Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

Lame Transcripts

Monday, November 8th, 2010

When Google Voice first sent out invitations to try their beta, my husband was one of the lucky ones.  I had to sign up, wait for weeks, and then my invite finally came!  w00t!

Let’s just say that Google Voice revolutionized the way I do voice mail, texts, etc.

I can give one number out to people, and when they call me, I can either:

Very nice features!

But, with all good things come…hilarious things…such as the sometimes questionable transcripts of voice mails.

After receiving one too many hilarious transcripts (e.g. my husband calling to “see if I love you!”), we decided to start a new website to compile the hilarity (and awkwardness) for generations to come:

www.lametranscripts.com

Go visit, share some of your own, and spread the smiles!

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Windows Live Writer

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

If you haven’t checked out Windows Live Writer yet, you really should, especially with the new update that was pushed out on 10.19.10.  The design is sleeker, the tabs are easier to navigate, and the editor itself is better.

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Looks a lot more like Word, which will make more people comfortable with it, I think.

Live Writer has been one of the easiest ways I have found to manage my personal blog as well as different websites run off of WordPress.

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By using Live Writer in conjunction with WordPress’ “Pages”, it’s relatively easy to run a “website” off of a blog engine like WordPress.  And…Live Writer makes it easier to publish posts and pages from the comfort of one’s desktop.

What’s your favorite desktop client for publishing to your blog?  Or do you prefer to write in-browser?  I’m always looking for new things!

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How the iPad (and other tech tools) saved me in class today

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

I’m the kind of person who was born expecting things to go wrong.  In elementary school, I was the kid with three #2 pencils for the SATs…just in case both of the standard ones broke.  In college, I was the student who backed up my work on CDs, flash drives, the network drive, another laptop, etc.  Basically, I try to live my life with a plan B…and C…and D…etc.

When I started teaching, I approached my responsibilities in the same way.  Grades are stored in multiple (secure) places.  PowerPoint presentations are on my laptop and on a flash drive (just in case I need to transfer to the classroom desktop mid-lecture.  Yes, my laptop has died mid-lecture, but that was before my amazing Lenovo).  I used LiveMesh before switching to Dropbox and Evernote (I’m paranoid).  Always have a plan B…

…and then there was today.

For some reason, I truly thought I had placed my power cord in my messenger bag.

Apparently, I hadn’t.  And it was speech-day today; one of the most power-draining “I really need my laptop for this” moments of the semester.

I got through the first class just fine and shut down my laptop to conserve power.

Halfway through the second class’ speeches, the power alert icon popped up.

“3% remaining.  Switch to power or lose your work.”

It should have read more along the lines of, “3% remaining.  Why aren’t you switching to power?  What kind of person allows their laptop to drain to 3%?  Huh?  HUH?!?!”

At least, that’s what it felt like at that moment.

And for one of the few times in my entire teaching career – I panicked.

I had no plan B or even C.  I didn’t have the grading sheets printed out (I like to save paper), I didn’t have a second device to plug the flash drive into (I used to have a Dell Mini9), and while I generally remember 80% of speeches during the 2-3 days from which they are given, I didn’t want to just sit there, listen, and grade later.

And then the solution came to me.

I generally use Quickoffice HD (Quickoffice Connect) for all my document editing needs, but I discovered an interesting fact:  You can’t edit .xlsx files.

Panic again.

Then, I remembered I still had DocsToGo installed, a program that had given me much grief when trying to pull up and edit Word and Google Docs documents.  It was worth a shot.

It worked.

I could now grade the speeches from the comfort of my iPad and rest assured that they were syncing with my Dropbox account, to be accessed and printed at a later date from either my work desktop or my laptop (once it had power again).

So, in summary:

…and that is how the iPad (and other tech tools) saved me in class today.

