than in the actual website and I had to adjust to the new layout. A day later, I began to appreciate RSS feeds. I could receive all my news updates in one place – which saved time and energy. The format was clear and the information presented was exactly what I would have searched for in the actual website! The same is true of the three news sites I chose to follow on my blog.
My early impressions of using a RSS feeder were positive as well – although I found it more difficult than creating blog. I used Google Reader to create RSS feeds. Google Reader’s website has a presentation on how RSS feeds work. After watching it, I was able to choose several news websites to follow such as CBC, BBC, FoxNews, CNN, ABC and MSNBC. I found it more difficult to put RSS feeders in my blog simply because I did not know how to add them. I “played around” with the blog for a while, exploring the various options in each tab, until I discovered that, in the layout section of the blog, there is an option to add feeds. I picked three websites to follow: CBC, FoxNews and CNN. Initially, I was not used to having all the updated news on these news sites in one place. It felt strange not having to check CBC, BBC, FoxNews, CNN, ABC and MSNBC individually. In addition, the layout was different than in the actual website and I had to adjust to the new layout. A day later, I began to appreciate RSS feeds. I could receive all my news updates in one place – which saved time and energy. The format was clear and the information presented was exactly what I would have searched for in the actual website! The same is true of the three news sites I chose to follow on my blog.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Web 2.0 and the Blog
In today’s day and age, Web 2.0 technologies are essential for the development of any professional or business person’s life. Web 1.0, the previous version of the Internet, was all about an “information silo” with its Publish/Browse format. Readers were consumers. Web 2.0 revolutionized the world with its Read/Write format. Readers became active participants, collaborating and connecting with one another. Web 2.0 has many benefits for professional and business people. Users can communicate with colleagues, clients and professional organizations and share ideas, media and information. Users can customize the manner in which they use and search the web, saving them precious time and energy. Users can receive instant news updates, giving them access to the information they need, when they need it. Users can co-author encyclopedias and Wikipedias, which can help get their name out there and give others access to important information. RRS feeds help determine which information should be skimmed over and which should be read in depth. These time-saving tools enable the user to use his or her time more effectively and efficiently. In addition, Web 2.0 enables users to develop skills which are integral to the success of any professional or businessperson, such as higher order thinking skills (from high to low - create, evaluate, analyze, apply, understand, knowledge). It also encourages participation and creativity from the users and readers, allowing the user to reach out to new audiences he or she may have otherwise never encountered.
Blogging in particular is very beneficial for professional or businesspeople. Blogs are all about ideas, reflections and conversation, updated on a regular basis. Blogs contain questions and links. They ask readers to think about what has been said and to respond. Readers are engaged and there is a continuous dialogue. For any professional or businessperson, this can be a huge resource, not only because it enables one to be constantly connected to clients and colleagues, but because it allows the user to connect to readers, clients and colleagues on a personal level. In today’s competitive world, the personal touch is something which is often lacking. There are many types of blogs which can be used, depending on one’s profession or business. They include personal diaries, news blogs, activist blogs, political blogs, education blogs, technology blogs, corporate or industry blogs, celebrity and gossip blogs and even hobby blogs. Bloggers can write content and readers can comment back and forth. Bloggers can also add a blog roll and links to other websites or blogs, all of which can increase traffic to the blog.
Blogs can be used in classrooms, allowing students and teachers to communicate with each other about the material and assignments. Blogs can be used as professional tools to enable groups to communicate internally or externally. Small committees or groups can use blogs to share links, store documents and manage and communicate the knowledge within a group. Blogs can be used as building blocks for websites, which can help ensure that they are always updated. Blogs can be used in any setting to post information, announcements, projects, photos and FAQ. Blogs can even replace key sections of websites. All in all, blogs are quite flexible and have so much potential that it would be impossible to list the many areas in which they can benefit professional and businesspeople. It is important to note that blogs teach bloggers certain essential skills, such as critical reading and writing skills, information management skills, media and information literacy as well as the manner in which human and computer networks function. Blogs teach the blogger the art of collaboration. They also help develop confidence and improve self expression – all of which are extremely useful no matter which field one chooses to enter!
The above information was taken from Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
Blogging in particular is very beneficial for professional or businesspeople. Blogs are all about ideas, reflections and conversation, updated on a regular basis. Blogs contain questions and links. They ask readers to think about what has been said and to respond. Readers are engaged and there is a continuous dialogue. For any professional or businessperson, this can be a huge resource, not only because it enables one to be constantly connected to clients and colleagues, but because it allows the user to connect to readers, clients and colleagues on a personal level. In today’s competitive world, the personal touch is something which is often lacking. There are many types of blogs which can be used, depending on one’s profession or business. They include personal diaries, news blogs, activist blogs, political blogs, education blogs, technology blogs, corporate or industry blogs, celebrity and gossip blogs and even hobby blogs. Bloggers can write content and readers can comment back and forth. Bloggers can also add a blog roll and links to other websites or blogs, all of which can increase traffic to the blog.
Blogs can be used in classrooms, allowing students and teachers to communicate with each other about the material and assignments. Blogs can be used as professional tools to enable groups to communicate internally or externally. Small committees or groups can use blogs to share links, store documents and manage and communicate the knowledge within a group. Blogs can be used as building blocks for websites, which can help ensure that they are always updated. Blogs can be used in any setting to post information, announcements, projects, photos and FAQ. Blogs can even replace key sections of websites. All in all, blogs are quite flexible and have so much potential that it would be impossible to list the many areas in which they can benefit professional and businesspeople. It is important to note that blogs teach bloggers certain essential skills, such as critical reading and writing skills, information management skills, media and information literacy as well as the manner in which human and computer networks function. Blogs teach the blogger the art of collaboration. They also help develop confidence and improve self expression – all of which are extremely useful no matter which field one chooses to enter!
The above information was taken from Exploring Web 2.0 by Ann Bell.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)