Thursday, June 24, 2010
I Did It! If at first you don't succeed, cry and try again!
Ureka! I see the end in sight and I think that I am about to graduate from this course! I actually figured out how to embed my google doc. (or at least I think I actually figured it out!) Once I publish this post I will know for sure.
My journey with the Tour Guides is nearing the end. I have learned to navigate the web and use its tools. Like I said earlier today .... I am not an expert - but I am no longer an eLearning virgin. Thanks Tour Guides!
Nearing the End, but lost the Doc!
I have done it again! I did the assignment, but can't seem to get my google doc posted to my blog! I wonder if it is because I have too many google accounts? Once this journey is over, I think I will just use one account, but for the time being I only know how to log on to my blog with this one account. Wow is me! Cookie Monster needs a cookie to calm the nerves. Bailey's and cookie would be better!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Oh no! I Did It Again!
I did it again. I got so focused on getting my blog assignment done, that I forgot to look at the assignment criteria. In my previous post, I rambled on about my experience with Facebook, but didn't address the topics outlined in Excursion 8. This post will address the criteria:
What surprised or continues to surprise you about the experience?
I am surprised at how easy it is to find view other peoples' walls and personal info, despite the privacy settings they have put in place. People could access my FB wall through a mutual friend, and I find that surprising.
What potential can you see in social networks for education?
I think that it is a great site to post announcements, messages and information for specific groups of people. But then again, a wiki might also work.
What are some of the potential concerns?
I am concerned about the privacy issue, or the lack of privacy. But I guess, if it was a real concern, I could use a "fake" name or just not have an account.
Did/does using the application alleviate those concerns or exacerbate them?
Having an account has just given me first-hand experience with FB. I am no longer judging social networking sites on hear-say. In my case, I just don't post very much, and when I do, I post with caution. I haven't posted pictures - and don't know if I will.
Will you continue to use Facebook after our tour is over? Why or why not?
As I started my previous post, the jury is still out on whether or not I will keep my FB account. If I close it, it will be because I am not really using it for its intended purpose - social networking and because I find it just as easy to email or call a "friend".
Would you answer these questions differently if you were discussing your child's or parent's profile? Why or why not?
I don't think I would look at it differently if I were discussing my child's profile, but then again, my children are adults and are helping me learn to navigate FB. One child has accepted me as a friend, and the other .... well, let's put it this way: rather than ask to be his friend and have him put major restrictions on what I have access to, I would rather not be friends at all!
What surprised or continues to surprise you about the experience?
I am surprised at how easy it is to find view other peoples' walls and personal info, despite the privacy settings they have put in place. People could access my FB wall through a mutual friend, and I find that surprising.
What potential can you see in social networks for education?
I think that it is a great site to post announcements, messages and information for specific groups of people. But then again, a wiki might also work.
What are some of the potential concerns?
I am concerned about the privacy issue, or the lack of privacy. But I guess, if it was a real concern, I could use a "fake" name or just not have an account.
Did/does using the application alleviate those concerns or exacerbate them?
Having an account has just given me first-hand experience with FB. I am no longer judging social networking sites on hear-say. In my case, I just don't post very much, and when I do, I post with caution. I haven't posted pictures - and don't know if I will.
Will you continue to use Facebook after our tour is over? Why or why not?
As I started my previous post, the jury is still out on whether or not I will keep my FB account. If I close it, it will be because I am not really using it for its intended purpose - social networking and because I find it just as easy to email or call a "friend".
Would you answer these questions differently if you were discussing your child's or parent's profile? Why or why not?
I don't think I would look at it differently if I were discussing my child's profile, but then again, my children are adults and are helping me learn to navigate FB. One child has accepted me as a friend, and the other .... well, let's put it this way: rather than ask to be his friend and have him put major restrictions on what I have access to, I would rather not be friends at all!
The Jury is Still Out
Hello fellow e-travelers. I am back! I am sure that many of my regular readers may have thought that I dropped out of this course, but the truth is, I just couldn't find my password to get onto my blog. I tried using the Forgot Your Password feature, but that only works if you know the email account you registered with!
