Final Blog Post 12

Krissy@venspired.com (CC). 2013

So this is it the end of the journey. I have explored digital citizenship for 12 weeks now and I must say I have learned A LOT. The digital world is far more complicated than I originally thought. The three main points I have learned about are my digital footprint, digital citizenship and how to use digital tools.

Digital Citizenship

This topic seems easy at first but I find it gets much more intricate the more you look into it. Within this umbrella term there are many little sub-topics that are all equally important as the next. I personally found for myself communication

to be important. I think that many people today don’t seem to understand that communication online should be no different than if it were to be in person. This means communicating with respect and clarity. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen two people get into fights on Twitter or Facebook. The younger generation especially need to realize that in person your character is shown through your demeanor, appearance the way you talk and expressions. That is a lot of information to use; it provides people with a lot of chances to determine how they want to communicate with you. However, online there is only one way. What people see? Your tone is hard to express over written language unless clearly specified, this means sarcasm can backfire. If you only post photos of partying then you just look like someone who is not very serious about their future. If you write hateful comments…well no one is really going to want to associate with that. Because digital communication is more vague then face to face we need to make sure we are clear and respectful when we do so, in order to have the world see us how we actually want to be seen.

Digital Tools

This was the fun part of the course we used tons of tools some that were new to me but many that I have been using for years! I want to focus on the tools I already knew about. I learned so many different features and ways to use these tools that I would have never known about. I think this is important to take away as digital citizens. When we start using a new tool we need to really explore it and even go to outside sources to learn more about it to better use that tool.

Digital Footprint

This was probably my favorite topic because I find it incorporates everything we learned in this course. Your digital footprint is basically a log of everything that you do online. In this generation that is pretty much your whole life. In my blog post #1 I talk about how I think a positive digital footprint is the key point. I think if we execute my above points properly then we can really clean up our digital footprints to make them positive. It is never too later to change your footprint for the better. Although, we cannot erase our past we can make our current footprint positive. Everyone changes and grows up we want our footprint to show that over time I have learned to be a proper digital citizen.

I would like to thank my classmates and facilitator for this fun experience and I hope you all the best with improving your digital footprint.

Blog post 11

SoundCloud (CC). 2015

This week we learned about using webcasting tools. I specifically used Podcasts (SoundCloud). A podcast is described and carried out similar to a song. CNN did a short video about it and this wasn't their description.

The show was recorded and then uploaded to the Internet and becomes a podcast, an audio file playable on any iPod or portable music device. It's just like a song, it's no different.  

I have used these tools a lot but always on the receiving end. I have never created something using these tools. I found it really interesting to compare the two experiences. It was really quite nerve wracking to create something, I kept worrying about how others would see this. I think I did gain a better appreciation for the audio and visual tools and people who use them though. Since it was so difficult for me I really started thinking about all the podcasts or soundclouds I listen to. This made me think more about copyright. In my Copyright post I said:

Copyright is not there to make our lives difficult it is in place to protect the creators work. It is a way to try to protect the creator when issues of copying may arise.

When people create things with webcasting tools I feel they are putting a lot more of their selves into it then with writing. Simply because their voice or face is in it. Suddenly creating is not just about the content but everything is being judged by the online public.

Personally I like to use these tools to learn but I really don’t like creating with webcasting tools. I found it caused me too much stress. I stopped focusing on the content and more so on my delivery. The quality of my voice, tone, pitch and just over sound of my voice was almost all I focused on.  I prefer to have my written work online than having audio or visual online.

I think for some people this may be a helpful tool if they have a hard time expressing thoughts on paper. Academically I think teachers could benefit from this, on day they are away or to allow students a way to learn outside of the classroom.

Feedly

This week I found a site on my Feedly that really caught my eye. TESOL 2015, in this post Navnish describes 3 of her favorite ideas from the 2015 TESOL conference. This caught my eye first because I am a TESOL major and second because my professor spoke there as well.

Before I get into what her post said I want to point out something she said that I think relates to all conferences and all fields of work.

Every year, educators from around the world approach the TESOL convention with one single mission in mind: to learn. Some come to learn the trends of the ESL world, some come for the research, and still some others for the strategies and techniques they can implement in their classrooms.

This is interesting I think because she shows that you don’t have to be a professor to attend these conferences. People go ultimately to learn about their profession or even just an interest. I think more people should start doing this.

As for her actual post she looks at three ideas presented at the conference: mobile technology, student-led discussion and vocabulary teaching. As a future EFL teacher myself I think the last point is the most important. In order for a student to read and understand a text they need to know 95-98% of the vocabulary within it. That is a HUGE number, one that surprised me when I learned it. Which point catches your eye?

Podcast - SoundCloud

This week we did a podcast. Something I was dreading to be quite honest. I don’t really like recording my voice but it was much simpler for me than using Screencast. We have explored the digital world over these last 10 weeks and over this time I have seen how complex it really is. I feel that common though about the digital world is that it is simple. There is no face to face interaction, we can be free to do and say whatever we want. However, this is not the case. There are so many areas within the digital world, but I have chosen to focus on two. To me these two are the most important.

