Out of the tools I investigated, I found StatCrunch to be the most interesting. Some of my past classmates had used this program as part of their statistics class and found it to be extremely helpful because it covers a variety of topics within statistical analysis. StatCrunch allows its users to collect data, analyze it, and share the results which is not offered by other tools. One feature that I found convenient was its ability to be used on a mobile device. StatCrunch is just one of the many tools out there, but I feel that it would be fairly easy to use and navigate through.
Pros:
Networking can be done in multiple ways, and many of them can be successful. The key is to find what works for YOU. Some things to consider before choosing a networking style:
1. Think of the tools that you are already familiar with. 2. Think of the tool that would reach the most people. 3. Which tool will best market your business? 4. Which tool will allow you to use your creativity to stand out among the rest? Networking can be done face to face, on the phone, online, or through mail (flyers, cards, etc.) From my networking experience, I have found that developing a Facebook page has worked best. Because I was already a Facebook member, it was easy to "invite" numerous people to my page, and quickly connect with others that shared similar interests. I am able to display myself professionally through pictures and posts, as well as express my passion for my career. I have used Wikis once before, and from my experience it is an online encyclopedia that can be publicly edited. From a student perspective, I think wikis can be helpful and useful because students can gather information and share it in a location that is easily accessible. This is great for collaborative learning in online programs. Another bonus is that wikis can continuously be updated and viewed immediately by others. This feature is convenient for teachers and students. On the other hand, the information posted on wikis is not always credible and may simply contain peoples opinions. Throughout college, teachers always emphasize using scholarly sources and I doubt wikis would fall into that category due to their lack of credibility. Just like any other learning tools, wikis have pros and cons.
After creating a LinkedIn account, I noticed that it reminded me of Facebook. They have a lot of similarities, yet they are very different. To sum it up, LinkedIn is a Facebook for the professional world while Facebook is more for fun, games, leisure, and casual socializing. LinkedIn, from what I have seen thus far, strives to connect people based on their professional and educational experience. It is more business and work oriented where Facebook is more about family and friends. I enjoy Facebook, but I can already see how LinkedIn can be a valuable asset in my career and prof
The variety of apps is absolutely incredible. I enjoyed watching 60 Educational Apps in 60 minutes because it introduced me to apps that I didn't know existed. One app that stood out to me was Dropbox since it allows people, or educators, to organize their files within their devices to avoid misplacing them. As for kinesiology, there are many apps that can be helpful for physical educators, coaches, and trainers. One that I have used is called GameChanger. It is a great app because it allows coaches to score keep, track stats, access rosters, and stream game updates live. As for finding my own app, I came across Nike Training Club. This app would be useful for coaches and trainers since it offers a variety of workouts. It could provide coaches with workout ideas, or a coach could recommend it to their athletes to use in their free time/off season. Apps like GameChanger, are already taking the place of scorebooks because it is more convenient to have all of the statistics recorded and uploaded in one place. WIth the advancements in applications, it is likely that the future will bring more advanced and helpful technological tools for education.
It was interesting to see which learning tools made the list for 2013, although I have not heard of most of them. I did not expect to see iTunes at number 61, which was down 14 spots from last year. Facebook was ranked number 9 for 2012 and 2013, but I would have expected it to be higher up on the list. It was also nice to see that Moodle was number 11 since I have been using it through FPU for the last few years.
Surprisingly, I use very few tools from the top 100. It was not until I started this class that I was introduced to many more. For example, Kin-710 has led me to now use the number one learning tool on the chart, Twitter! That is pretty cool. I am glad my knowledge of these resources has expanded. This is a video clip of my FAVORITE group fitness class called CozmoSize. I have never experienced something as tough or as fun as this! The instructor, Matt Cather, is a friend of my husband and I and we have participated in his workouts for about 4 years now. We love to train like athletes and that is exactly what this class is designed for. I encourage everyone to check out his work when you have a free minute! CozmoSize I have seen and heard the term “Web 2.0,” although I was unaware of the changes from Web 1.0 to 2.0. The main difference is that Web 2.0 now allows consumers to share information with each other. All this time, I have been reading reviews on various websites thinking that it has always been that way. I am very grateful to have access to things like product reviews and business reviews since I check them frequently. Any time I want to try a new restaurant, I immediately use Yelp! on my iPhone. In addition to consumer reviews, the application usually has information on a restaurants best dishes, locations, access to the website and even the menu. I am sure that Web 2.0 has even more to offer; I just haven’t discovered it all yet.
The link that was posted in Moodle led me to find out how much further Web 2.0 extends. I found out that Web 2.0 is also a valuable learning tool because many applications have been created for educational use over the last few years. Through my online education, I will be able to continue exploring Web 2.0. Prior to reading the three assigned articles, my knowledge of podcasting was very minimal. I had only heard about this topic in the course syllabus and seen an icon for it in my iTunes. After I finished reading all three articles, I concluded that they all discuss how podcasting is a beneficial resource for education.
Using Podcasts as Audio Learning Objects, by Cebeci and Tekdal states, “Podcasting is an opportunity to extend and improve lectures beyond classrooms... Learning through listening keeps students engaged” (2006). As an online student, I could appreciate the use of podcasts because it could drastically reduce the amount of reading material. In addition, podcasts allows students to listen and learn nearly everywhere. History to Go: Why iTeach with iPod, by Deborah L. Vess, discusses a survey conducted in her study. Based on the feedback she acquired, she was able to conclude that most of her students enjoyed using various learning methods because it addressed the different learning styles among the students. Deborah L. Vess used mobile media in multiple ways, and I found it interesting because it seems like it would keep students engaged throughout the course. Lastly, Getting their iLessons intrigued me because it describes how technology is currently being used within universities. It shows that new learning styles are emerging and evolving the traditional classroom learning. These articles were extremely informational and opened my eyes to new learning methods, including podcasting. |