Posted in Education, Technology | 2 Comments »

Why I <3 my iPhone 4

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

Mike with iPhone A few months ago (or maybe a month ago), I received one of the best wedding anniversary gifts a female geek could receive – a new piece of technology.  My husband teases me about my fascination with “shiny things” (usually meaning jewelry), but this time, my shiny thing was a brand spankin’ new iPhone 4.  Even after 8+ hours of trying to get the thing activated (shout-out of gratitude to the peeps at the AT&T store on San Fernando who hung in there with us for what felt like an entire day – even 1 hour after closing!), we were very happy with our new phones.

I’m still happy with my phone;  I’m not sure if Mike is still happy with his phone.  I think he still likes it, but you’ll have to ask him.

I was planning on blogging about my love affair with my iPad, but most everyone’s already done that.  Plus, I’ll do that post after I’ve taught with it this coming semester (!).

Things I Love About My iPhone 4:

YOU CAN DEPOSIT CHECKS WITH IT!!! o_O

I will never have to go to a bank again.  Well, unless I need cash.  Chase, the day you can make an app that prints cash from my iPhone, I will bake you a cake of your choice (assuming I am still alive and capable of baking said cake).

Things I Like About My iPhone 4:

Things I Do Not Like About My iPhone 4:

Overall, I’d rate my experience with the iPhone 4 a 3.5 stars out of 5.  Would I recommend it to others?  Sure!  Why not. 

Other operating systems I need to try before I die:

Now back to trying to beat people at Words with Friends (I’m rockd0ve, by the way! And I will try to pwn you!)

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Why Students Use Wikipedia

Monday, March 29th, 2010

[Sometimes, I really wish we had a lake nearby where I could sit, dip my feet in, and ponder life’s mysteries.

Alas, the closest thing to a “lake” we have here in Santa Clarita is Bridgeport which is 1) too far away from where I am, and 2) too toxic-looking at the moment to ever consider dipping one’s feet in.

But, in a few days, I shall dip my toes into the cold ocean.  I shall relish it.]

A few months ago, I discovered a rather useful tool called InstaPaper.  It’s free and ridiculously easy to use.  It also has a free, downloadable app for my Android phone which makes reading articles so much more convenient on the run.  This article is one of those I saved awhile back.

Did you see the research paper on First Monday entitled, How today’s college students use Wikipedia for course-related research?  Written by Alison J. Head and Michael B. Eisenberg of the Information School at the University of Washington, the paper focuses on how students really use Wikipedia.  I agree with how they start off their introduction – “Want to stir up a room full of college faculty and librarians?  Mention Wikipedia.”

I mentioned Wikipedia as part of my presentation at the CA-AAFCS State & Western Region conference a few weeks back, and I saw some smirks in the audience.  My point wasn’t Wikipedia itself but the wiki software; it didn’t matter for a few of the attendees.  Wikipedia was Wikipedia, bastion of misinformation that it is.

I believe Wikipedia has its good points, but many faculty members and teachers cling to their distrust of the site and its contents.  They encourage students to stay away from it during their research lest a student “quote” misinformation from it, but are students really using Wikipedia for their research?

According to Head and Eisenberg, maybe not.  “A majority of respondents frequently used Wikipedia for background information, but less often than they used other common resources, such as course readings and Google.”  Their initial findings suggest that those in the “hard sciences” tend to use Wikipedia more, and those that do use Wikipedia use it “in combination with other information resources.”

A couple of interesting points from their research (my comments in parentheses):

So what’s Wikipedia’s true appeal?  According to the authors, “Wikipedia’s information utility is tied to four C’s it delivers – currency, coverage, comprehensibility, and convenience.”  (emphasis added)  I think we can learn from that.

I would encourage you to read the article for yourself and not be overwhelmed by the technical nature of the writing.

And check out InstaPaper.com while you’re at it.

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XBOX Live Update Preview

Monday, October 26th, 2009

So, today was apparently the day the XBOX Live Update Preview went, well, live.  Huzzah!

Since I was the only one in our household willing to actually click through the screens on the XBOX to find our serial number, I was able to sign up to be part of the preview.  Once I signed up, I promptly forgot about it thanks to real life and Netflix.  Oh, that and a fun mini-vacation down to San Clemente.

