Week 12 Post

First off, I cannot believe how quick these 12 weeks went by.  Hard to imagine that it's already April and exams have already begun.  However I must say that I have learned a lot from this course and want to keep moving forward in learning about being a good digital citizen and what that involves.

In terms of building a digital footprint it's not easy.  It can't be built up over night as it takes a very long time.  Just as this week suggested I Googled myself.  What did I find?  Well after learning about digital security, I changed my Facebook privacy settings so it is not as easy to find that page.  What is most important is that my LinkedIn profile is the first item to appear.  This is perfect as this platform hosts my most professional layout and would be a great first impression to potential employers who may be searching me.

I think the biggest take away after learning about the 9 elements of becoming a digital citizen are the security and etiquette elements.  It's important to share the knowledge that we have learned from this course with others and I think I would start with the two elements just mentioned.  Security mainly because it is so easy to fall for phishing and hacking attacks.  Providing people with the knowledge of what to look for could save the frustration and head ache of having credit card information stolen without even realizing it.  In addition, etiquette is important as well.  Knowing where and when to use technology is important and knowing what tool to use is also crucial.  You don't want to be spending more time then you have to on something if there is a tool made to organize or prioritize things for you.

I think blogging is going to be the best form of communicating what I have learned in this course and try to teach others.  It is important that they learn how to be a good digital citizen and I want them to learn what this course has taught me to get them there.

Week 11 Post

This week’s learning involved using screencast and podcast tools online.  I have been exposed to these online tools before but I have never used them myself.  Therefore it was quite the learning experience for me to make a screencast of my own.  In creating my own screencast I decided it was appropriate to use it for educational purposes. 

LinkedIn just released some modifications to their privacy settings and I outlined how to make the appropriate changes.  This tool could be used to share a trip by going through the photos while providing dialogue or would be a great tool for FAQ sections of websites.  Ultimately this is a great tool and is very easy to use as long as the user has a microphone handy.  To make this video I used a site called www.screencast-o-matic.com.  It was very easy to use the software as you can pick what part of your screen you want the tool to capture while recording.  You can pause if you need to take a break and continue on with your screencast. 

There are various other sites that can be used to create either a podcast or screencast.  SoundCloud is one of them.  This site is very popular in the music industry as it allows you to record and publish any form of audio. Therefore this is a great outlet for aspiring musicians to upload and share their music with the world without needing a video and posting to YouTube.

Ultimately these tools can be used for personal purposes but also have a great educational function to them as well.

Screencast

This week I tried using a screencast for the first time.  I had to do a little research on what exactly this tool allowed me to do.  Essentially a screencast allows the user to speak while using their computer screen as a reference.  In the situation below, I used this tool in an educational setting.  LinkedIn just released some modifications to their privacy settings and I outlined how to make the appropriate changes.  This tool could be used to share a trip by going through the photos while providing dialogue or would be a great tool for FAQ sections of websites.  Ultimately this is a great tool and is very easy to use as long as the user has a microphone handy.  To make this video I used a site called www.screencast-o-matic.com.  It was very easy to use the software as you can pick what part of your screen you want the tool to capture while recording.  You can pause if you need to take a break and continue on with your screencast.

I hope you enjoy my screencast!

Week 10 Post

Using Animoto this week was a great experience.  Making a short 30 second video is sometimes just enough time to get a point across in a concise manner.  This week’s topic was on copyright and finding methods of downloading material from approved sources.  Not all original creators allow others to use their work for their own purposes.  Therefore it is important to research whether or not the source has provided approval before using it. 

In terms of using Animoto for educational purposes I do not think that I would be able to use this.  I see this program as more of a tool for personal use.  This is perfect for sending out a quick snap shot of a trip or event to friends and family. 

As for the other creative tools I did a little bit of research on them.  Prezi I have used before seeing it in this week’s lesson and I have a hard time with it.  I need to spend more time with this tool in order to make sure I fully understand how to make an effective presentation.  I have seen others use this tool and it can either be created magnificently or poorly.  It all depends on if the creator knows how the program works.  PowToon is another tool that I have started to see more and more in the classroom setting.  Prezi causes many in the audience to be left dizzy as the information is flying across the screen.  However PowToon provides another alternative to presenting information through the use of animation.

