Finished?

Today is the day of marking and I don't feel ready at all. I have decided to work as hard as I can until tonight in the hope that my website is marked later on in the night. I found the working in groups aspect of the course very difficult and will strive to get a good mark in the exams in order to pass this course. I feel a little disappointment that I did not start this project earlier and complete it by the due date as my previous marks have been moderately good and I feel like I could have done a lot better at this assignment. This course has taught me a lot about university life and I will certainly learn from my mistakes.

Lost

Help!

Ive contacted Guznal, the absent third member of our group and informed her about our task. She has been very helpful and found some useful sites and video to help with the project and I'm very grateful for her help. Im working hard at the project but got an unpleasant surprise when I realized that we need to reference the material we found using proper APA referencing format and using in text citations.

Group meetup

Recently,  I met my group members and we began to discuss what was going on. We eventually decided to do a puppet show as a project designed to spread the word about bullying. We decided to use Google Sites because it is a free and simple option to communicate and contribute to our group work. However, later my group member Michelle had a hard time gaining access as she couldn't make a Google email and sharing was difficult. I had a look at this video to help me understand the concept of a wiki and how sharing works on Google sites. I'm feeling very overwhelmed because we don't have much time to work together and on top of 15-21 hours of work over the weekends, the project will be very difficult to complete.

Groups

I was unfortunately away on the thursday we were assigned groups. I was a bit confused but after checking the LMS site I found a (google drive) document that told me the names and contact emails of my group members. After sending an email to each group member introducing myself, I began to feel worried when a week later there was no reply. One of my group members had been in my group for researcher so I just contacted her on facebook but I still had to find the others. After searching I eventually found another group member Michelle and we communicated via facebook. She seemed just as confused as I was and I felt quite relived. We arranged to create a facebook group and meet in class the week after.

Peer reviews

I have been putting some finishing touches on my website, writing a bit more information on my researcher page and adding a few more images to my blog. Last night I completed my peer reviews and received some feedback on my blog and website.

A screenshot of one of my review pages with feedback

 

 

 One person suggested that I break up my text with screenshots of the processes and programs used to create my screen-cast.  Another person gave me a number of useful suggestions, including making the font size on my word document bigger in my screen-cast so people could see my referencing more clearly. I have re-done my screen-cast to take this into account and will thoroughly spell check my blog because most reviewers noticed some spelling errors and lower case letters at the start of sentences.  As an internet communicator, I often use a lower case "i" when chatting online and should be careful not to make this a habit. I'm feeling quite good about my blog and screen cast and am reviewed to have completed it for review on time.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gi/127555697/

Interractions over facebook

To keep contact with the other members in our group, we created a facebook group.  I found this very effective and was a good example of collaborative learning.  Megan was having trouble with her screen-cast and created a post in the group asking us what programs we used and how we uploaded the video to our website.  I experienced a sudden lack of confidence when I couldn't find a way of uploading my site onto the peer review system but when I realized that other people were having similar difficulties I felt a bit more confident.  Megan seemed to have the most trouble creating and uploading her screen-cast while Guzalnur had trouble adding enough information to her blog.  Overall I thought Ashima was quite a long way ahead of us and often helped us by answering questions.  Facebook now has a new feature that tells you who has seen your post.  This was useful because we could make sure that all people in our group knew what was going on.

Our Facebook group

Creating my screen cast - Process

After realizing that the source I selected was not suitable for the task, I started looking for a new journal entry reflecting science in teaching in relation to technology. I found a lot of interesting entries, some detailing how technology can be integrated into teaching science, others conducting studies on teacher knowledge. Although these sources were very interesting and did discuss technology in relation to teaching science, I was interested in finding a source that would reflect how technology benefits a certain area in science and the reasons why the use of technology would make teaching more effective. Eventually, after a lot of searching, I found this journal entry. The journal explores the reasons why the children learned more effectively due to the introduction of creativity through technology. The students were learning about plate tectonics and were presented with a modified form of Google Earth that allowed students to upload and modify the contents of the program, reflecting the way science builds upon itself in the real world. The source discussed in detail the ways in which the students could benefit and learn more in a science classroom with the introduction of technology. 