Anyways, I am now one of the proud members of the XBOX Live community who can use Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm (what’s that?), and Zune-thing on my (ahem, “our”) XBOX.  Fun stuff so far, but I don’t think I’ll be migrating over to the XBOX completely anytime soon for the following reasons:

  1. I’m just not on the XBOX as much as I used to be, and I really don’t want to leave a game just to tweet or update my status.
  2. I had to dig out my keypad and re-attach it to my controller.
  3. If I am on the XBOX, I’m using Netflix or playing DDR.  I dare anyone to try typing a status update from a DDR dance pad…dare…

Here’s a breakdown of my opinions on each item so far:

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Facebook

Very pretty UI.  Very pretty!  Scrolling through the different options is fun and truly makes stalking…erm…keeping up with friends easier.  Plus, quickly scrolling through status updates on a large-screen TV is rather satisfying in a lazy way.  I have a feeling people will enjoy this integration.

If your friends are also on XBOX Live, I think you can share game info, compare stats, etc.  Isn’t that what logging in to xbox.com is for?  Well, I guess you can do this through Facebook now, too.

I won’t be using this one often.  I try to avoid the masses on Facebook as it is.  I am weak, however, I confess…

 

twitterTwitter

Now this is the most fun addition for me.  I love Twitter!  I think it’s one of the best social networking-ish tools out there today.  And I love the UI design for the XBOX!  Look at that cute Twitter birdy! *le sigh*

As much as I love Twitter, I won’t be using it  as much on the XBOX, even though there are some things I like about the XBOX version, such as:

  1. Twitter’s “Remember Me” option actually works on the XBOX.
  2. Tweets are easy to read and scroll through.
  3. My avatar is pretty entertaining.
  4. I like the Twitter bird…and the moving clouds.

Why I wouldn’t use it:

  1. I have to type with the controller or a keypad.  Why would I do that when my laptop is usually right next to me?
  2. I’d have to leave a game/movie to tweet.  I might as well pick up my cell phone and tweet while playing…or utilize the aforementioned laptop.
  3. I can’t click on URLs and see the cool sites, photos, videos, etc. my contacts are sharing.

So, fun stuff, but not quite enough to keep me glued to my console.  I mean, “our” console…

Last.fm

I have no idea what last.fm is, but if you use it, you can now use it on the XBOX.  Yay for you!

And finally…

IMG_2827

Zune (Video)

Alas, I thought this was going to be a full-out Zune integration.  I have a Zune and an amazing Zune Pass subscription, and I was hoping this would usher in the marriage of my Zune Pass and my XBOX.  It was not to be.

The XBOX now integrates with Zune Video, as in…you can now purchase full movies, rent movies, etc. that can then play on your Zune HD, your computer, or your XBOX.  As fun as that is, I won’t be using this feature because of…

Netflix

Netflix integrates seamlessly with the XBOX.  I can stream movies from my Instant Queue and browse new additions at no extra cost to my monthly Netflix subscription.  So, Zune Video?  You’re not for me.  Sorry.

All in all, the additions seem pretty fun.  It’ll be interesting to see what else is rolled out.

In the meantime, I better get back to grading, studying, and longing for the release of Mass Effect 2.

 

P.S. – I was just enlightened as to what Last.fm is.  I’ll still be using my Zune Pass and/or Pandora.

Posted in Fun Stuff, Technology | 2 Comments »

ECI831 – Introduction to Learning Networks

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

(Side note:  I find it absolutely ironic that the week I learn the OSI Model in grad school, I learn about Learning Networks in an open course – so many networks!)

Well, that YouTube video never came to fruition.  Life got more hectic than planned, drama happened, and the cool recording snippets I made were lost or deleted off my camera.  For someone who is so invested in technology, I sure do fail a lot at it sometimes.

