Posts

During the course of seven weeks, I learned a lot about using technology, online tools, and other online resources. I also got a refresher on things I already knew about. This course was able to clarify a lot of questions for me that I never really took the time to either ask or research my self. For example, I have been using Google for as long as I can remember, but I did not know about a lot of the features it has to offer to make my daily life a little bit easier. My favorite thing from Google is their Google Calendars application. It actually has a much better interface than Apple Calendars, which is what I used to use before I started taking this course. Google calendars are easy to modify and it seamlessly syncs up with pretty much any mobile device. An online resource that I will definitely be using in my academic life is the World Cat library catalog. I used to type in “.pdf” after a topic in hopes of finding a good scholarly article, but it was usually a futile effort. I now know that I can use my own university’s online library catalog to find mostly any scholarly article or journal completely free of charge. If Ohio State cannot provide me with the material I am looking for, then I can request that another university or library loan it to me-they can send it to whatever location is most convenient for me. On top of what I learned about the resources available to me, I also learned about myself, things I needed to admit to myself a long time ago. I am a procrastinator, and up to this point, I have not really done anything to change the way I am. This class helped my basically shaming me into wanting to change my self. The videos are actually really helpful, they showed me the exact same excuses I was making for myself, as well as the ways that I can combat these issues. I also learned that I am more computers savvy than I thought I was.  The most meaningful experience of the course was when I literally logged all the time that I spent in a week into a well organized spread sheet through Google’s application. I am a visual learner, so it was really helpful for me to see exactly what I was spending my time on. The color coordination method that we used to categorize events put it all into perspective for me. I will probably use that in the future to help me keep track of the time I spent. I saved the last time sheet as a template. I will transfer my fall 2014 semester schedule into it to see where I have time to spare to spend on various tasks through out the week. I plan t share this newly found knowledge with my little brother, who is starting college in the fall of 2015. I’ll also recommend this class to him.

This week’s module is all about searching and researching, which is the key to writing any good paper. You do not have to be a great writer to write a quality research paper. You can get an A on any paper by knowing how to use search engines to their full potential. You probably use Google on a daily bases to assist you in every day tasks, so why not use it to help write a scholarly paper? Google has an “advanced search” feature that allows you to refine your search results by time, author, or even location. This helps eliminate the irrelevant search results. You can get more accurate results by searching through Google Scholar, which filters the search to only give you scholarly articles, journals, and other collegiate level material. It is important to know what you are looking for in the event that you get an unmanageable number of results. Focus on keywords like journal and article, which can be found in the URL, the search result, or the abstract. It is also important to use your universities library and the World Cat library catalog. World Cat itemizes the collections of over 70,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories. You can use World Cat to find library locations and check the availability of texts. From there you can reserve a book or even request one if your local library cannot provide it.

This week’s module covered the skills that, in my opinion, are the most useful skills you can master early in your college careers. The ability to learn is not all about how smart you are, it’s also about how tactical your approach to learning is. For  the majority of us, simply sitting in a lecture won’t do us any good when finals week comes around. Taking notes is key, but you have to take notes with a purpose or they can end up being harmful to you as you waste your time pouring over an indiscernible pile of words. There are strategies to help you take well organized notes you can count on during study hours. The Cornell method is one in which you record the information in a rough draft-ish way and then go back to review what you have written down. After you review the notes, you go back and summarize what the notes were about. The mind map method is great for literally connecting ideas to the central topic in a web-like/connecting bubbles format. Both of these methods can be found at the bottom of the Learning Strategies Workshop link at the bottom of this post. In college, you will probably end up taking an online class with online lectures-which has its advantages. Taking notes requires good listening, and listening well allows you to take better notes. If you struggle with keeping up, then you’ll understand the value of the pause, play, and rewind buttons featured on web lectures. Its important to learn to learn good note taking strategies early or you’ll find yourself playing catch up.

http://learninghub.une.edu.au/tlc/aso/aso-online/learning-strategies/listening-notetaking.php

This video is from the Youtube channel Vsauce, which is a group that uploads educational videos on a variety of topics in an easy to understand format. The video answers a central question, what is consciousness? It opens with an intro on hemispherectomies, which is the removal of one half of the brain in order to cure the person suffering from seizures. The procedure is done only on young children because their brains are still plastic enough that one side can take over the functions of the missing side. The video host then brings up an interesting question: If we can function normally with only half a brain, what would happen if you put the other half into a different skull? Which of course opens the door for a slew of other questions, all centered around the main theme: “what is consciousness?”

This video is great supplemental aid because it covers procedures and conditions that I’ve previously learned about in my psychology classes. It also brings up interesting questions about existentialism that my lecturers only briefly talk about. It not only asks the “Who am I?” questions, it makes you ask up to what point am I me? The video doesn’t necessarily help me understand the topic of consciousness any more than my textbook would, but enhances my interests by giving me new questions on existentialism to seriously think over while I sit in econ.

This week our focus is on web enhanced reading and study strategies that all first year and future college students can use in preparation for collegiate level courses. We are all familiar with the dread that fills us whenever an assignment requires over fifty pages of reading from our textbooks. You know that you can not pass the assignment with out reading it, but you also wish there was an easier way absorb the information. This is where the Internet can help break up the monotony of studying. Digital versions of textbooks are often more aesthetically pleasing. That alone can entice a person to read, especially when were used to those heavy, boring texts. Physical copies of books limit you to reading and highlighting passages, where as digital copies allow for a more interactive experience. Most digital textbooks offer study plans that can help you keep track of the material. The end of each section often culminates in a quiz or a test to assess your level of comprehension. This is immensely important for new college students to take advantage of because it allows you to gauge your level of understanding of whatever material is relevant to you. It is one of the easiest ways to stay on top of your educational progression.

This week’s module is about effectively communicating and collaborating with others on the Internet. The Internet can be an extremely useful tool when trying to work with other people on a project at your own convenience, especially if you are a great distance away from the people you’re trying to work with. It is important to use proper “netiquette” when communicating with others online. Maintaining a professional online presence is important because modern day first impressions are often made over the Internet. Social media websites can be beneficial if you use them wisely. Linkedin can be a great way to give people an overview of your professional background. You have to remember to always be respectful when posting any form of content. It is understood by everyone that once it is posted on the web it can never be undone, even after deleting it. Always remember whom you are communicating with when sending emails; do not communicate with an instructor the same way you would respond to a post on 4chan. It is important to have a working relationship with instructors and classmates, so you always want to send them an introductory email early on in the project. These are just a few tips to help you be successful on the interwebs.