Weekly Blog Post and Reflection #4

Curata. (CC) 2016.

Hello Bloggers!

This week we explored the online world of curated content as well as certain websites that are made to enable curating and collecting information. Rather you’re an online creator or curator, you’re presence on the Internet makes a difference and it is important to explore different online tools in order to build up your digital portfolio! As a blogger, I am more of a creator than a curator but I gave curating a try through the popular social bookmarking website called “Diigo.” I also took a different route of curating with the online tool “Google Alerts.”

As mentioned in my previous post, there is so much information online to sort through and content is being created on the Internet at a rapid pace everyday. This is when an RSS feed comes in handy, however curating websites are also resourceful tools because they enable you to view several websites surrounding a particular topic, rather than sifting through thousands of Google searches. The blog “If You Can’t Be a Creator, Then Be a Curator” takes a closer look at curating websites and why they are helpful tools. Content curators filter through all of the information online on a specific topic and then this forms a “library” per say, of all the most significant and reliable information about this topic. Prior to this week I did not know much about content curating, thus this was a whole new world for me and it was also a great learning process. As I am introduced to new web tools I am building my digital citizenship and learning which information online is more reliable. It is especially important to ensure the information you are using in your university assignments are reliable and I usually do this by looking through peer-reviewed journal articles. Another method that I have used in the past to identify if a resource is trustworthy is called TRASH. This is a simple checklist method that helps to ensure all information is reliable.

Furthermore, as I explored the several blog posts about content curation I learned more and more about different curators and the advantages of curating content. In Beth’s blog “Content Curation Primer,” she describes how content curation is beneficial because it organizes the most significant and updated content surrounding a topic. It is much more efficient to look at a curated magazine, news page, information hub etc. about a topic, rather than looking through thousands of links that can pose unreliable information.

Additionally, I’ve been keeping up to date with the postings in my RSS feed and I have been exploring blogs online to find new and exciting options to subscribe to. Recently, I have been very interested in DIY projects so I found a popular blog called “A Beautiful Mess,” which is run by Elise Larson and Emma Chapman. This blog is chalk full of recipes, beauty tips, interior design, and fashion, it is also very well put together and organized. The main article that caught my eye this week in my feeder was “3 Ideas for DIY PhoneCases,” and I highly recommend this blog if you are interested in DIY’s!

Have a great week, and happy blogging!

Weekly Report and Reflection Post #3

Hello fellow blog readers!

As mentioned in my previous post, I have been exploring the RSS Feed Reader website called Feedly. I’m interested to read everyone’s thoughts on Feedly and looking to find new suggested blogs to follow! Prior to this weeks research I had never heard of the website Feedly. However, I knew of RSS feeds prior to this week because Tumblr has an option where you can create an RSS feed for certain blogs that you are interested in, which enables you to sift through blog posts and pictures easily! At first I was not sure if Feedly would be a digital tool that I would enjoy using, however it has definitely been fun to try out and I was very surprised by the organizational aspect of the website.

Parent, S. (CC) 2016.

Exploring various blogs has been enjoyable and throughout the process I recalled some that I frequently visit. One of my favourite blogs to frequent is by Lauren Conrad called “The BeautyDepartment.”  Conrad’s blog is full of beauty, fashion, and life tips and I love how it is easy to click through and includes great links.  If makeup and fashion tips are something that you may be interested in, I highly recommend giving this blog a chance. Additionally, the subscription aspect of Feedly has made it easier to access new content and have updated blog posts automatically filter into specific folders that you create. On my Feedly account I have the following folders: education, news, beauty, and other. As I subscribe to more blogs I will form more folders to keep everything organized and filtered. In the blog post, "It Really is Simple: RSS for Educators", readers can find more information on RSS feeds and how they are beneficial for educational purposes. The main tool that I learned from the following blog post is that I can subscribe to some of my fellow students' blogs and therefore receive updates in my feed when they post. 