Animoto

This is my video made on Animoto to explain copyright.  All photos used in the video are from sources that allow others to use their pictures.


My Animoto Video

Week 9 Post

As mentioned in my VoiceThread post below if I were to add Voicethreads to my PLE I believe it would be under collaboration tools.  There are tools I like better than Voicethreads however I do see the benefits of it.  As mentioned before I believe that this tool is best used for a teaching method and not so much the creation of group presentations for class.  Google Docs has a better platform when creating a PowerPoint for a class as it is easily transferred from the cloud to a personal computer with no formatting errors. 

As for PollDaddy this is a great tool to facilitate discussion among a group.  Presenting a situation just like in this session to a group of people and having them select an answer without being influenced by the other answers provides an opportunity to answer truthfully.  Having the comment section once an answer is submitted offers the chance to explain your reasoning and how you came to your answer.  Although I do not think this tool would apply to my education at Brock, I do think it would be useful in the right circumstances like creating discussion.

Aside from this week’s tools, I came across an article that discusses another company being targeted by hackers to gain information.  A site called Electronic Arts was hacked and turned into a phishing site where users would login with their Apple ID.  Following a successful login, they would be asked for more personal information.  This is another example of how we all have to be careful and make ourselves aware of the potential threats out in the online world.

Technology Use Scenario

John and his friend Mike both camera phones.  Mike sits in the back of the class and uses his phone to photograph the test for John, who is taking the test that afternoon.  Mike then emails the photograph of the test to John’s phone.

In this situation the student is using technology inappropriately.  The actions that make this scenario inappropriate are the photos taken of the test and sending them to John.  This is a form of academic misconduct and would result in significant consequences if caught by a teacher or proctor.  According to Brock University’s academic misconduct policies, “the penalty imposed may range from zero for the exam or the piece of work to expulsion from the University” (Brock, 2014). 

I understand that cell phones are a growing concern in schools not only for academic misconduct but also for privacy violations and cyberbullying.  That being said I believe that cell phones should either be collected by the teacher before the test in a small setting (high school class for example) or they should be turned off and placed on the floor under the desk just like during Brock final exams.  A ringing cell phone during a test or exam is a distraction and can cause some students to lose focus on the task at hand.  By having the cell phones collected at the beginning of class there is no opportunity for the student to take a picture of the test before leaving the room.  Even having the phone out of arms reach, like under their desk, is also a good option as it’s visible to the proctor or teacher and inaccessible by the student.  The consequences of cheating are far too severe to be practising actions such as taking pictures of the exam while writing it. 

Another option for the teacher is to have multiple versions of each test that they give out that way the tests would not be the same between John and Mike’s classes.  However this path does not fix the issue of having cell phones in exam or test rooms.

Brock University. (2014). Academic Misconduct. Retrieved from http://brocku.ca/business/current/graduate/academic-policies/academic-misconduct 

VOICETHREAD

I believe that this is a tool to be used when putting a presentation or a slideshow together in a group setting.  Being able to add comments either through text, voice or video is an innovative way of explaining your thoughts.  By listening to someone explain their thoughts rather than read them, it becomes easier to understand the context.  Just like in Google Docs, someone can comment while everyone is online at the same time or if one person cannot make the meeting they can add their comments for everyone else to read at a later time.  Using this tool in a teaching setting would also be beneficial for students as it would be more engaging to go online and have an open discussion about a teacher’s lecture from earlier that week.  Also the comments would be a great way for teachers to give their students an opportunity to earn participation grades.  That element would be most effective if there are some more conservative students that are intimidated to participate in class.

If I were to add Voicethreads to my PLE I believe it would be under collaboration tools.  There are tools I like better than Voicethreads however I do see the benefits of it.  As mentioned before I believe that this tool is best used for a teaching method and not so much the creation of group presentations for class.  Google Docs has a better platform when creating a PowerPoint for a class as it is easily transferred from the cloud to a personal computer with no formatting errors.  