Choosing my programs

I have decided to use EndNote as my referencing program because it is one of the easiest options and it seemed to be compatible with most word processors.  So far I have worked out how to create a new EndNote library, a new reference and how to use my stored references to create and edit citations in my word document and am feeling a bit more optimistic about the task.  I have also found a really useful way of directly exporting information from my search tool, ERIC, to EndNote without having to input a large amount of information.  This is shown in the Youtube Video "How to use EndNote in 5 minutes".  This knowledge will make the process a lot easier later when I begin to use EndNote for referencing an assignment.

Today I looked on the site Technology toolbox for educators and had a look at some of the possible programs that could be used to create my screen-cast. 

Screen captures only

• Skitch (Free download) 

Screen recorders (screencast videos) only

• Explain a website (iPad app $0.99)
• Screen-o-matic (Free online) 
• Screenr (Free online) 

Screen captures and screen recorders (screencast videos)

• Jing - (free download) 

Screen recorders and video editors

• Ezvid(free download)
• Camtasia Studio (Commercial with 30 day FREE Trial)

 I liked the look of Screenr because the program is online and doesn't require a download.  I had a look at this site which weighs up the pluses and minuses of the two programs Screenr and Jing.   Jing seemed to be a little more difficult to use than Screenr and I was set on the latter however, when I went to the main page I apparently needed to download a later version of flash player to create a video.  My computer is quite slow and I was reluctant to download the program.

During the tutorial this week, I talked to Ashima and she told me that using Quicktime Player was quite easy and during class she showed me how to take screen-casts and, separately, record voice-overs on the same program.  Most macs already have QuickTime Player installed and therefore for me, using this program does not require any further downloads.  I also liked the fact that the voice over could be done separately and the footage edited to ensure a smooth and professional finished video.  In the tutorial also found out that the source I had chosen did not meet the requirements and I would have to change (Oh no!). When looking at other blogs I had noticed that most people had chosen a source which reflected the way in which technology aided teaching whilst mine looked at the importance of science in education.  Oops.  After checking the unit guide again I found out that the reference had to reflect the benefits of teaching science with technology and I would have to find a  new reference. 


A quick search in applications allowed me to find QuickTime.  Creating a screen recording and voice over was as simple as clicking file, screen recording/audio recording and pressing the red record button.

 

I have been having a lot of difficulty getting started and in this way see the value in this assignment.  Once again, the emphasis is on self directed learning which will assist me to learn and teach in the future.  I see this course as reflecting the idea that children learn best when they are using what they learn for a purpose and are learning whilst completing a task.  This theory was put forward by a number of researchers over the years and more information about this theory can be found here.  With the intent to create a screen-cast, my knowledge has increased and I have developed skill in technology effectively.

Confusion... Again!

Today we started to get organized with assignment two and I began once again to lose all confidence in my technological abilities.  The task involves creating a screen-cast in the form of a movie embedded in our web page which shows the viewer how to reference using EndNote or another similar referencing program. As I have only been introduced to referencing this year and did not previously know it even existed, this was a bit of a shock.  I am not really sure how to approach this task and the idea of creating a screen-cast using my own voice is not something I'm comfortable with.  I am not a confident user of technology and have never created a screen-cast before.  I have looked up the example screen-cast created by some of our lecturers and tutors to get ideas about the detail the markers are looking for, as well as having a look at some of the videos of my peers.  I had a look at this tutor's page to get a bit of an idea. I still feel pretty overwhelmed but my group members seems to be feeling the same way.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifementalhealthpics/8385575866/

 For our assignment we have formed peer review groups and have each been assigned a different medium to reference including a book or Ebook, a Journal entry, a website, blog or wiki or a video or audio podcast. I am with Ashima, Megan and Guzalnur. We are supposed to each find a source that involves using technology in teaching a particular subject and have decided to choose science as our subject because we think that there will probably be an adequate number of resources for this teaching area.  I will be searching for a journal entry. 