The first is digital citizenship, with this I include netiquette. I think how you use digital tools is how you portray yourself online. We need to be efficient and effective with our technology uses. This means being aware of what we post online and knowing HOW to communicate with others online. This leads right into my next focus which is your digital footprint. This is a topic that we explored within the first week of this course, but has stuck with me ever since. Since we learned about this I have been very aware of mine. I make sure I only post things I wouldn't mind a future employer to see and I try to practice the golden rule. “treat others the way you want to be treated”. Before I post something I think about how I would react to a post like this. If I think it is not hurting anyone and is respectful then I will post it.

To me these are the most important parts of digital communication.

Blog Post 10

This week we looked at using slideshow tools. I have never actually used one before so it was a completely new experience for me. I liked using slideshow tools. I found it was an easy and fun way to compile information. I am used to only writing to convey my opinion or share information but using these tools I was able to tap into different learning styles.

As for the content of the slideshow we looked at copyright. This is a subject everyone knows about but not necessarily its proper use.  Here is a definition of Copyright from The 2Learn.ca EducationalSociety. (2011-2012).

Copyright law was created to protect creators of original material. The law provides a way of determining "who gets paid" for their original work. It also provides "who pays" for use of that original work.

Elias Bizzaeas (CC). 2007

Copyright is often violated without the person even realizing they are doing so. Copying photos from Google images is extremely common, but how many people actually think about giving the credit? This is where netiquette applies, giving credit where credit is due. Recognizing others talent and time spent creating is a good way to start practicing properly copyrighting.

From my post about Animoto I made some comments about copyright that I would like to add here:

Copyright is not there to make our lives difficult it is in place to protect the creators work. It is a way to try to protect the creator when issues of copying may arise. Although copyright is not always acknowledged and this generation has become extremely good at dogging the rules, it is important to follow these rules I personally have had a Flickr account for years and I would be upset if someone has been taking my photos and taking credit for them. My photos express my creativity and a lot of work went into them.

PLE

I would add these creative knowledge expression tools in my PLE by adding it to School and Professional. I chose these two areas because I feel that I can use this in teaching. As a teacher I believe it is important to provide my students with as many forms of teaching as possible (visual, audio, etc.). These tools help give me more ways to do this.

Feedly

This week in my Feedly reader I found an interesting article about Being Strict and Allowing Mistakes- Keep Growing. When I first looked at the title I actually was thinking of this in terms of teachers marking assignments (this topic was covered in a class not long before I saw this article). After reading the post though I realized that it was actually about self-improvement. The writer talks about how mistakes can be used as a tool to grow rather than a discourager.  She talks about how every time we make a mistake we learn from it and better ourselves somehow, even if it is just the tiniest bit. That we should be making goals but if we fail our goal not to be completely put off by it. A quote from the article that really caught my attention is:

The goal is not to be extremely strict to yourself, the goal is to be just strict enough so you keep growing.

By this she means we need to be critical of ourselves to the point that we can learn from our mistakes and be better the next time, but not so strict that we lose our motivation and put ourselves down. I recommend this article especially if you are a perfectionist like me. 

My Animoto on Copyright

Animoto

gaelx (CC). 2012

This week we had to create a slide show about using copyright images. I found it fun to tell a story through pictures rather than relying on text. I tried to incorporate photos that really explained copyright rather than just photos of the copyright symbol. I used photos to show the complexity of the copyright system and different forms of copyright (photo and video).

We used Animoto to create our slideshow and I used Flickr to find my photos. Finding my photos on Flickr actually helped me to understand copyright better. When I found a photo I also saw the creator of that photos name. Seeing their name right under the photo helped me to imagine if I took a picture and it was used without my permission. It is different than just using Google images because now I realize this is someone’s work rather than a collected page of images by a computer. 

Copyright is not there to make our lives difficult it is in place to protect the creators work. It is a way to try to protect the creator when issues of copying may arise. Although copyright is not always acknowledged and this generation has become extremely good at dogging the rules, it is important to follow these rules. I personally have had a Flickr account for years and I would be upset if someone has been taking my photos and taking credit for them. My photos express my creativity and a lot of work went into them. 

Technology Use Scenario

Scenario 13

Dr. Brown, principle  at Bluebird Elementary School, is concerned with safety in his school, both for his staff and for students. During the summer, Dr. Brown had cameras installed in each of the classrooms. The video from each of these cameras is viewable on the internet, so that parents can check on their students' classes during the day. Some parents are concerned that because these cameras are connected to the Internet, other people could also use them to "spy" on their children.

I personally think that Dr. Brown was using technology inappropriately. I feel that his intentions were good but his use of the technology and how he shared it is wrong. First of all I do not think that the videos should have been put on the internet. This is allowing anyone to view these videos not just faculty and parents. This is a breach of the students privacy. This is also hard on the teachers because they can now have their teaching scrutinized by the parents.