But I am back and ready to report on my Facebooking experience. Some people would consider me old. I don't really think that, but let's just say that I have been around a long time; long enough to remember having a "party-line" telephone. Since I am quite comfortable with email and picking up the phone to talk to someone I want to connect with, getting a Facebook account was not high on my priority list. Despite the fact that most of my extended family is on FB regularly I did not feel the need. When they felt that I needed to know something in particular, they picked up the phone or dropped me an email. I didn't need FB to be kept in the loop.
Now that I have an account, I know what is going on with everyone in my family. I know what some had for dinner and I know that my youngest sister is always on line. I realize that my mother likes everything, and that my cousin expresses and SHARES her inner most thoughts and feelings freely.... too freely for my liking! I also realize that I could become quite addicted to reading what everyone has posted on other people's FB walls. I know that they post those things willingly, but I feel like I am lurking in the shadows and eavesdropping. I realize though, that if I can do this, other people can do it too! That is the part that I don't like. I like my privacy and sharing what I want shared, not what others mind sharing.
For right now the jury is still out. I will keep the account for the time being, but won't look to hard if I loose that password.
Until the next post .... Enjoy your travels.
Cookie Monster
But I am back and ready to report on my Facebooking experience. Some people would consider me old. I don't really think that, but let's just say that I have been around a long time; long enough to remember having a "party-line" telephone. Since I am quite comfortable with email and picking up the phone to talk to someone I want to connect with, getting a Facebook account was not high on my priority list. Despite the fact that most of my extended family is on FB regularly I did not feel the need. When they felt that I needed to know something in particular, they picked up the phone or dropped me an email. I didn't need FB to be kept in the loop.
Now that I have an account, I know what is going on with everyone in my family. I know what some had for dinner and I know that my youngest sister is always on line. I realize that my mother likes everything, and that my cousin expresses and SHARES her inner most thoughts and feelings freely.... too freely for my liking! I also realize that I could become quite addicted to reading what everyone has posted on other people's FB walls. I know that they post those things willingly, but I feel like I am lurking in the shadows and eavesdropping. I realize though, that if I can do this, other people can do it too! That is the part that I don't like. I like my privacy and sharing what I want shared, not what others mind sharing.
For right now the jury is still out. I will keep the account for the time being, but won't look to hard if I loose that password.
Until the next post .... Enjoy your travels.
Cookie Monster
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Steaming Streaming
Streaming rhymes with creaming and creaming is something Martha does when she bakes cookies. Now we all know that I love cookies! And I love to rhyme. Just watch me ....
I am supposed to comment on how I liked my YouTube experience. If time spent roaming the site and viewing videos is indicative of how much I liked what I was doing, I guess you can say I liked my YouTube experience. I sure spent enough time there! I even found this home video of Martha and I.
As I watched these videos I thought about streaming and the question that was posed, "Why is it such a big hit." Simply put, streaming is popular because it is quicker than downloading. Streaming has helped to make YouTube popular because viewers spend less time waiting for movies to start, and can move onto the next thing in a matter of minutes.
Am I a YouTube junkie? I don't think so, yet! But after this experience, I know how to search for video clips, and I am more likely to search for something on YouTube now than I was, say .... yesterday.
I am supposed to comment on how I liked my YouTube experience. If time spent roaming the site and viewing videos is indicative of how much I liked what I was doing, I guess you can say I liked my YouTube experience. I sure spent enough time there! I even found this home video of Martha and I.
As I watched these videos I thought about streaming and the question that was posed, "Why is it such a big hit." Simply put, streaming is popular because it is quicker than downloading. Streaming has helped to make YouTube popular because viewers spend less time waiting for movies to start, and can move onto the next thing in a matter of minutes.
Am I a YouTube junkie? I don't think so, yet! But after this experience, I know how to search for video clips, and I am more likely to search for something on YouTube now than I was, say .... yesterday.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ooops!