Furthermore, RSS Feed Readers allow all of your digital content to be organized and easily accessible, which is the main reason as to why I recommend making a Feedly account! In this day and age there is so much to keep track of online and so many people constantly posting to social networks that it can be a lot to handle when skimming through information. With the help of an RSS feeder, all of the postings are available with one click and they all appear on one webpage rather than going to every individual blog, podcast, etc.  One of the main aspects of the RSS Feeds is that they bring the news and blogs to you as a reader, rather than searching online for new updates, as mentioned in the video “RSS in Plain English.” This stood out to me because balancing work and university takes up a lot of time, and the RSS feed allows you to cut back on how much time you are wasting searching for the updated news and it also allows you to check the updates on your phone if you download the app.

Recently. I was discussing Feedly with my manager and I recommended that she try it out because she enjoys reading blogs. She was telling me that once she is on one blog she clicks through several links to the point where she is lost in the blogosphere and can't remember how she got to where she is! I told her that Feedly will be beneficial for her because it easily lists updates from all subscribed blogs and it is also simple to identify specific important articles by their category and thumbnail photos. Therefore, Feedly can be used in both an educational and leisure context for blog readers!

As a blog reader, I am going to continue to utilize Feedly and I recommend that if you are an avid blog reader that you give it a try as well! It’s efficient, fast, accessible, and easy to use, which makes it a really great online tool!

As per usual, happy blogging!

My Experience with RSS Feeds

Hi readers!

This week I explored the website “Feedly,” which allows you to subscribe to different blogs and websites and complies all of the information posted daily into a RSS feed. This has made reading articles and blogs quicker and more efficient and I recommend everyone check it out if you are an avid blog reader!

One of the articles that I explored is called “FeelingOverwhelmed? Don’t Just Start, but Start. ” The blog title stood out to me because I felt like I had relation to seeing as my busiest weeks of school are approaching this term. I figured it would provide some great information in how to deal with the feeling of being overwhelmed and how to lower stress levels about due dates. I’m constantly balancing school, work, volunteering, friends, family, homework and sometimes it can get to be TOO MUCH! This blog was really interesting and I’m for sure going to practice the simple tips that it provided in order to relieve stress and worry less. I have a feeling that the weeks prior to reading week are busy for all of us, therefore I highly recommend everyone check out this blog post!

 

Mashable.com (CC). 2016

Happy blogging and be safe!

Blog #2: Personal Learning Environment (PLE) and Wordle

Hi everyone!

This week we took a closer look at Personal Learning Environments (PLE) and how to organize our goals for the future. The Prezi presentation “A Bridge in the Cloud?” provides an in depth presentation about PLE and defines it as a way for students to be more organized and have more control over their learning goals online. During my brainstorm for my PLE diagram I mapped out a few specific goals that I want to accomplish in the next 5-10 years. These goals include: finishing my undergrad with honours and successfully completing my minor (to be used as a teachable), attend and graduate from teachers college with a focus on primary and junior grades within the next two years. I would also like to find a teaching job in Ontario or move out of the area if necessary, however job opportunities are slim so working in the field whenever possible is another option! It is important to me that I continue to volunteer in schools following my current placement in order to gain more experience in the classroom. Additionally, I brainstormed some personal life goals such as get married, have children, and own my own house (however this will be closer to the 10 year mark).

Marano, A. (CC) 2016.

