Hello Everyone!
Before I get into what I was learning about this week, I would like to start this post off with a video clip that can be found here. This is a video that poped up on my Feedly feed, and I just had to share. As a future educator, educational rights are very important to me, and I am always astounded by this young woman's courage, and the wisdom she has at such a young age!

Moving on to this weeks session....
So this week I did what I have vowed to never do. I joined Twitter.

Retrieved from: http://m.c.lnkd.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/p/6/005/073/357/2a1c1d8.jpg

 Here's the thing. I have always viewed twitter as a place where people post about what sandwich they ate for lunch, or how great their hot yoga class went, and I just did not see the value of knowing those things. Needless to say, I gave a good eye roll when I found out that I had to create a twitter account. BUT. As I began to look through the various accounts that I could 'follow', I began to see how there is potential for my digital learning.
This week we learned about creating, and building up a PLN. What is a PLN you may ask? Well, PLN stands for Personal Learning Network. Essentially a PLN is the people or groups that you exchange information with, and it is usually digital in format.
So after joining Twitter, and learning about PLN, the challenge then became filtering the ridiculous amounts of information from Twitter, and finding groups and people to follow that will create a useful PLN.  This was far more challenging than I initially thought, but I have a couple of tips if you are considering using Twitter as a PLN.

Tip 1: Start Small 
Don't expect to have it all figured out, and to have a perfect PLN after only one attempt. It will take time, so start by finding 3 to 5 people or groups to follow, that will really help with your area of interest, or study.
Tip 2: Don't Get Distracted!
As I previously mentioned, there is so much information, and so much going on within Twitter. Don't get distracted by posts or by following things that are not related to what you are learning.
Tip 3: Be A Copy Cat
One of the great ways I found to discover other people and groups to follow was by looking at who the people I follow are following. If the people you are following are interested in the same things, it is likely that they will follow at least 1 or 2 other people you may want to follow as well!

While I was hesitant at first, I think that I will indeed be adding Twitter to my PLE, as it has the potential to provide important connections, and resources when learning online, and learning in general. While I used to think that it would only go under my 'social' section if I ever got it, I now can see its benefits within my academic section. I encourage everyone to give Twitter a try, even if you are as skeptical is I was, and if you do follow me @hb11xz, and learn with me... digitally!
Have a good week!

~Hannah

Hey Guys!
So this week I learned all about bookmarking tools and curation tools! So, let's begin with bookmarking tools!
A bookmarking tool, at its simplest capacity, allows you to save content found online, for later use. The bookmarking tool I used this week is called diggo.This tool is great if you are researching and you have a lot of information and websites to look over, and read, but need to put them all in one place to use later. The other great thing about this tool is that it allows you to highlight online content, add stickynotes, use screen shots and add annotations as well! For me this is SO helpful, as most of my research and academic readings are done online! Diggo allows me to have all of the information I have collected for a particular research project, or paper, and then have all of my highlights, and notes in one area, instead of all over my computer in various folders!  Last week I told you all about feedly. Well, feedly and diigo work very well together. I like that I can see all of the new updates on blogs, and websites that I am 'following' on my feedly, and then when I see something that I truly like, or find useful, I can then add it to 'My Library' on diigo! In addition to your personal information and research, you can look at the online resources that others are bookmarking!
While I was looking through some of the other things users were bookmarking, I came across this great page. While its not the whole site I'm interested in, the article was very helpful, and informative. The article is about Google Alerts, which is the other tool I learned to use this week!

Retrieved from; http://blog.monitor.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/google-alerts.jpg

Google alerts is considered an online curation tool. This means that it can organize online information, and content based on specific themes, or topics. With Google alerts, I am able to receive alerts when there is new or updated online information, or content related to the specific themes I'm interested in! I am actually so excited about this tool! What this means for me personally, is that I am able to type in key words, or themes and then every time something new is published relating to those key words and themes, I will receive an email! This has huge potential for my research that I do for classes, and for personal knowledge!
It has been a great week learning all about diigo, and Google alerts, and I am so excited to add these to my PLE. Diigo will be a great addition to the educational, and personal sections of my PLE, as I think it will be useful not only for educational purposes, but also for not school related online use. I's VERY happy to be able to add Google alerts to the educational section of my PLE, and think I will get quite a bit of use from it!
Thats all for this week!
Thanks for learning with me... digitally!

~ Hannah

Weekly Report & Reflection Post #3!