Dr. Brown's intentions of protecting his school is good but  instead of making the videos accessible from the internet he should have kept these tapes within the school. He could have kept the tapes on private record for future access that will be secure. I do not think parents need to watch their children at school, instead I would use a webpage to update parents on things that happen within the school.

Weekly Reflection and Report Blog #9

This week we used VoiceThread and PollDaddy. I found the PollDaddy activity interesting. All the class members were to decide if a digital communication scenario was right or wrong. I was surprised to see the different answers on some of them. When I thought the answer was clearly wrong others thought it depended on the situation. I think this was a good reminder that digital communication is not black and white and that we really do need to think critically but also open-mindedly when dealing with it. VoiceThread was also a really interesting tool (I wrote a blog about my experience with it previous to this one). I would like to add part of that blog post to this because I talk about how I would incorporate VoiceThread into my PLE.

I would add this tool to my PLE under professional. I can see myself using this in my classrooms as a way for my students to learn and share information. This may also be useful when I take notes. I have a horrible habit of writing or typing notes then when I go back to them I have no idea what they mean. If I can add speech or video to my notes I think that would make me more efficient in my learning. I recommend that people at least take a look at voicethread it could end up helping you out in the future. 

I really like that VoiceThread allows me to keep notes in a form other than just text. I find I am more of a visual and auditory learner so this is a nice addition to my PLE.

Feedly 

Dre Wiz (CC). 2013

This week I found an article through my Feedly that really represents what this course is about. The top ways digital tools transform learning. The title itself is relevant to the course. A quote I really like from the article by Evans is “We have a strong belief that today’s students should be well-prepared for the future, and digital tools can help ensure that they are prepared.”

 This article also showed how digital tools can be used in elementary school classes. I feel this is important to note because most people focus on using these tools for higher level students rather than the lower level. This topic could also be debated as having negative effects on the young students. We want to give our students other strategies to rely on rather than just technology. The more tools we introduce them to (digital or not) the more prepared they are for learning.

Ultimately, I think that the teacher needs to decide what is appropriate for their learners. The students’ available resources, skills and maturity level (to use these tools responsibly) should be taken into consideration. I really liked how this article focuses on the teachers use and integration of technology in the classroom and in their jobs in general. I think it is nice to see how teachers benefit from using technology for a change rather than just focusing on the students use. This article shows that using digital tools is not only beneficial for the students but also the teachers.

Blog report and reflect #8

Wiki

This week we learned about Wiki. Defined by RCPTV as: 

A wiki is a web 2.0 technology fostering computer supported collaborative learning through a content management system designed to facilitate collaborative knowledge building.

I have been using one for one of my other classes this semester so I am a little familiar with the formatting of it. I personally do not like wiki. I find it to be more work than using Google Docs, blogs or Evernote. I don’t like how public wikis are and how easy they can be to change. I prefer something I have more control over like Google Docs. I can choose if my page can be edited or just viewed. I do think that wiki can be useful in a classroom project. Currently I am using wiki to collaborate on a lesson plan with my peers. It can be difficult but all changes are logged and my partners and I can make changes and be notified by email when they do.

Digital Rights and Responsibilities

The discovery activity this week has made me realize that I think Digital Rights and Responsibilities hold the most importance of all the elements of being a good digital citizen.  I feel this way because I see that rights and responsibilities effects how people use digital tools. We were asked to share three areas within digital rights and responsibilities this week and I would like to add my thoughts here.

Carey (CC). 2015

I think everyone can agree at this point that digital rights and responsibilities are at the center of proper digital communication. These rights and responsibilities affect every other element of being a digital citizen. Our security, health, etiquette and more rely on the individuals’ knowledge and practice of their digital rights and responsibilities.Within digital rights and responsibilities I have chosen three main areas that I feel are the most important to know about and execute. I believe that being able to identify and report cyber-bullying is crucial in this generation. Everything we do is online now and instead of being forgotten it can be brought up at any point in the future. With this kind of access it is easy for people to participate in cyber-bullying, and some people may not even be aware of this. Understanding what it is and then learning how to report it needs to be taught explicitly.The next area I have chosen is the understanding of copyright laws. I chose this because I remember a lot of times people have gotten in trouble because they did not understand these laws. This happens a lot with YouTube and music. Michelle Phan is a good example, and a lot of foreign singers have gotten in trouble over copyright.The last area I look at is freedom of expression. I believe this is important but I also do not think this should be looked at alone. Freedom of expression needs to follow netiquette, online rules and security. Everyone wants to be able to have freedom of speech but there is also the need for appropriate speech. 

Feedly

This week on my Feedly I found a TED Talk about texting and language. The question is: Is texting actually advancing our language?

This is a really cool topic I think because everything I have heard up until now is about how texting is corrupting our language. So to hear an opposing argument is new and thought provoking. 