Week 8 Post

Wikis allow for ease of use and if used properly can be a great source of information.  A great feature of wikis is the version creation.  I really like the fact that when someone goes and edits a document, a new version is created and you can go back if need be.  Just as common craft explains in their video a wiki allows for collaboration among groups.  All someone has to do is create their wiki site and then begin writing their document.  Those with the link can then go online and edit the site.  Wikis seem very similar to Google Docs as it offers a space for information to shared and edited all in real time.  However I think for school group work I like Google Docs better as it provides the opportunity to have everyone online working on a single document all at once.  Therefore you can edit a paper together and see who is changing what.  Google Docs also supports programs such as Word and Excel which make it much easier when using that for collaborating. 

This week we also learned more about becoming a digital citizen and the rights and responsibilities of living in a digital society.  I feel the most essential parts to our rights and responsibilities are cyberbullying, reporting illegal forms of downloading and ethical use of other’s ideas.  Bullying is a form of abuse that is sometimes hard to detect in victims.  Being able to be behind a computer screen and make fun of others makes it that much easier for bullies to do damage to the victims.  That is why I considered cyberbullying essential under rights and responsibilities.  Illegally downloading or pirating information or copyrighted material is a growing concern for governments and many industries.  It is constantly being reviewed in courts and is an ongoing topic of discussion.  My final point goes to the ethical use of other’s ideas.  It is a student’s responsibility to understand when an idea is not their own and to give the credit to the original owner by citing.  The author of the idea has ownership over what they wrote and need to be recognized for that.

Week 7 Post

I have been using Google Docs for a little while now mainly for my school work.  This week allowed me to dive a little deeper into some of the features I had not discovered on my own.  One of the components of Google Docs that I have used before this course is the forms application.  For one of my courses I was required to create a survey in order to collect data.  Therefore once I had my questions and how I wanted the survey to look I was able to post everything onto my Google Form.  After I made the file live, it was very easy to then send out the link to participants to fill out.  The best feature about Google Forms is that once the data is collected, all of the information is transferred to an Excel file.  This makes it very easy to read and manage.

Another use for Google Docs within academics is working on a group assignment.  Whether the course calls for an essay, presentation or a financial model, everyone can work on the file at the exact same time.  Although it is sometimes easier to have everyone in the same room for a meeting it is not always possible.  Versions of the file are also kept so that changes can be tracked.  This helps when understanding who did what part of the assignment.

Google Docs can also be used in the professional world.  Sometimes when sending out emails with attachments, the files can be too large and the email will not send.  This is a great opportunity to use the sharing feature of Google Docs.  Once a file has been created or uploaded to the owner’s drive, it can then be shared with another email.  The owner can decide whether the recipient of the file can have access to edit or just view the file. 

I believe that Google Docs is a great tool to become familiar with as there are so many great features.  I no longer need to carry a USB stick or even my laptop to school as long as my files are saved to my Google Drive.  No matter where I am as long as I have access to a computer and the internet I can edit my current files and always create new ones.

Week 6 Post

This week I was introduced to a new online tool called Evernote.  Like many tools we are learning in this course I have never used Evernote before.  In order to gain a better understanding of what the website offers I had to do some external research from what the information provided on Sakai.  Evernote offers a variety of different features and even connects to other social media platforms such as Twitter.  Once I get a better grasp on this program I think it will definitely be a significant help with organization for my courses.  Taking notes in class on laptop is so convenient and now I know I can store them online but also view them on not only my laptop but any device that supports Evernote.  Being able to refresh my memory from that one term that slipped my mind is now easily found by searching Evernote on my phone.  Even my tablet has access to Evernote which makes studying a little more portable. 

In adding Evernote to my PLE, especially with connecting to Twitter, it would be connected to my social media tools as well as my schooling and organization.  This seems like such a great tool that is going to make my life that much easier as a student.  Even when I finish my studies knowing how to use a tool such as Evernote I think it will come in handy in the workforce and if not I will definitely maintain it for my personal use!

If anyone is interested I also found this link on my feedly account with some cool apps to enhance your Evernote experience! 