Hello again!
So I'm back! I would like to start off by a brief explanation of what an RSS feed is and how that relates to feedly! So, RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Basically it a way that websites make their content easily accessible through other websites! By doing this, users are then able to compile the information and websites they are using through programs such as feedly. Think of it like a very organized favorites folder, but much more accessible, and useable!
Feedly is a fabulous resource that, once you figure it out, can change how you follow and keep up with certain websites. It allows direct searched of websites, and uses RSS when your not browsing directly on feedly, to sort the websites, and information you are using into 'folders' with different categories.
Okay. If I am being honest, I was so very frustrated when I first started this session. I couldn't quite figure things out, and I was just about to give up! BUT! It is worth the time to figure out, because it feedly is such a great resource, and 100% worth the time to learn!(Even if I did feel like the cartoon at the beginning! Haha!)

Retrieved From: http://michellewelti.blogspot.ca, September 28th, 2014

 

 
Now, I usually talk about all things educational, and that is indeed a big part of my life. However the resource I found through feedly is a little different. I discovered a blog called Ikea Hackers. This site is too cool! The creators of this blog, take Ikea products, and re-purpose them, and use them in ways that they were not originally created for! Is so Imaginative and I love how they think outside the box! While this site was a 'fun' site I found, feedly opens up endless potential for my work within this class. I hope that as I continue to use feedly, I will be able to find, and follow some blogs and sites about digital citizenship and in particular digital law, so that I can further my knowledge on this topic!
Two blog posts ago, I wrote about my PLE, and I am so excited to as feedly to not only my educational section of my PLE, but also to my social/fun section!
Overall I found this session to be encouraging. While it started out in utter frustration, I ended it in contentment, as I have now discovered a new online program that can assist me in neumerous aspects of my life!
Thanks for learning with me... digitally!
~Hannah

My Experience With RSS Feeds

Hey Guys!
So this week I learned all about RSS feeds, and let me tell you, I was so frustrated at the beginning. I kept trying over and over to follow the steps provided for using a program called feedly, and I just couldn't get it!  BUT. After some re-reading, and a little bit of help, I was able to figure it out, in a way that I understand, and can make work for me.Now if you don't know what feedly is, never fear! I will have another post coming soon to go over what it does and why it can be helpful!
For now, I would like to share a fabulous resource I found while navigating feedly!
As I have mentioned before I am on my way to becoming a teacher, and so I am always on the lookout for resources for future use! Through the use of feedly, I came across a youtube channel called TedEd. If you have never heard of Ted Talks you are missing out! The Ted Talk website is a collection of videos, that range from inspirational, and motivational, to though provoking, and educational. This youtube channel I found has compiled all of the videos surrounding education. This has the potential to be a fabulous resource later on down the road, and now I have it saves in my feedly folder!
That's all for now, but I will be back shortly to tell you all the fabulous benefits of feedly!
Thanks for learning with me, digitally!
Hannah

Hello everyone!
So this week I learned all about PLEs. Let me start by explaining what a PLE is.
A PLE is a Personal Learning Environment. A PLE includes all of the digital tools that we use to assist and support our learning. After learning about PLEs I took a moment to really think about all of the tools I use when I am working on school work, and I was amazed! There are so many online and digital tools that I use to support my learning, and daily activities!

Barrett, H. (CC) 2014

As part of this session I got to use a new online program called www.bubbl.us, and it allows you to create mind maps, so I have created my PLE! Its amazing when you actually sit down and think about all of the tools that support your learning! As you can see I have many digital tools that assist my learning, and it is constantly growing. Some of those I have just started using since I have started this course! I hope that these tools will continue to support my learning throughout my life!
As a part of this session we were asked to reflect on our PLE through reflecting on Personal Life our Learning, out Environment, and our Habits. So, here we go.
Personal: When I think about my future and where I want to be, I have a very clear picture. As I have mentioned before I am in school to become a teacher, and so I obviously can envision myself teaching. But it goes farther than that. I hope to really be using the things that I have learned about myself through this and other classes to have a real impact on the children I am teaching!
Learning: If there is one thing that I have learned during my time in university, it is that you are never to old to learn new things! I am constantly learning new things from my classes, and the students I interact with, and its amazing! I truly hope to continue to learn more about this digital and technology driven world we live in, and how to make this information understandable, and useful for my students.
Environment: Another class that I am currently enrolled in is one that looks at different learning habits and styles. I have found this information very informative and it has begun to shape how I choose to learn. By adapting my learning environment to one that works best for me I can maximize my potential for effective and meaningful learning! For example, I have begun to organize my time with an agenda, setting out specific times for activities, and homework, and have had fabulous results!
Habits: Bad habits can be the difference between success and failure, and I have learned this the hard way! I frequently take on far too much at one time (like 3 jobs, and 6 classes.. woops!), and then don't have enough hours complete everything I need and want to do! I need to begin to critically decide what is reasonable for me to accomplish, and what I simply cannot handle.
In addition to using www.bubbl.us, I also used another program called Wordle, that can make a cool graphic collage of words! Here is what I got when I copied and pasted my last blog post into the program!

