Creativity in Schools and Presentations

     Previously in GEN 2243, my class and I had a Google Hangout session with Adam Taylor, who currently runs StiStuChat, a twitter chat between students and scientists. SciStuChat is beneficial for students because "Students can hear scientists in their own words and can see scientists as people,"as stated by Taylor. Scientists from over 150 countries have gotten involved thus far and the number is growing. One major chat was with a scientist from the U.S. Department of Energy. In order to expand our networks, Taylor recommends that we make lists and go through lists of people we follow. He also recommends that we connect using the same hashtag on Twitter. Believe it or not, Taylor even agrees that it's not about the followers, it's about the connections you make.

Adam Taylor

     Ken Robinson's uses humor and seriousness in his Ted Talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" to address an issue in today's education system. Creativity is very important in education, just as important as literature. Kids are not afraid to be wrong but that changes as they become adults. As we grow up, we become less creative. Robinson believes that the education system is based on academic ability not creativity, which is a huge issue. As of now, children go to school to become professors and not occupations such as dancers. He states that "intelligence is diverse, dynamic, and distinct." So, students should be able to express their intelligence in their own creative, unique ways. Robinson challenges us to rethink the principles of education and to allow creativity into the education system.

     Chapter 3 of Untangling the Web covers presentation tools other than PowerPoint. The book addresses a series of web tools that challenge the status quo and expand presentation genre. With these tools, visuals can now stand on their own with or without audio. They offer new ways to share information. Presenters first have to focus on what content they want to share and then focus on audience and delivery. Chapter 3 addresses four newer web tools. SlideShare is a social hub that allows you to upload and share your presentations with educators around the globe. Poll Everywhere is a simple response system that's intended to be used with mobile devices. VoiceThread allows users to share photos and videos and allows you to comment on them. Prezi uses different motions and layouts to make presentations way more intriguing than the typical PowerPoint.

Evernote is Everlasting

     In #GEN2243, we had our first App Smackdown where we each showed an app that related to our major. Then, we learned about different websites/ apps that are great for storing notes electronically in an organized manor. Evernote and OneNote were two discussed. One that stood out to me in particular was Evernote. Evernote's basic version allows users to write, collect, and share ideas in notes. It is so organized that by simply typing in a word, Evernote will find any notes associated with that word, making it quick and easy to find older notes. You can also add pictures and voice memos to your notes! I'm seriously considering using this throughout my college career.

     In "19 Practical Evernote Ideas", Jordan Collier discusses 19 helpful ways in which students can use Evernote in class. One tip is to snap a picture of the notes on the board and then upload them to Evernote. This is way easier than handwriting all your notes in a notebook. Another tip is to take pictures of homework assignments. This comes in handy for those who tend to lose or misplace their homework. Evernote also has a Web Clipper tool which allows students to keep track of articles they have researched, all accessible in one place. If a student has a busy schedule, they may want to use Evernote for to-do lists. This will allow the student to be more organized and prepared.

     In "OneNote and Google Docs are not Twinsies", six differences between OneNote and Google Docs are discussed. The first difference is that OneNote has an infinite canvas and Google Docs is your typical piece of paper. Another difference is that OneNote is not a file but it can be. For example, you can turn whatever note you're working on into a word document or PDF. OneNote is available offline without planning ahead as opposed to Google Docs. One key difference is that you can write in OneNote with a stylus as opposed to just typing.

     Now, which is better Evernote or OneNote? In "Evernote and OneNote Users Explain Why Their App is Better", users of Evernote and OneNote share their opinions. Those in favor of Evernote say that its easier to use and that its cloud integration is seamless. They also say that Evernote's search capabilities are more sophisticated than OneNote's capabilities. Those in favor of OneNote say that it is easier to use and is more organized. OneNote users also love how sharing notes via OneNote is free. Regardless of user opinions, both of these are worth a try.

     Chapter 2 of The Connected Educator focuses on developing a connected learning model. Connected learning communities build on rich research and foundational concepts of traditional professional learning communities. CLC's are different because they build community offline and online. Educators also collect and collaborate through professional learning communities, personal learning networks, and communities of practice and inquiry. The CLC model touches the local community, global network, and bounded community. Connected learning communities support professional development goals in order to increase growth and achievement for 21st century learners. These learners are thus exposed to different ideas, cultures, and all around diversity.

The Importance of a Positive Digital Footprint

 

     Did you know that what you put online can stay there for all the world to see? This is true even if you are private. People can see pictures of you even if you didn't put them up. The trail you leave online is called your digital footprint. Having a positive digital footprint is very important when developing your career and getting your name out there. Having a negative digital footprint can have many serious consequences such as preventing you from getting a job or getting into the school of your dreams. Jack Vale shows us how easy it is to find out information through Instagram through his Social Media experiment video. So, it is a necessity that we use our social media accounts in an acceptable manor.