Weekly Reflection and Report Blog 7

Mary Pickering and Robert Plitt. (CC) 2013.

This week we continued with the topic of collaborative work, this time with Google Docs. For me I was excited because I was recently introduced to this tool by a presentation partner. Before she showed me google docs I had never heard of it or considered even using a tool like it. I wish I knew about this tool a long time ago. Yes, it is a great tool for collaborating with peers but it’s also great for my personal work. Dartmouth made an interesting observation in their discussion on online collaborative work they said “it makes the student aware of the audience”. This is something I never considered but realized is true. When I use Google Docs with my group members I am more careful of my spelling and wording, I try to make sure it is clear and has quality. This is the same for these blogs.

Google Docs

I have been using Google Docs a lot this semester for all my group work. It provides an easy and reliable way to interact from anywhere. When someone makes a change to the document it is automatically saved and tells everyone who was the last to make the change. Presentations and group papers are where this tool really excels. I can see all the changes and we can chat in the document too. Even better though is that it works real time! So a partner and I could both be in the document at the same time and I can watch her type and I can make changes at the same time. Creepy? A little bit, but it is extremely useful when putting information together.

I also like to use this tool when I am writing papers, I don’t have to worry about my computer crashing or losing my data because it automatically saves itself. What I love most about Google Docs is the fact that it automatically saves every change and I can access this from my phone or other computers. It has made things a lot easier than having to constantly email myself the document every time I make a change. I like having the convenience of knowing that it is always available to me (as long as I have internet).

I would like to use this tool in my future classroom. It is a great way to ensure that all my students have the information always available to them (provided they all have access to the internet). I think this would be useful and interesting to see how my students would utilize this tool.

PLE

In my PLE I would add this to Professional and School. To me this tool is a great asset to my professional development because it provides organization and structure, as well as an easy communication.

Feedly

In my Feedly I found an interesting article about Speed Paraprasing. In this article they talk about the importance of learning to paraphrase for ESL students (English Second Language learners). Check out the article its pretty short and is interesting. 

Reflect and Report Blog Post 6

               

Evernote

In this week’s session we were introduced to Evernote, when I signed up for an account on Evernote I was surprised to find out I had already made one at some point. This is something I always do, I create an account with a site or tool and then if I look at it and don’t get it right away I abandon it (not my best quality). However, this did lead me to the realization that I don’t take time to explore new tools. This assignment essentially forced me to learn how to use Evernote. Once I got into it I realized how easy it was I especially like the sharing feature. I always make little documents full of information that I want to share with my peers and it has always been a pain to do so. Evernote has provided me a way to share what I learn and collect with others. The fact that it saves my work automatically is a life saver too.

PLE

Buffy talks about how she introduced Ever note to her class. The overall result they loved it. She even said that a lot of them still were using it a year later. However, my overall opinion of Evernote is that it is a great tool for my professional and academic life, but I would not use it for personal projects. In my PLE I would certainly add Evernote under school and professional but I can’t really see myself adding it to communication or entertainment. I see this tool as having a very specific purpose, which is to share reliable information that will be of use to my peers, not as a creative way to share or collect my ideas. Even though Evernote is easy enough to use it doesn’t quite peak my interest enough to use it for personal projects. Why? I honestly don’t have a good reason, the tool just doesn’t quite fit my tastes.

Feedly

ERIK. (CC) 2014.

This week I found an interesting article on my Feedly reader from The New York Times. This article talks about a new test that has been introduced in parts of America. This test is similar to SAT’s, it’s a way to monitor students susses and evaluate teachers. The reason that this article is interesting is because teachers and parents of these children are taking a stand against the tests. The tests seems to be administered in early elementary school third grade, but preparations for it begin earlier. One issue is that teachers find more time is being spent on test preparation rather than true teaching. The tests are also taken on computers leaving the less wealthy students at a disadvantage if they are not used to computers. However, parents complaints have been the most noticed. The concern is that children are undergoing too many standardized tests. The article continues to describe parents’ personal complaints. At the moment parents are able to have their children opt out of the test. I find this article interesting and suggest that you take a look at it.

I personally think that there is too much standardized testing for students and I don’t think it is helpful or accurate. Test anxiety is very common with students and like the teachers argued students are not receiving true teaching.

What do you think?

Weekly Report & Reflect Blog #5

Learning from others

Kathleen Carey. (CC) 2015.

This week we looked at Twitter, this is a tool I have been using for years. I have also used Twitter for other classes too (that’s why my Twitter name is @Kat_2F00), but I have never gotten much out of using it for academic purposes. To me Twitter is for fun, it’s to follow celebrities to see what they are doing and to occasionally keep up with world news. After reorganizing my account to reflect my professional desires (changing my description to describe my major), and by posting relevant topics I wasn't just getting random followers anymore. I was getting followers from the academic world, people I want to follow back and learn from. It was at this time that I started to see Twitter in a new light.