On a happier note, I was able to attend my first synchronous session ever with the class through Elluminate last Tuesday, and it was pretty interesting.  So many students were logged in to participate in both listening to a lecturer and discussing different points on the side.  While I have attended webinars and board meetings via Elluminate, I have never attended a class.  Some of the students were complaining that the side chat function was too confusing.  Others were having side conversations that didn’t seem to have much to do with what was being talked about.  Others of us “lurked” and contributed every once in awhile.  I even managed to embarrass myself by cracking a joke at an inopportune time on what I was about to find out was a terribly sad topic.  *slaps self*  As I mentioned before, I really need to read more Canadian news if I am to participate effectively in this class…

Anyways, the question of the week is:

So we know that social learning matters. We know that people form communities in formal and informal environments. How far should we go, as educators, to support non-formal and informal learning? How do we deal with the fact that we are part of a formal system when we know that a heck of a lot of learning (many say, most) happens outside of our formal learning systems? Where do we fit into this? Or in summary, the key question to consider is “what is our role in non-formal learning?”

To be quite honest, if you were not paying even a bit of attention during the amazing lecture or if you were not there at all, the above questions may make no sense.  I was moderately paying attention, and I’m still a bit confused.  I think I may ignore the side conversations next time…

To break it down:

How far should we go, as educators, to support non-formal and informal learning?

How do we deal with the fact that we are part of a formal system when we know that a heck of a lot of learning (many say, most) happens outside of our formal learning systems?

“What is our role in non-formal learning?”

It is interesting to me to be considering what my role is in non-formal learning considering I’m a “not-for-credit” student in this open course, and I got a sense that some of the for-credit students resented our presence in the class.  I do tend to be a bystander because I have no binding responsibility to the course.  I can watch, I can listen, I can process, but I am not required to complete assignments, participate, etc. I have to motivate myself to move beyond the bystander role and into one of engagement.

But, I’ll admit, that seems hard when nothing tangible is at stake (unlike my grad school classes or the classes I teach).

Well, next week again.  We’ll see how it goes…

Suggested Readings from the class wiki:

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Posted in Observations on Life, Technology | 1 Comment »

From consumption to contribution (maybe)

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Despite my amazingly hectic schedule, I decided to attempt to “attend” an open course on Social Media and Open Education through the University of Regina in Canada.  Really, it was the trailer that roped me in – how can any resist such creativity? (Apparently, I can’t)  While I’m at it, I’m going to insert a shameless plug for Free Technology for Teachers, the blog through which I found the class in the first place.

Non-Credit students got to meet with the class for the first time this evening, and since I’m a dork (and generally lazy to boot) and apparently cannot convert Saskatchewan Time into California Time (even though the prof gave us a handy-dandy converter), I missed the Elluminate session.  (Dang it!)  Thankfully, the materials are available for viewing/contemplation through the class’ wiki.

One of the optional (“but highly recommended”) assignments is to create an introductory video of oneself and post it to YouTube. It’s not that long – only 2-3 minutes (shorter than what I require my Spoken COM students to complete with their podcasts), and I have all the tools needed to make the video.  Still, I hesitate…

…and I ask myself why…

…and I realized why it was.

I’m a online consumer by nature.  I read others’ posts on Twitter, Facebook, etc. that I find interesting.  I subscribe to blogs that educate or entertain me.  I subscribe to newsfeeds, cooking blogs, tech reports, photo blogs, and so much more, but the common feature they have is generally a one-way communication.  I read them, and they never know who I am (unless I actually talk/tweet/post back).

I take, I read, and I rarely give back.

I think that is why this class is challenging for me.  Not only are the different tools of the Internet discussed; we are encouraged to use them to contribute something to the Internet that is actually meaningful.

Now that is a true challenge, and I will attempt to meet the task…

I now have a YouTube account.  Oh, dear.  I can promise you I won’t be posting videos of me dancing in tights or drooling as someone shaves my eyebrows off.  Hopefully, I’ll be posting something more substantial.

