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I learned a lot about technology in this class. The main thing I took away when it comes to technology is that online tools can be helpfull. I feel like over the years I’ve had a bad perception of using the internet for my school help, but taking a class that forced me to compare and think about different ways to get my work done had changed my mind. Websites I’ve heard about in this class such at memorize.com, studystack and schedule planner have proven to be helpful. I have already used schedule planner for my next semester and it helped me resolve 2 problems in my schedule that I was worried about. My all time favorite online recourse still has to be Perdue online writing lab. I have used it since middle school and it haven’t ever failed me.

I have learned a couple things about my self in this class, the first is I am deffinetly a procrastinator. With only having assignments due once a week I often found myself waiting till the last minute and cutting it close to finish on time. The second thing I learned, which ties in to procrastination is online classes aren’t for me. I felt a lack of motivation for this class since I didn’t have a lecture to attend to.

Something meaningful is managing my time. I really like the google calendar and google docs sharing. I even got the app and created mock days that fit my schedule for next semester. In the future i will continue to use my google calendar. I get reminders on my phone when i have classes and i can put notes in to remind me what to bring to class. Another feature i will use next semester is the location. OSU is a huge campus and since i can add a location to my calendar i will be able to get my reminders and see where i have to be. With the combination of notes, location, time and title i won’t ever have a problem with being late because i can set a reminder for how ever long it takes me to get to class. They also send me emails which is nice.

There are a few things i learned in this class that i will use in the future. The most important is Perdue OWL. This site is great and i have used it since middle school and it has always worked for what i need. Something i learned in this class that i will also use in the future is the Schedule planner. This is so helpful because it already has all of the OSU class sections on it so it is easy. All i have to do is check the class i want to take and it will prepare a schedule for me. I can also add noted for my classes at Columbus state or work or whenever i need a break in my class schedule. The last thing i learned from this class that i will use in the future is the timeline creator. That was so easy and user friendly i will definitely come back to it if i ever need a time line.

How do you know the information you’re reading is quality stuff? In this module we learned some ways to tell if you can trust the information you’re reading about. There are three things to think about when you’re testing the quality of your text. This includes Reliability, Quality and Utility.

Some of the questions you want to ask yourself when testing the reliability include;

Does this piece include contact information?

Is this piece written by a creditable author?

Does this piece have a publisher or organization that is well known?

And was this piece peer reviewed?

Some questions you want to ask yourself when testing the Quality include;

Does this piece include Broad Generalizations?

Is this piece up to date?

Is this piece consistent throughout?

Was this piece well written?

Do you notice bias in this piece?

And how well are the citation written? Or does it even include citations?

Some of the questions you want to ask yourself when testing the Utility include;

Is this piece related to my topic I’m looking for?

Is this piece appropriate for the audience?

And what is the level of detail like in this piece?

Using these tips can help you sort out information that you don’t want to use, when you can’t tell on your own.

One thing that I learned from this module is its okay to use Wikipedia. I have always known that anyone can change information on Wikipedia but I have always steered clear of anything on this site no matter what I am trying to do with my information. I learned that it’s alright to use to get an idea of what you are trying to learn about, but you don’t want to use it in a research paper or site from it. I actual looked up a topic I am familiar with and the information was not misleading but the dates were wrong. The bottom line here is Wikipedia is an alight place to start.

One cool thing I learned from this module is that different search engines search in different ways. There are Keyword searches, Category searches and Measearchs. I have always used Google and never thought twice about it, but it’s cool because when you search the same thing on Google and yahoo, you get different results. You also get a different number of results. I played around with both, along with Bing and I still think Google gives me the best results and is the most user friendly.