I can use it for my professional advancement, school or more serious topics. Suddenly it wasn't just in my PLE as Entertainment and Communication, now I have added it to school and professional. Connecting to these people or groups gives me a new network of people that have shared interests as me and more knowledge on the subject. By looking at their posts and what they link I can start to develop my teaching strategies and personality.

Pedro Aparicio. (CC) 2014.

One reading we did this week really stuck with me (I even saved it to my computer and Diigo), this reading is about using Twitter for teachers. Being an inspiring teacher myself and a lover of social media this was a great find! I will definitely take this information with me into my career.

This is what a PLN is to me, a network that I can learn from. Kate made a point in her blog that really stayed with me: 

When you have a large group of people combing through vast amounts of information and collectively identifying the most useful, entertaining, or valuable parts, it only makes sense to tap into this collective knowledge!

When she says it like this I almost feel stupid for not hopping on this bandwagon earlier. Being a digital citizen means contributing ACTIVELY not PASSIVELY. I am very guilty of being a passive contributor (if you could even call me a true contributor), but through this course it is becoming more clear how easy and rewarding it is to be active in the digital world. I mean I can be an active digital citizen with TWITTER! That is actually pretty cool, I though coming into this course that I would have to use all these boring tools that I would never touch again. Already though we have used Pinterest, Twitter, Blogger, and Diigo; and I love them! I guess becoming a valuable digital citizen won’t be as painful as I originally thought, I could keep this going into my professional career.

I also have realized that I should stay up-to-date with new social media, so many of these tools have so many benefits for me as a learner and future teacher. If I stay connected and active I will be able to connect better with my students and teach them proper digital etiquette. 

Feedly

This blog by David Chiles talks about Netiquette. I found this really interesting because he talks about the site NetworkEtiquette and gives a small review of Netiquette and the mobile market. I found this interesting because it gave me an idea of how I am able to promote a site or tool that I like. 

Weekly Blog and Reflection #4

This week we learned about content curation and bookmarking. At first I was confused about this topic because it seems so simple. After going through the readings especially Erica's I realized I am a “link sprayer”. I use Pinterest and twitter and I use them to share information I find on the web. However, all I do is just click “pin it” or “Retweet”; I never write my own little annotation telling people why I shared this. This is mostly to do with laziness I think and also I forget that these sites are social I forget that I’m not the only one with access to what I post. In order to be a true digital citizen I need to start effectively sharing. I want to start using Beth's SEEK, SENSE, SHARE; the main step to focus on being Sense.

Diigo was basically a lifesaver for me. I can say that this will be something I will utilize long after this course. My bookmarks bar is a bit of a mess, yes I have folders for things but often I forget what was so important on the site saved as “”. Diigo is a cool site that I could see myself using just for fun. It collects all my favorite sites so that I can access them from anywhere (as long as I have the internet), I can personalize each site I save by highlighting and adding notes. This is truly an awesome tool!

I feel like I can add Diigo to my PLE and truthfully I feel like it could go under all my categories (school, professional, entertainment and communication). The information that I bookmark could fall under school and professional, the tool itself keeps me organized and practicing quality rather than quantity (skill that I believe fall under school and professional). For me this site will fall under entertainment and communication because a lot of what I bookmark is meant for entertainment also I find the organizing of my bookmarks fun. Since this tool also allows you to access other people's bookmarks it allows me to share my interests and treasure finds with other people who have the same interests (provided I keep things organized and easy to find).

Feedly

This week I found a interesting article on my Feedly account. Ways Students Can Save Money, this article is great I think, even though I am in my last year of university it's a little useless to me now because I've already figured these tips out. I decided to mention this article because this is information I wish I knew when I first started university. The post only has about 5 tips but that doesn't mean it doesn't help. My little brother is at an age where he is in the process of applying to universities, so I posted this with him in mind. All these high school students coming into new found independence will need to know a couple of tricks that can keep their bank account from going in the red. The one tip that I actually learned from this post is to cook with friends, this is something I would have never thought of. So many students can benefit from this post, that's why I chose to talk about it this week.

In total I feel pretty accomplished this week I found my new love for Diigo and I figured out how to contribute to the web rather then clutter it.

Have a good week

Thing 15: Diigo

This week we worked with an online bookmarking site called Diigo. This site is great I am able to save my favorite sites, write annotations and highlight text that sticks out the most to me. I was afraid that using this tool would be very difficult however I find it is way easier to use then I thought. Especially since I can add Diigo to my tool bar, allowing for quick and easy saving and editing. All I have to do is go to a webpage click save and it allows me to label the bookmark right away, and that's it! I can also edit, highlight add annotations and more right on that webpage after I save it. If that doesn't catch your attention then I don't know what will.

My favorite part of Diigo is that I can access it ANYWHERE (as long as I have internet). I am always finding sites or wishing I had a bookmarked site, but it always seems to happen when I am away from my computer. Diigo lets me access these sites without worrying about having my laptop.

Here is a link to My Diigo page feel free to explore it. I will say most of it is nonsense but they are sites that I either enjoy or use for my career.