Currently my main goal is to finish my academic career, therefore it is essential that I work really hard in the next three years to see progress academically. This term especially affects my progress in the later years because it is my last term before from university. My PLE demonstrates that in order to graduate and attend teachers college I should continue using Microsoft Word for assignments, Facebook in order to communicate with my group projects peers, as well as the Brock University library website (SuperSearch) to find scholarly reviewed articles for essays, PowerPoint, and Google Docs so that I can share the information that I have found with my group members. I have found that Facebook has been a great social networking tool to keep in contact with my group members and share what we have accomplished thus far. I usually use Twitter for leisure however I think it could be a great learning tool in order to communicate with other group members as well. The website “WebToold4u2use” is really beneficial when creating a PLE because it offers options to use in your PLE and it also provides an in depth description of each category. It is significantly important that as I explore these websites and tools I create a safe environment in order to have a positive digital dossier. My digital dossier can affect my future employment options and employers often look at individuals social networking sites in order to form an idea about a person. I really enjoyed making a PLE because it enabled me to visualize my goals and brainstorm the tools that I can use to achieve these goals.

Marano, A. (CC) 2016.

I have seen a lot of Word Clouds floating around the internet however I have never found the opportunity to make one! I used a website called “Wordle” to make my own Word Cloud based off of my previous blog. From a glance at the Word Cloud it is easy to recognize my perspective on the importance of a positive digital dossier. The Word Cloud tool is very easy and fun to use and I will continue to create them throughout my blogging experience.

 

Make sure to check out the PLE diagram making tool “Popplet“ as well as “Wordle” for all your Word Cloud making needs!

As per usual, happy blogging and be safe!

Blog #1: Digital Dossier

A digital footprint, also known as a digital dossier, is information that is stored in cyberspace from the moment you are born and continues after your passing. It is formed through the “footprints” that you leave behind when using technology and the Internet. Personally I think that having a positive digital footprint is important and I have been contributing to my footprint for a while now through my  use of social networks and technology. As I write this blog I will be building up my digital footprint and sharing my thoughts with the world, additionally as you read this you are adding to your digital footprint! However, I am very cautious when using technology and the Internet because of the constant tracking of information and how easily information can be obtained through websites.

Many people do not realize the consequences of sharing personal information on the Internet and how it can be tracked for a lifetime. The video "Youth and Media- A Digital Dossier" paints a good picture about the formation of digital dossiers without being aware. I first began to notice my digital dossier when I would go onto Facebook and the ads would be targeted to something I recently searched or purchased online. Sometimes this can seem like a scary situation, but do not be scared of your digital footprint and the tracks you leave behind! As long as you continue to use proper Netiquette and are sharing aspects of your life in a safe manner than you will be building a positive digital footprint. Additionally, it is important to be aware of what others are posting about you in order to ensure that your digital footprint is maintained across everyone’s postings.

As I continue to post to this blog I would like to focus on digital literacy because it is something that I will have to be aware of in order to educate my future students on digital etiquette and safety. When I watch students or my younger cousins use the internet they are not aware of the consequences of sharing information or clicking on random websites that may be unsafe, therefore it is important that we educate children on Netiquette and their digital dossier. Through my exploration of my Digital Driver's License I learned that I need to work on my digital commerce. This is personally significant because lately I have been online shopping more frequently and this can be unsafe if I share too much personal information.

I have been blogging for several years now as I created my first Tumblr in high school. I was soon emerged into a sharing cyber society of memes, gifs, and a supportive online community. I continue to use Tumblr to this day and love exploring the website. I think that I have learned a lot from this blogging experience and it will benefit other youth if they use it in a positive format. Additionally, when I was in grade eleven, I did an English assignment that entailed creating a blog (much like this one) in the perspective of a character from Shakespeare’s “Othello.” I really enjoyed this assignment because it gave me creative freedom with blogging, but I also felt a connection to the characters as I developed the storyline through my posts. In the article "Six Reasons Why Kids Should Know how to Blog," by Barseghian, several other reasons as to why blogging is beneficial for children is suggested, such as building strong skills in online communication that is not through merely 140 characters, as demonstrated on Twitter. Blogs promote literacy, visibility, and communication on a worldwide scale and should be implemented into the curriculum more often.

My challenge for YOU is to track your digital dossier and ensure that the trail you are leaving behind is positive! Additionally, here is an interesting video that I found about positive digital dossiers for everyone to check out!

Happy blogging and be safe!