Web enhanced listening can be good and bad. Its convenient, which is nice if you are in an online class or you have additional info from an in class section. It is also good because you can stop, play, fast-forward and rewinding. You can also adjust the volume to the lecture. That is helpful because in a big lecture hall it can be hard to hear. The best part about all these adjustments is that if you miss something or want to hear it again it is at the touch of a button. In a huge lecture hall you cant always ask for them to repeat something

Some concerns that I have personally with web enhanced learning would be that you are not in the traditional classroom setting. I feel like I have become accustom to it and feel like I learn better as well as absorb more information when I am in class. Also there are more distractions at my house than there is in a lecture. As we all know the Internet can fail so you are not guaranteed a lecture. The last concern is since you are not in a classroom setting you cant see power points or the teachers gestures which can both help point out the more important info.

First when making a query you click new query and insert the right tables that you want to use in your query. Then you will select a column from each table and put it in your query and that’s what your query will display. Once you select a column you can check if you want it to sort and display or just sort. You can also ort in to go by descending or ascending. You can also add criteria like key words and numbers. When sorting for exact words they need to be in quotes and dated need to have number signs before and after. After you create a query you can go to view and set primary keys. You can also change column titles by typing what you want to say in the field box followed by a colon.

This paragraph can help and enhance because it is a step by step on how to make a query. I was detailed and when I made directions I specified on where to complete these tasks. I also specified how you need to code certain things to tell access how to use it. These notes wont make you a master but it does give a good overview.

Review, Reviewing is always good because making sure you know what has gone on up to this point can help you understand the new info you are reading about.

Determine the Context. Making sure you know the context that you are reading in is important because different contexts mean different understandings of the info. this can be especially confusing when reading online.

Select a Preferred Monitor Resolution. Reading online is not normal for the human eye. So if you can modify your screen before you start in a way where it will be less straining on your eyes, you will be able to read longer and more confterabily.

Consider an E-Reader or Tablet. Unlike a computer monitor, e readers or tablets are made for online reading. My personal favorite is my kinder paperweight edition. These are less straining and are portable so you can store more books in less space and take them where ever you go!

Create a Good reading Environment. Being in a good environment is key for success. Most of us don’t enjoy reading and when you add the add orADHD on top of that it can be really easy to get distracted.

Confirm That You Have Adequate Software. You always want to make sure your software is lined up before you start. Nothing is worse than putting something off then not having the right tools to do it. I have experienced this because I am a mac user and my computer science had instructions written for a pc. this is frustrating.

Online classes can be hard for students so its important you develop relationships with people around you that can help. They don’t have to be in person but they can be! Try and reach out to the professor/ TA or other students in the same boat as you. Getting to know someone can be especially useful in an online class because you don’t see the teacher often and you can have trouble with an assignment. If you know someone you can communicate with them about unclear assignments and give opinions on each others work. Once you get to know someone you can exchange information so you can communicate about future assignments. There is a tip in the book on Pg 129 that said “Treat your classmates in an online course the same way you would in a regular class-room. You are learning as a unit, not as an individual.” I think this is a great tip because a lot of things from your online class can relate to you in real life.

Communication online can be tough so its important to remember a few things. First, always spell check. Everyone makes mistakes but spelling errors can leave the wrong expression about you especially online because the person you’re communication with has never met you. Second, try and show your presence through text when communicating so the other person doesn’t feel like they’re talking to the computer. Lastly, be unique. Try and make the other person remember you out of everyone else they have spoken with. If you’re the one who comes to mind when they have questions thats good because chances are they’ll help you when you have questions.

Now as far as the different ways of communication online, there are many. some are Chats, Emails and  Listserves. These are all effective and a way to spread information instantly. On a more personal level there is communication over phone or text. These are all great ways to communicate and get information across but email is the only way to transfer documents. There are other more efficient ways better than email. My personal favorite for sharing an actual document is google docs. You can set it up to where multiple people can see in and also edit or make comments to it. This is useful for group projects and getting feedback on assignments. When using any on these to communicate with classmates always know what you want to say before starting. Its important to be clear about what you want to say to avoid confusion because you are communication online. Communication with classmates is important because everyone has the same goal as you, and the more people you have working together, the easier it will be for you in the end.

Charles Fitch

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