Enjoy!

Report and Reflect #3

I had no idea what that little orange button was on blogs and webpages! I never knew (or bothered to find out) what RSS was. When I was learning about RSS feeds this week I felt so dumb for not bothering to find out earlier. This is actually a really useful tool.

What is an RSS?

This week we were asked to set up an RSS feed using Feedly. I was really confused about what an RSS was at first but now I think I have a pretty good understanding of the tool. An RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication) is like newsletter, but it is completely tailored to your interests. When you find a website or blog that is interesting you can subscribe to it, whenever there is new information from that subscription it gets sent to your RSS feed. So your RSS feed takes out the searching for information and provides all the new content for all your subscriptions in one place and links it back to the original page.  Darren Rowse describes it as: 

“It’s like subscribing to a magazine that is delivered to you periodically but instead of it coming in your physical mail box each month when the magazine is published it is delivered to your ‘RSS Reader’ every time your favorite website updates.”

My Journey with RSS

Copy2Contact. (CC) 2012.

So after a long night of frustration I was finally able to set up an RSS feed. This was an embarrassing task for me because I am actually quite good with technology but RSS is apparently my kryptonite; broken pages, confusion all sorts of problems. In the end though I did get a Feedly account set up and have subscribed to multiple people and sites.

I have never seen the use in using a RSS feed, I don’t mind going to each site individually to find new material. However, I read 7 Things You Should Know about RSS, #4 Why is it significant; and I have to admit I do see the convenience and benefits of having all my updates sent to one page.

The picture is a very accurate description of my bookmarks bar without an RSS feed.

Can Feedly be a learning tool?

Now that I am actively using Feedly I can now add it to my PLE. I was trying to figure out what I would categorize it under then I realized; why not under more than one category. I am using Feedly professionally; subscribing to blogs and sites that will help me connect with people in my field. I am using it for school; I did sign up because it is a part of my course. Finally entertainment; I am following a bunch of my favorite blogs and YouTube channels that I love to read.  I think that Feedly will become a very important source in my future PLE.

What has Feedly taught me about me?

In my previous post My Experience with RSS Feeds I talked about one of my favorite subscriptions JustKiddingNews and a specific post from them. In this post, on a more general note about what Feedly has done for me. I have realized that most of what I do online and how I learn best is through video. I also realized I am not the kind of person who wants the cold hard facts about a topic, I much rather listening to other peoples’ opinions and views to develop my own. This also helps me to understand the situation/ topic better. I like to hear multiple opinions and explanations because I feel it helps me really get a good grasp on the topic.

By learning this I can take this information and bring it into my academic life and hopefully professional. Academically and professionally I can arrange more collaboration with my peers, this will allow me to better understand the task at hand or to help others see a different point of view. 

I think it's interesting that something that is typically used as a "storage" device can inform me so much about myself and my learning.

My Experience with RSS Feeds

This week I set up an account with Feedly, an RSS feed. A lot of what I subscribed to is YouTube pages, I much rather watch a Vlog than read a blog post. YouTube is my main source of information. This is just my preference, I don’t actually follow a lot of blogs but my YouTube subscriptions are out of control. I was really excited to find out that Feedly could also keep me updated on my YouTube subscriptions. I am not so sure if this really counts as a blog, but to me it is informative, fun and someone spent time putting it together for me to view; which is the same way that I view blogs.

JustKiddingNews. (CC) 2012.

The channel I follow the most is JustKiddingNews (JKNews) this is a group of young adults who share their opinions and views on events and news around the world. I love this channel because I actually learn a lot about current events and I get to hear other people’s opinions and interpretations. The best part about their videos it’s updated daily, they are short (5-15 min) and they are EXTREMELY FUNNY.  If you have any interest in listening to a bunch of people argue about an issue or give the occasional insightful opinion than check out this channel!

WARNING!! - I feel that I need to warn you there is A LOT of swearing and mature content in these videos. I really did try to find one that did not include swearing…apparently that does not exist, my apologies in advance.

In this video the topic is about a 68 year old grandmother who is training with the army to fight the rebels in Ukraine. First they give some background into the current situation in the Ukraine and then watch the video of the women’s explanation to why she is doing this. After the group talks more about the problem in the country and their views on what this lady is trying to do.

I chose this video to show how informative this channel can be and how they do so in a way that keeps my interest. For someone like me who hates the news because of how it is presented I think this channel is a good alternative. Please don’t be mistaken though this groups’ main purpose is comedy, and not all their news is on serious world events; most of it is just weird stuff that people do. However, they always seem to talk about some serious issues and shed new insights to the topics.

This is my favorite subscription in my Feedly account and I am glad I can share it with other people. Enjoy

Week 2: PLE

PLE what on earth is that? 

Clint Lalonde refers to a PLE (Personal Learning Environment) as an ecosystem to the PLN (Personal Learning Network); that is to say he sees the PLE as the tools needed to create and maintain a PLN. Lalonde also defines a PLN as, "a network of people you connect with for the specific purpose of learning". 