Week 5 Post

This week I discovered certain functions of Twitter and how it interacts with other social media sites.  I was always very hesitant to start an account as I really had no idea how the site worked.  After setting up my account I began following certain people, events and companies.  With the Olympics going on right now I thought it might be a good idea to follow some of my favourite athletes.  Now I am updated on the regular with information that they post along with links to interesting stories they may share with the Twitter world.  For example, I was able to share this great story from my Feedly page and posted it to my Twitter in hopes that others will see and read it.

By posting my first handful of posts to my Twitter account, I learned about the 140 character limit.  This is an interesting requirement but makes posts to the point and makes it easy to read.  Through my research for finding some fellow Tweeters to add to my following list I discovered pages such as CPA Ontario and CGA Ontario.  These two pages are great for me to follow as I am looking to pursue an Accounting designation.  There are some changes going on within these organizations that will have an effect on my education and by following them I hope to remain in the loop and stay informed. 

When going back to Week 2 of this course, we were asked to create a PLE diagram with the tools that we use.  With the addition of Twitter I have updated this picture to create a better representation of my use of social media as a tool.  I have also included the use of Feedly after we began using it a few weeks ago.  This tool helps bring all my news into one location without having to spend time searching through individual websites.

Overall I am learning that a lot goes into becoming a digital citizen.  There are a lot of tools that are out there to help make research easier however I was not aware of most of them before this course.  Learning about these tools is making my everyday life easier since I am now spending less time searching for news and having it come straight to me.  Once you can organize yourself online with the tools you like using, it becomes easy to maintain and update.

Bourque, N. (CC) 2014.

Weekly Report & Reflection Post #3

As mentioned in my previous post discovering RSS feeds have been a great help.  One article that came about today that caught my eye was about the minimum wage in Ontario being increased to $11per hour.  The article dives deeper into the situation analyzing whether or not this will be beneficial for the province or detrimental.  This hike of wages is an increase of 75 cents and is the first increase to minimum pay since 2010 in Ontario.  Premier Wynne explains that Ontario will now join Nunavut to introduce an $11 per hour minimum wage.  With this wage increasing, there is speculation that the amount of unemployment may go up in teenagers and young adults.  

Having this article come straight to my Feedly account is great.  I enjoy keeping up to date with the news of Canada and the world and to have a variety of different newspapers in one location is so easy.  I don’t know how I managed my time before such an organizer.  

That being said, I believe that my reader can be considered an information organization tool in my PLE.  The reader brings in information from a variety of different sources and makes it easily accessible to the user.  What the best part is that the sources can be just about anything from news to blogs and podcasts.  It can almost act as a search engine confined to a set of selected sites.  Finding relevant information to an assignment or paper would be easily found with the use of a reader and proper sources linked to it.  Going forward I can definitely see myself using and maintaining such a tool in the future for both personal and professional purposes.

My Experience with RSS Feeds

Discovering RSS feeds are great as I was always checking my usual sites for new information but now I have the information come to me when there is an update.  I enjoy following the NHL and keeping up to date with hockey news.  Therefore the NHL headline site was one I was always checking but now I have it set up in my Feedly and receive updates through this site.  Getting used to Feedly may take a little while but I already see the benefits of it!

One of the articles I found intriguing was about Referee Trevor Hanson.  For 5 years I was a minor hockey referee and we would wear visors on our helmets in order to blow the whistle.  Well I always had a slight fear of taking a puck to the face when reffing for the older players.  This article is about the unfortunate event of Hanson being hit by a puck in the nose. An awful experience I wish never to experience!

Personal Learning Environment

In the next 5-10 years I would like to see myself in the corporate world with a steady job and my CPA designation completed.  I will be graduating from my undergrad this June and hopefully have an opportunity to further travel to countries I have yet to explore.  In order to reach where I want to be in the near future I have to be open to the types of working experiences I accept.  With the market being difficult to find jobs, I realize that I have to use tools such as LinkedIn a little better.  Employers have begun using this tool more often to recruit and network with new graduates.  I am hoping this class will provide some pointers on how to develop those skills.  Once I have those skills I believe I will be able to turn them into a habit and hopefully turn it into an interview.  With an interview I will have the chance to turn it into a job and reach an important stepping stone to where I see myself in 5-10 years.

Bourque, N. (CC) 2014.