     

     In "What's your digital footprint?" by Lisa Nielsen, online identity is discussed and what you can do to keep it positive. Lisa states that your digital footprint is the word used to describe the trail and traces that you leave online. Digital images and emails both give away personal information to others. She reminds us that what we do online is permanent. Also, when establishing an identity online there are three things to consider. These are that at 13 you are legally ready to establish your digital footprint, use your real name, and use a consistent username. Lisa offers statistics on how many colleges and employers are viewing possible students and employees on social media.

     In the Youtube video titled "Digital Baggage" an instance of a negative digital footprint is portrayed. In the video, a woman is interviewing a man named Jared to see if he would be a good hire. While Jared goes on and on about how work oriented and well driven he is, the interviewer is searching his name. She finds many pictures of him drinking and getting into trouble. While Jared is leaving the interview, he is telling his friend on the phone that he nailed it. When in actuality, he has no chance of getting this job because of his poor reputation shown through social media.

     In "12 Things Students Should Never Do on Social Media" by Stephanie Buck, 12 social media mistakes that students make are discussed. Posting illegal activities on social media is a huge mistake because  not only can students get expelled, but also charged with criminal prosecution. Bullying is also something students should avoid online. It has terrible consequences and brings terrible attention to a persons character. Relying on privacy settings is another mistake. It is best to assume that anything you post is fair game because it can possibly be seen by your school, parents, and strangers.

     Previously in class, we had the pleasure of having a Google Hangout session with Cameron Brenchley. Cameron is the Vice President at Collaborative Communications. He also worked at the Office of Digital Strategy and the US Department of Education at the White House. Cameron said his job is very different everyday due to different projects and clients. Also, he told us of the big transition he faced when changing from a government job to a private sector. The pace of his job now is much slower and the hours are shorter. Brenchley recommended Linked In and Twitter for professional networking. Overall, Cameron Brenchley made it very clear that it takes talent and time to have a successful account.

     Chapter 1 of Untangling the Web by Steve Dembo and Adam Bellow focuses on curation tools. Joshua Schechter, who introduced blogs, created a website called Del.icio.us that allowed people to save bookmarks and share them publicly. This eventually allowed users to navigate their resources and gather the rewards of their efforts. Not only did this create intrinsic and extrinsic rewards but also removed technical barriers. "Blogs, podcasts, and wikis dramatically increased the amount of content for people to sift through and social bookmarking tools allowed users to collect, organize, and share out what they found" (Dembo, Bellow 2). Today, curation tools are more advanced, consistent, and diverse. Different curation sites suit different people based on their needs. Three of the best curation sites for educators are Symbaloo, Diigo, and eduClipper.

The Power of Google

     In our previous GEN 2243 class, we focused mostly on the syllabus, along with other helpful tools that we can use throughout the semester. Included in this discussion was Google and its many valuable components. Google Scholar is a search engine that contains many articles and books that are peer reviewed. This will be extremely helpful when looking for specific articles for classes in the future. By using the Research menu option, you can cite sources and also drag over an image in an instant.  From what we've learned in class and from exploring on my own, Google has proven to be a necessity in my college career and future.

     In the article "16 secrets of Google Drive," David Chartier goes over 16 very useful elements of Google Drive, previously known as Google Docs. Chartier states "Google Drive's many and varied capabilities--from chat with collaborators in a document to the ability to automate your entire Drive--can sometimes be surprising." Many people do not know how advantageous using Google Drive could be. Not only does it allow you to collaborate with multiple people on a document in real time, but also in multiple languages. Also, Google Drive allows you to create surveys and sort data easier than ever. 

     In "Google Drive Cheat Sheet," Alice Keeler has created an easy to follow picture based cheat sheet all on Google Drive. Her cheat sheet shows you how to share files with steps. It also shows ways to move and sort files that you create. Don Crowther focuses on Google Hangouts in his article on how to use google hangouts to broadcast your business. Google Hangouts allow you to broadcast live to an audience of any size. He emphasizes that this will not only publicize your hangout but affect your search engine rankings too. Crowther then goes into all the possibilities that could be reached by using Google Hangout.

     While going through my Twitter feed, I came across a tweet from Professor Kyle Calderwood that involved signing up to help a teacher who is new to Twitter. This is also known as the "Twitter Mentor Project." I thought this was a genius idea. Many teachers are intimidated by today's technology based world that they become scared to try out social media such as Twitter to increase their knowledge. So, by signing up to help a teacher, especially as  a Twitter fanatic myself, we can help these teachers succeed. This was by far my favorite Twitter post that I saw this week due to it's helpfulness towards educators.