Like that intro video.  Now to get to work…

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Farewell, Encarta | Hello, Critical Thinking

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

The Interwebz have been buzzing with the news for a month now – Microsoft is going to discontinue their Encarta Encyclopedia.  I, personally, do not use the software/web interface, but I did way back in the olden days of 2000.  While living in Eastern Europe, some kind person from the United States donated a laptop to my mother for my education, and along with that laptop came 6 beautiful, colorful discs with Encarta scrolled across them. I spent many hours hunched over the small screen, scrolling through articles, reading about different countries I had lived in (just so I could see the pictures and not feel homesick), and absorbing information in general.  My favorite feature was their 360 degree “virtual tours” of various places.  Alcatraz became my favorite; I would spent hours freaking myself out by making up different stories to go with my “wanderings” around Alcatraz.  Ah, to be a kid again.

Microsoft had this to say about Encarta’s demise:

Encarta has been a popular product around the world for many years. However, the category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past. As part of Microsoft’s goal to deliver the most effective and engaging resources for today’s consumer, it has made the decision to exit the Encarta business.

Indeed, we do “seek and consume information in considerably different ways”.  Take Wikipedia, for example.  Even The Wall Street Journal announced Encarta’s demise with the headline, “Microsoft to Shut Encarta as Free Sites Alter Market”.  That’s one of the draws of Wikipedia – it is free, and it has tons of articles on topics ranging from extremely academic to mind-blowingly unimportant (but are important to some, of course).  Encarta, as far as I could tell, was like the traditional encyclopedia.  I would not be able to find higher math help in it, nor…on a completely different plane, the latest news on Flight of the Conchords.

But, is access to so much information really that great?  I think so, but I also think that critical thinking and discernment are needed when filtering through the oodles of information presented.  Christopher Dawson of ZDNet apparently agrees, as seen from this quote from The Wired Campus:

The demise of the encyclopedia, he argues, should simply galvanize educators into teaching the research skills students need to wade through “brutally powerful knowledge sources” like Wikipedia and Google. “The encyclopedia is dead,” Mr. Dawson writes. “Long live critical thinking.”

Long live critical thinking, indeed.  If any of my students read this, now you know why I assign you those research projects and try to get you to articulate your thoughts in class.

Articles of Interest on this topic and/or critical thinking:

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Posted in In the News, Technology | No Comments »

E-mail, Gmail

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Remember when you were first introduced to e-mail?  I thought it was the most amazing thing ever!  I think I had a hotmail account first; then, I had a CompuServe (remember them?) account while in Europe (not cheap!), a Yahoo! account, and finally, an sbcglobal account when I moved back to the United States. I even remember the crazy usernames I came up with (one actually stuck – onechzngirl….that’s oneCHOZENgirl, thank you).  Now, at the ripe old age of ____ (you didn’t think I was actually going to tell you, did you?), I am an avid Gmail user for 3 reasons:

  1. Google Apps for Domains
  2. Ease of use
  3. Google Labs

If you have ever e-mailed me, you know my address is through my domain (cgthomas.com).  Their Apps for Domains allows me to add new accounts, manage accounts, great groups, set and customize start pages, run a calendar, use Google Docs, etc. – basically everything a normal Gmail user can do except on my own domain.  It’s beautiful…and convenient.

It is also amazingly easy to use.  You could go into Google Apps and figure out what’s going on pretty quickly.  I’ve seen my (un)fair share of control panels and user interfaces over the years, and Google has given me something I actually don’t mind staring at for hours on end if I have to.  As amazing as their Apps are and as easy as they are to use, I would still say that Google Labs has revolutionized my e-mail world.  When I discovered them, I think I actually cried…just a little bit…but there were tears of happiness somewhere in there.

Google Labs is sort of like a toy box where you can pick as many fun toys as you want (or deem useful).  If you use Gmail, there’s a little green beaker-looking icon in the top, right-hand corner.  Click it and be ready to have your world made just a little bit brighter.

Some Lab features I have seriously appreciated:

Yes, I like Google.  No, I do not think they are the devil.  We can discuss that at a later time because right now, I’m going to go check my e-mail…

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