Did you ever want to get something done so badly, that you rushed through it? Or get so caught up in what you were doing, that you forgot what it is that you started out to do? That is exactly what happened to me with Assignment Number 2.
I was reading Leeners postings and realized that in my excitment on learning how to hyperlink, I linked everything BUT blogs. I also forgot to comment on how hyperlinks can enhance or distract from a reading. Like many of my fellow travellers, I tend to read the entire posting and then go back to check out the links. But, I recognize the advantage of hyperlinks for our students and people new to a subject area. Providing definitions is a great way to enhance understanding. A link to a video may bring the reader's background knowledge up to where it needs to be - so that he or she has a point of reference to build on. As for distracting from the learning, hyperlinks, if not chosen carefully, can take the reader off on a tangent and far from the intended learning goals. (I've learned that!) But they sure can be fun!
As for my writing with hyperlinks, it is something that I will have to continue to work on. I spend a lot of time searching for something that will further understanding, which I suppose can be a good thing; because it sure is furthering my understanding!
I was reading Leeners postings and realized that in my excitment on learning how to hyperlink, I linked everything BUT blogs. I also forgot to comment on how hyperlinks can enhance or distract from a reading. Like many of my fellow travellers, I tend to read the entire posting and then go back to check out the links. But, I recognize the advantage of hyperlinks for our students and people new to a subject area. Providing definitions is a great way to enhance understanding. A link to a video may bring the reader's background knowledge up to where it needs to be - so that he or she has a point of reference to build on. As for distracting from the learning, hyperlinks, if not chosen carefully, can take the reader off on a tangent and far from the intended learning goals. (I've learned that!) But they sure can be fun!
As for my writing with hyperlinks, it is something that I will have to continue to work on. I spend a lot of time searching for something that will further understanding, which I suppose can be a good thing; because it sure is furthering my understanding!
Is a picture really worth a thousand words?
Check out my album on picasa . What do these pictures tell you about me? Do they suggest that I don't want unveil my real identity? Or do they suggest that I haven't yet taken the time to check out the copyright restrictions on these images? Yes to both! The fact that there are not yet pictures from the picasa site might suggest that I have had difficulty loading images. While I am waiting for the downloading / retrieving to happen, I am blogging!
What do I think of Picasa? I think that I might explore using it, as a real person. I have tons of holiday pictures that I have not gotten around to sorting and sharing. I just might post them to this site and amaze my friends with my newfound expertise. More importantly, I will amaze my spouse and children!
But the thought of pictures and the saying that they are worth a thousand words, made me think of my students and how I communicate with them. I began this post with the question "what do these pictures say about me?" Maybe, I should have asked, "What do they not say about me?"
When we write to our students, what do our words say? Does Good Job! really mean that or does it mean "I have nothing else to say?" The cute little picture of a smiley face :) - what does it mean?
All of this rambling is a round about way of getting to the issue of "voice" and writing with voice. How do we incorporate voice into our writing? Does it come naturally or is it something we have to work at it? Our tour guides on this journey write with voice. Does it help that I know both of the guides personally? Is it that personal connection that makes it seem like they are right there speaking to me? Is it the personal connection that makes it possible for me to discern the writer? If that is what it takes, how do authors do it? How do newspaper columists do it? How do distance education teachers do it? Is voice important in written communication? I think so.
What about you, my readers. What are your thoughts and opinions on voice? Can you hear my voice? What is it saying? What is it not saying? Is what I have to say, better said with pictures?
All seriousness aside, listen to my voice?
What do I think of Picasa? I think that I might explore using it, as a real person. I have tons of holiday pictures that I have not gotten around to sorting and sharing. I just might post them to this site and amaze my friends with my newfound expertise. More importantly, I will amaze my spouse and children!
But the thought of pictures and the saying that they are worth a thousand words, made me think of my students and how I communicate with them. I began this post with the question "what do these pictures say about me?" Maybe, I should have asked, "What do they not say about me?"