Barrett, H. (CC) 2014

Cool Huh? Its such an easy program to use, and the final product in neat! 

Throughout this past session I have learned so much about myself and the digital tools I use, and how those will effect and assist me in my learning, and in life in general! I look forward to what the next session has in store for me... perhaps some new tool for me to add to my PLE? I guess we shall see! 

Thanks for learning with me... digitally! 

~Hannah                                                                                   

Week 1 Report And Reflection

Hello!
This weeks session was all about digital footprints, netiquette. Lets start by addressing what a digital footprint even is!
A digital footprint is the collection of information, pictures, and anything else that has been posted by an individual online. It also include any 'trail' that has been left behind by a user as a result of; visiting sites, signing in to accounts, and sending emails. According to http://www.internetsociety.org/ one can have a positive or a negative digital footprint. A positive digital footprint can look like; creating a positive online reputation, having appropriate online screen/usernames, keeping appropriate privacy settings. Unfortunately one can also have a negative digital footprint, which can be caused by; inappropriate posts, and pictures, rude and destructive behavior, and comments, and posts and pictures that you may later regret sharing and sending. A fabulous resource I found while researching digital footprints was http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/. This website is a resource for kids, teens, parents and teachers that talks about digital footprints, as well as many other topics all surrounding digital media!

http://www.sjscomputerlab.com/digital-footprint.html

So how can we create digital footprints, and encourage others to do the same? One of the most important things to remember when online is that once its posted it's hard to delete it. In the digital age we live in, digital content can go viral in a matter of hours, and often things posted online can't be taken down. For this reason it is important to 'think twice, and post once'. If we take the time to consider what we are posting how it could impact not only ourselves but others, we begin to make a conscious effort to create a positive digital footprint, as well as a positive digital experience for all! This is a large part of netiquette.

Netiquette is basically online etiquette. It includes things such as; acting appropriately online, not posting, or commenting rude and inappropriate things, respect other users, and respecting your own and other privacy. Albion.com has a great outline of netiquette rules, that are understandable and easy to follow! After taking the netiquette quiz, I learned that there are still things that I need to learn about netiquette, and that it never hurts to brush up on your netiquette!

In addition to learning about digital footprints, I also had the opportunity to complete the 'Digital Driver's License Exam' from the text Digital Citizenship In Schools (2011) by Mike Ribble. Through the completion of this short quiz I have discovered some areas that I need to continue to educate myself on in regards to digital citizenship. The two main areas being; digital law, and digital rights and responsibilities. In his text, Mike Ribble notes that digital law is the rules that are used when digital technology is in use and digital rights and responsibilities are the rights and responsibilities that each digital technology user has within the digital context. Over the next few weeks of this course I hope to become more familiarized with these elements of digital citizenship.
Overall this session was very informative and a good review for me. I learned about digital footprints, which made me evaluate my own, and change some online behaviors.
I look forward to the next session, and some more digital learning!


~ Hannah

Hello!
My name is Hannah, and this is my first ever blog post (and first blog for that matter)! I am a avid traveler, and love to sew and paint. I love meeting new people and studying different cultures from my own.  I am currently enrolled in a Child and Youth Studies program, and am looking forward to a future career as a teacher. I love the program that I am in and constantly find myself learning new things about my self that I never knew.
Blogging is something very new to me (although everyone in my family has an ongoing blog, ironically enough), and I hope that this experience will help me gain some much needed confidence in regards to online media.
As a future educator, it is important to me that I am comfortable with learning through digital media, as well as helping my students learn in digital contexts. I have previously taken courses that involve looking at various forms of digital learning for students, and have found them to be very informative, and interesting. There are so many digital resources out there, and so many of them can be used for education purposes! It is very important to me, that I am able to provide the best possible learning environment for my future students, and the reality is, digital media will likely be one of them! As a result of this desire, I have enrolled in a course entitled; Learning in Digital Contexts (pretty handy huh?). The main purpose of this blog, is for assignment posts, but I hope that it will result in more than just another credit towards my education. I hope to gain knowledge and perspective in regards to digital media, and learning through digital contexts through this course. I often find myself lost when it comes to online, and technological resources, and so I hope to gain skills for tackling those areas though this course.
So I invite anyone willing to listen (or read I suppose...), to join me over this semester as I learn more about this crazy digital world that we have access to, and learn with me... digitally!

~ Hannah