I searched YouTube for a simple instructional video about EndNote, because I already have EndNote installed on my Macbook and found it useful although this screen-cast was created on a PC.  I soon found I could apply this information as my EndNote version for Mac was not much different from the PC version. I will research other referencing programs however before making my decision. 

"How to use EndNote in 7 minutes" instructional video on youtube

Peer reviews

I have received two peer reviews for my site and I'm really happy with the feedback I have received. the marks for my website were pretty good but I found out from my two reviewers that the link on my homepage to my blog didn't work! I went back and fixed some minor difficulties, making sure that all the links led to where I wanted them and adding an email to the contact page. I also added much more detail to my social media page, specifying much more what I would like as contribution.

I feel like there was a lot to improve on and I wish I had completed more by the time I uploaded my website to be peer reviewed. I plan to ask family members to also review my site based on the marking key and recieve more feedback about what can be improved. The concept of social learning has been explored during the course and a lot of interaction is required. I have also created a LMS post in case anyone had free time and wanted to add some suggestions. I had a look at others' work as well and provided feedback on some of the blog as well as adding to my own in areas I felt were lacking.

Overall I really enjoyed the unit and found it required me to take control of my own learning and use social means, technological and otherwise to work out what needed to be done. I found I had obtained a lot of new knowledge and could even help my friend create her own personal blog. I went from technologically illiterate to technologically... in control. Many of the things I have learned will be used in the future, for personal means and in the classroom. I have learned many valuable things including image copyright laws and Creative Commons, creating a website, creating a blog, creating a PDF, using social media to achieve a social purpose and, above all, learning to facilitate my own learning. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumfstar/8553474140/

Difficulties

I have been going back over my older posts and adding visual images and I find that sometimes blogger reports an error when I try to update my post. I attempted to revert my document to a draft but the same problem resulted. I found someone else with a similar issue through Google search but couldn't see an answer there. I eventually worked out that the  problem seemed to be happening because I was dragging images from my desktop into the text window and when I used the image uploaded on the toolbar the blog entries updated fine. I'm glad this problem was so easily resolved because images add a lot of visual interest to posts and prevent the viewer getting bored when they read long paragraphs of text.

the error message that displayed when I tried to update my post

Creating a PDF document

For part two of the assignment we were asked to create PDF instructions for signup and contribution to our social space. I started by creating a dummy account on Facebook, mapping the signup process. I had to also had to use an old email for this purpose because Facebook does not allow the same email to be used for different accounts. Instead of choosing another program to create my PDF document I decided, and perhaps I shouldn't have, to use Word. I found that my version, word for mac 2011 operated very differently than previous word programs I had used and I found it very difficult to navigate and use the tools I needed. My screenshots were a jumbled mess and once I copied them onto the document, they rearranged, disappeared off the page and covered each other and would not be moved. Word had also crashed three times by this time and my patience was wearing thin ... 

A screenshot of my instructions in word

Eventually, with painstaking effort and repeated saves I managed to string the images into some sort of coherent order and write captions. The finished document looks pretty effective but I have resolved to never use word for this sort of purpose again and to find a more specified program in the future. Though word allows for easy conversion into PDF, it seems to be a program more suited to the creation of written text. The experience however, allowed me to develop problem solving skills when faced with a problem and I will do more research to see what programs are out there to use when i am faced with a task like this again. 

Below: a section of my finished PDF instructions

Evaluating my three sites

I've created my event in each of the sites to determine which one will suit my needs best. So far I had a little difficulty with Google plus and uploading the image I took. The image was too small in size and would probably appear stretched if I used it for my cover page. Eventually I chose one of the available templates available when i customize and I found that it fits my theme of a beach holiday well. 