In creating my PLE (personal learning environment) I discovered how much I rely on the internet throughout my daily life.  Upon completion of my PLE and review of Josh Bernoff’s blog post, I discovered that I can categorize myself under the joiner and spectator portions of the Social Technographics ladder (Bernoff, 2010).  The joiner section of the ladder is defined as those who are updating social media profiles while also visiting the pages of others.  I am not an avid Facebook user however I can say that I log in at least a few times a week.  After being on exchange and a variety of trips, I use this tool to connect with my friends from all over the world.  However in this ladder example I am also described as a spectator.  Spectators are those that read the blogs, tweets and watch the videos of others online.  Whether it’s for educational or just personal purposes I follow friends and others through their blog and video postings.  It’s amazing being able to share experiences and stories one has discovered for the entertainment or learning of others.

Bourque, N. (CC) 2014.

Bernoff, J. (2010, January). Social Technographics: Conversationalists get onto the ladder. Retrieved from http://forrester.typepad.com/groundswell/2010/01/conversationalists-get-onto-the-ladder.html

Week 1 - Maintaining a Positive Digital Footprint

Brodsky, M. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.digitalfamilysummit.com/2012/safety-protecting-your-digital-footprint/

Only being in my early twenties, I like to think of myself as more of a “digital native” more so than a “digital immigrant” (Ribble, 2011).  That being said, I am quite familiar with sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  With these social media sites gaining so much attention in the news about privacy laws I try to limit my digital footprint.  However, the clip Digital Dossier (Treyvaud, 2008) really puts it into perspective as to how much personal information is stored on a daily basis about people on the internet.  The clip really outlines how, in today’s technological age, one’s digital footprint begins even before they are born with hospital documentation.  I really try my best to monitor how much of my information is out on the internet and I think that is why I have never through of trying blogging.  By having personal reflections posted online for anyone to read just exposes more information about myself to the world.  However Tina Barseghian (2011) makes a good point in her blog “Six Reasons Why Kids Should Know How to Blog” as a blog creates the opportunity for an individual to create a positive digital dossier for themselves.  There are always negative stories in the news about how people for comments they make on their social media pages.  Therefore, I am hoping that having this blog will allow me to create an even more positive presence for myself on the internet so that if anyone were to search my name only positive links appear. 

Netiquette, or digital etiquette, can be defined as “the electronic standards of conduct or procedure” (Ribble, 2011).  In order to establish and maintain that positive digital footprint mentioned earlier, it is important to stay within the guidelines of netiquette.  The key rule outlined by Albion.com is to “Remember the Human” (Shea, 2011).  The rule outlines that when commenting on a post by someone else, the author is an actual human so one may defend their view point but not go to the extent of being rude to the other person (Shea, 2011).  Therefore netiquette and having a positive digital footprint go hand in hand.  If one follows the guidelines and is respectful of other bloggers, a positive digital footprint is sure to follow.  

Once I completed the Digital Driver’s License Exam, I was intrigued by the section on digital law.  Digital law is defined as “the legal rights and restrictions governing technology use” (Ribble, 2011).  I am interested to dive deeper into this section to really gain a grasp on who owns the rights to information once placed onto the internet.  Therefore digital law will become my focus for the next few weeks in this course.

As touched on earlier, Treyvaud’s clip of the Digital Dossier really provides an understanding of how much personal information is out on the internet and who has access to it.  Everyone in today’s age has a digital dossier, or footprint, and it is developed before birth.  Therefore it is how we go about using it and maintaining it that determines whether it becomes a positive or negative tool for ourselves.  Although social media sites have been used to bully and ridicule other people, Barseghian (2011) states in her blog that blogging is a great way to develop that positive footprint and avoid the negativity.  By following the netiquette guidelines set out by Shea (2012), anyone can avoid creating a negative image for themselves.

Ribble, M. (2011). Digital Citizenship in Schools, 2nd Edition. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

T Barseghian. (2011, August 30). Six Reasons Why Kids Should Know How to Blog. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/08/six-reasons-why-kids-should-know-how-to-blog/

Treyvaud, R. (2008, Aug). Digital Dossier. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79IYZVYIVLA

Shea, V. (2012). The Core Rules of Netiquette. Retrieved from http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html