Creating my PLE was very difficult, even after all the readings I felt so lost on what I was supposed to do. How is this supposed to help me learn? Why is this important? How can making a diagram of my PLE help me become a better learner? 

I realized that to answer my questions I needed to first just go ahead and make one and then with that visual I could analyze it. So I did, I made my PLE and then looked at it...for a long time; all I saw was a bunch of websites and apps that I use. I went back over the readings and something Wendy DG said helped me to understand what this was all for. She talked about how we spend too much time focusing on technology itself and the tools rather than the learning potential behind these tools. 

Carey, K. (CC) 2015.

Then finally it hit me. I looked at my PLE and realized what it was telling me; that I suck at using my digital environment for learning (academic) or professional purposes; but that I could easily change this without drastically altering my tools. 

I have four categories in my PLE: Professional, school, entertainment and communication. The two biggest categories are entertainment and communication. These two categories actually seem to work hand in hand. I realized a lot of my entertainment comes from a lot of my communication sources and vice versa. The part that actually got me excited about making a PLE was the ability to personalize it based on my learning style, in school I am always told exactly how to do things so it was nice to be able to do something that I knew reflected me. 

I started to think about how other people use some of the same tools, and I realized a lot of people use it in the profession to promote and connect to others. i can do that too and I don't even have to change my tools!

For me making my PLE was more for the present, how do I use technology now in general. From there I was able to see my strong and weak spots and then use them to create a future goal. My future PLE goal is to have my professional category sharing tools with my communication and entertainment categories.

Below are my goals for my future and how I plan to get there.

Personal

In 5 years I hope to be in either South Korea or Spain teaching English at a high school level. I hope to have acquired my M.A by that time from either a UK university (Oxford University) or an Australian University (University of Melbourne). I hope to have a lot of knowledge and have aided in the creation of some curriculum.

At the moment I am finishing up my final semester at Brock University to get my B.A in Applied Linguistics TESOL. I am currently applying for a teaching job with the Korean government TALK program.

The differences in these two times are my education and experience. I currently have no full time experience in my field, which I hope to change in one year.

Learning

To get to my 5 year goal I need to gain more practical classroom knowledge on TESOL. I will also need to develop intercultural skills because my goal requires a lot of travel. I will need to learn classroom management skills and how to interpret my students’ needs.

Environment

To better meet my learning needs I will need to surround myself with people within my profession or at least people in the customer service profession. These two areas have very similar traits in regards to how to deal with people. I can also surround myself with people who will constantly challenge me to improve myself and my knowledge. This is much more important than some people may realize; when you have the right motivation to do something you don’t even need to be consciously improving yourself.

Habits

To create better habits for my goals this will include introducing myself into more online communities in my profession.

I hope my PLE can reflect these goals in the near future. At the moment my use of technology does not reflect my personal goals. I believe I can change this though; communication is one of my biggest categories I am very good at communicating through technology and have always practiced good netiquette. I can use this skill to introduce myself into more online communities that can help me get to my goals, and to create some discussions about topics related to ESL.

Carey, K. (CC) 2015.

In this session we were also asked to create a Wordle based on my last post, this is a text based picture that shows the number of times a word was used based on the size of the word in the photo. I have seen these a lot but never made one, I thought it was quite interesting actually. When I looked at the photo the biggest word was "digital" and "footprint", not a big surprise considering that was the topic of the post. I also noticed a lot of words to do with reflection or professionalism, this was interesting to see because it makes me realize that I associate my digital footprint mainly with professionalism. 

A Summary

In short I found my PLE provided me with some insight on how I need to start using technology and how I may be able to do this with the technology I already use. My Wordle helped me see where I think my priorities will lie throughout this course. 

Kat.

Report and Reflect #1: Hitting home

This week the focus was on our digital footprints and its importance, a topic that is often overlooked and taken for granted. 

"Soon you will have a real job." This is something my mom is constantly nagging me about,

"Soon you will have a REAL job"

reminding me that things are just going to get harder and that harsher critiques are to come. In about four months I will be packing up all my books and school bags and saying goodbye to school; the day that every university student counts down to. Last year that was me, it sounded so great at the time especially because I have a very clear plan in mind for my future. If only things were that easy, not only do I have to start worrying about graduating and applying for jobs but what about all the details I wasn't even aware of. 

My digital footprint, something that had never occurred to me; I have always had a sense that I have a digital footprint, but that was more just a thought in the back of my mind. To be honest after going through this weeks session, it scared me! I started to question "what kind of digital footprint do I have? How does it reflect on me as a person and as a professional?". Suddenly that simple plan I had for my future got a little less simple. 

Set an example for others

In this post I am supposed to reflect on some of the questions provided for me; however, I want to tweak one of these questions a bit. After reading Djainslie's article about the importance of a digital footprint, I thought she made a good point when she said a POSITIVE footprint. This is where I want to tweak the question, in addition to asking do I want a digital footprint; I want to also ask, what kind of digital footprint do I want.