LifeWeShare : This site was a simple website building platform that allowed me to write a description and other members to comment after entering their first and last name. It is listed in as one of the top online RSVP websites, is extremely simple to use and only requires the creator the sign up and this is a huge plus. However, it only provides a URL by means of access and the site cannot be found through google or the main page without signup. I found this to decrease my attraction to the site because the link would either have to be written down or sent via other social media sites that also have an event creation function thus defeating the purpose of a social media site. Privacy, however was very effective and the user has the opportunity to restrict access by means of a password and the fact the site cannot be found also increases privacy. However, it doesn't have a notifications system like other social sites and I and my friends would have to check regularly to make sure we didn't miss anything.  LifeWeShare isn't well known and many friends already have accounts on other sites such as google+ and Facebook. The appearance of the site did not really generate interest and though a small cover photo can be uploaded, the page can be customized to an extent and one of three themes chosen for the look of the page, without upgrading to a paid version, I found myself looking elsewhere for a social platform with which to create my social space. 

 

a screenshot of my site at LifeWeShare.com

Google+: I found this site fairly simple to use and thought that the event creation was suitable, allowing me to create an event and have other members contribute in the form of a comment thread. I did find it a little difficult to navigate, just because I was not used to it. Signup to the site was quite simple however and required me to provide the usual information, such as my name and birth date. If you already have a gmail account, you can just move on from there and i found this very convenient because I had previously signed up to gmail. The site is uncluttered and ways quite pretty, though quite similar to Facebook with its timeline coverpage customization and event creation. I created an event on Google+ and found it simple and effective however the privacy features are somewhat lacking and according to this site on google+ pros and cons, anyone can "follow others and interact with them without the other party having to confirm any type of relationship". However, also like Facebook, it allows the creator to publish the actual event with varying degrees of publicity and set a date and time.

My event created through Google+

  Facebook: though the popularity of this social media site has fallen a little recently due to policy changes, particularly in the US, It remains to be one of the largest social media sites and most of the younger generation already have an account. Due to my previous experience creating events on the site, I found it easy to create an event and already knew how to customize my page and send out invites. This platform is suitable for my social event because many of my friends already have accounts and because I am on the site a lot I can view updates more easily without having to remember and change my schedule.  Objectively, the site is not as sleek as google+ which has moving cover pages (wow) but the two sites are altogether very similar with exception to Facebook's larger member base. 




I have decided to go with Facebook as my social site for a number of reasons. I feel comfortable using Facebook and many of my peers and possible reviewers of the same generation probably also have accounts. I am also familiar with creating events on Facebook and can update and check my social space regularly. I can see myself using Facebook in the future for purposes such as organizing an event and this is why I want to improve my skills when it comes to this site.
 

 http://www.insidefacebook.com/2011/06/12/facebook-sees-big-traffic-drops-in-us-and-canada-as-it-nears-700-million-users-worldwide/

Choosing a social media event

For my social media event I have decided to arrange a low budget holiday in order to meet up with high school friends. This seems like something that I might organize in the future and seems like a good choice. I will write a more detailed description on the social media page of my website soon.

 Today I investigated different kinds of social media sites to use for part two of the assignment. I went to a website which listed the top 15 most popular social networking sites. I see the popularity of a social site quite important as well as its features because it reflects the likelihood that friends already have an account and the probability that I may need to use the site in the future. A popular site with large revenue can put more into keeping up to date and making sure the site is running smoothly and effectively. I investigated range of different social sites including meetup.com which seemed tailored to finding people with similar interests and arranging to meet at a specific location and time. Though I found the idea interesting, my event was more focused on meeting up with existing friends as opposed to finding new ones and I needed a platform that allowed for more contribution. I also found that Meetup required monthly payments for services that other sites like facebook.com offer for free. I found a range of other sites online such as Tagged.com and ning but either found them difficult to use, expensive or lacking the features I needed to create, invite and receive contribution. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/free_for_commercial_use/8563255639/


Eventually I decided to review Facebook, Google+ and a website creating platform called Life we Share that allows users to create an event website and receive RSVPs and comments. I will create dummy accounts on each one to map the signup process and create instructions.