When we write to our students, what do our words say? Does Good Job! really mean that or does it mean "I have nothing else to say?" The cute little picture of a smiley face :) - what does it mean?
All of this rambling is a round about way of getting to the issue of "voice" and writing with voice. How do we incorporate voice into our writing? Does it come naturally or is it something we have to work at it? Our tour guides on this journey write with voice. Does it help that I know both of the guides personally? Is it that personal connection that makes it seem like they are right there speaking to me? Is it the personal connection that makes it possible for me to discern the writer? If that is what it takes, how do authors do it? How do newspaper columists do it? How do distance education teachers do it? Is voice important in written communication? I think so.
What about you, my readers. What are your thoughts and opinions on voice? Can you hear my voice? What is it saying? What is it not saying? Is what I have to say, better said with pictures?
All seriousness aside, listen to my voice?
It's all in how you look at it!
Perspective is a funny thing. I can look at the assignments, readings and exercises we are asked to do as necessary evils, a means to an end or something that I must do if I want a chance at winning a new laptop (I am assuming that it is new, but with my luck it might be one returned because it wasn't working properly). OR ... I can look at the assignments, readings and exercises as a way to familarize myself with the many resources and tools available to me as an educator. I can look at Travels in E-ducation as a course, or as a journey. I can take the instructions literally, or I can take them metaphorically. I guess it depends on how I want to look at it; my perspective.
What is my perspective? If you have been following my blog (I appologize that there hasn't been much to follow to date), you are right to assume that I am not taking all of the instructions literally. Like many of my fellow travellers, I see Travels in E-ducation is an educational journey. Through this blog, I will often report on personal growth and "ah - ah" moments. It will include random bits of self-reflection, questions and things that I have learned along the way.
So why the comic character? Why choose Cookie Monster as my identity? Why the title "Cookie Monster Bits?"
Once again, it's all about perception and background knowledge. Think back to my first posting and the title of my blog. Did you think of the Sesame Street blue monster that loves cookies? Did you ask yourself the question "What mature educator would choose such an immature comic character?" Is this person serious? Or did you look beyond the obvious and think of "cookies"?
It's all in how you look at it!
What is my perspective? If you have been following my blog (I appologize that there hasn't been much to follow to date), you are right to assume that I am not taking all of the instructions literally. Like many of my fellow travellers, I see Travels in E-ducation is an educational journey. Through this blog, I will often report on personal growth and "ah - ah" moments. It will include random bits of self-reflection, questions and things that I have learned along the way.
So why the comic character? Why choose Cookie Monster as my identity? Why the title "Cookie Monster Bits?"
Once again, it's all about perception and background knowledge. Think back to my first posting and the title of my blog. Did you think of the Sesame Street blue monster that loves cookies? Did you ask yourself the question "What mature educator would choose such an immature comic character?" Is this person serious? Or did you look beyond the obvious and think of "cookies"?
It's all in how you look at it!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Cookie Monster Bites the Bullet
Today is the day that I, Cookie Monster, bit the bullet, got off my procrastinating butt and began the journey into the nether regions of eLearning. I wish I could say that I have planned every detail of this journey, but I can't! It seemed like a good idea at the time of signing on, but like every other life altering decision that I have ever made, I had second thoughts. What if I don't succeed? What if I just can't handle the work load? What if everyone else is so much better? What if ....
No matter. The decision is made, I've made it through security, and I am about to board. I am not a quiter so ... I am in this for the long haul!
Will this be my dream destination? It will be if it involves personal growth, personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. I think it will, since this trip promised all of those things - otherwise why would I have committed myself to uncertainty, self-doubt and possible ridicule. This will be my dream trip, at least for the moment.
No matter. The decision is made, I've made it through security, and I am about to board. I am not a quiter so ... I am in this for the long haul!
Will this be my dream destination? It will be if it involves personal growth, personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. I think it will, since this trip promised all of those things - otherwise why would I have committed myself to uncertainty, self-doubt and possible ridicule. This will be my dream trip, at least for the moment.
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