A digital footprint is inevitable, we all have one we can not control that; however, we can control how people view us using the digital footprint. As an aspiring teacher I need to keep a very positive and professional footprint because not only am I representing myself but also my school. I think there are many different types of positive digital footprints, you just need to chose the one that will help you reach your goals. I may want a very professional footprint or a very creative one; depending on my goals the things I post online and do will need to reflect this. 

The Student and Teacher Blogging article was extremely useful for me. It had plenty of tips and tricks to help me to help me improve my digital footprint. Blogging is an excellent way for us to establish ourselves and to build a positive community; and a great way to do that is by commenting on others blogs. When we can comment effectively and properly we are able to spread information and promote ourselves.

In this weeks session we looked at our digital drivers licence exam. After completing this exam I found I have a very good knowledge on being an effective digital citizen; however there is always room for improvement. Even though I know what is the proper netiquette I do not always follow this. The areas I know I need to improve include: digital law, digital health and wellness and digital security.

Digital law 

Riddle (2011) defines digital law as "the electronic responsibility for actions and deeds". 95% of music files were illegally shared in 2009 found by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (Riddle, 2011. pg. 31) This is not a surprising statistic but it is a bit of a guilty one. I must admit I am certainly guilty of breaking digital laws and it is unfair to the creator of this content. If I put myself in their shoes I know I would hate to have my hard work stolen with out any credit or compensation.

Digital Health
"Physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world" (Riddle, 2011. pg. 38) This is probably my worst area I have some very severe back injuries as well as my right wrist. I can honestly say that these injuries have gotten worse because of my technology use; head down straining my neck, wrists at awkward angles, the chairs I sit in.

Digital Security
"The electronic precautions to guarantee safety" (Riddle, 2011. pg. 40) This has to do with the amount of security we use and how we share our information. My father is a computer technician so he is always on me about updating my safety software, but to be honest half the time I am just too lazy to do it. This is obviously not a good excuse nor is it smart.


In conclusion I have realized the importance and benefits that a digital footprint can have if used properly. I have also reviewed the nine elements of digital citizenship and have identified my weak areas. The important thing for me to do is to be mindful when ever I am using technology; these are also skills I can apply outside of technology.

Have a good week

The Beginning

Hi everyone!

To start let me give you a bit of information about myself and why I even started this blog.

The person behind the keyboard

So my name is Kathleen, I am a 4th year Applied Linguistics TESOL student. To clear up a common question I get asked early on I only speak ONE language (English); a degree in linguistics doesn't mean I spend my four years learning individual languages, instead I learn about language in general and how to analyze it. 

Here is how Brock's faculty of Applied Linguistics defines the program:

Brock Applied Linguistics

"Applied Linguistics is concerned with the systematic study of language structure, the acquisition of first and subsequent languages, the role of language in communication, and the status of language as the product of particular cultures and other social groups." (Brock University, Department of Applied Linguistics)

On the side I learn Korean, but that’s just because I plan to live in South Korea for work. I plan to teach English internationally after I graduate, I love to travel and I love language so I thought, hey what a perfect job!

2010 - Dominican Republic D.R.E.A.M.S (Dominican Republic Education and Medical Support)

 A big part of who I am is humanitarian trips and volunteering, I love to go interact with the locals of an area and to be able to learn from them. 

2013 - Me and my students from Taiwan 

2014 - My classmates and Teacher 친구

I put myself in my students’ shoes this summer when I went to South Korea to study the language. This was a great experience but also extremely difficult for me. I did this because the best way to enhance your knowledge in your field is to put yourself in the shoes of your client. You gain insight into what they want and how they feel in different situations. It also makes them feel like they can trust you better and connect with you because you've been there. 

Why am I blogging and what about? 

This blogs primary purpose is for an online course I am taking at Brock University. It will be used to present and organize the information I learn about in regards to learning in digital contexts. It will also be a learning tool itself; I have only made one blog before in my life and that blog was for a class as well. That blog however was very limited it just consisted of me writing an entry and post...that was it. This time around it seems that I will be learning how to EFFECTIVELY blog, how to use the tools features and how to catch peoples’ attention. To be honest I am pretty excited, I really hope I can learn a lot about the process of blogging because I wanted to start a blog for my teaching and travel experience. 

I am excited to take this class because as a prospective teacher I want to give my students’ modern and fun tools to use that can be an aid in their learning journey. With classrooms incorporating more and more digital resources, this course can provide me with a lot of useful information on how to utilize these resources to better provide for my students. I want to be a teacher that is up to date and can use any material that can benefit, instead of being scared off because I don’t know how to use it.

Basically…

I hope that my learning journey of the digital world can also help anyone reading this blog or even the other way around. These next four months of blogging are sure to be enlightening and hopefully for you entertaining.

Wish me luck!

Kat