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I have learned a lot about technology and online tools that I have never heard of before. Some of the most effective tools I learned this semester was Google Calendar. I have attempted to use it before but was never able to figure it out. I am very excited to know how to use it now and I will definitely being using it starting this semester. This will be a good way to keep all my schedules organized and make sure I don’t miss any assignments or meetings.  Also the modules about the searching the web and researching was very helpful because we surf the internet so often it is nice to have some good techniques.  Knowing what words to use in your search can be the difference between finding a great source and a good source.

I learned a lot about my tendencies and new techniques I can incorporate into my daily life to be more efficient. Making lists is something I should continue to do more because I often forget important deadlines. This will keep me organized and less stressed about possibly forgetting something. I also learned that I don’t look for resources that could benefit me or help me stay organized. I should really do some more research because like I learned in this class there are so many resources out there that  most people don’t even know about. That is one huge benefit of growing up in a growing technological world.

The most meaningful experience for me was learning about netiquette and how to communicate properly over the web. I hear so many horror stories regarding how people interact on social media and it negatively affects them as they search for jobs. Also I have a hard time knowing the proper way to communicate with someone depending on their occupation or relationship with me.  I always try to resort to email but I understand the consequences of doing that. The biggest downfall I believe is there can be so many misunderstandings when you are not face to face with someone.

I will apply pretty much everything I learned in this class to how I organize and deal with online resources in the future. I feel like I will be much more organized with these resources that I found out about this summer. I also know that I can stay organized with online classes which is what I was a little worried about especially during the summer.  When I started planning my week out and allocate time for just homework I was more efficient. I set goals for each day as well and that made me not do something else before I completed what I planned to. Both of these techniques I will use this semester when I am taking more classes. This prevents me from doing my favorite activities as well as procrastinating. I usually am not much of a procrastinator however sometimes I tend to if I really don’t want to do an assignment. This class was very beneficial to my academic success as well as my overall organizational skills.

Researching will always be important in the professional setting. Whether you are preparing for a presentation or writing a review it will be important to know where your information is coming from. Keep in mind the evaluation process that comes with each source you may use: reliability, quality, and utility. All three of these characteristics can be the difference between persuading someone to follow in your research or discontinue the entire process. No one wants to hear about other people’s opinions so make sure scholarly articles are used most often. In this way you can make sure each fact have evidence to back it up.  Using the preferences and more specific search tools can ensure you get exactly what you are looking for. The ability to find texts from a certain time period or certain author can be beneficial for all researchers as well as a time saver. Another useful way to search is using Boolean  including or, and, or not to connect keywords that are important your search or topic Everyone has busy schedules so take advantage of all the tools and resources that search engines have available.  Spending less time on the actual research and more on the actual project or presentation will make your boss very happy.

Check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pCtFNaE58o

There are four main points that the video focuses on to you don’t feel overwhelmed and unsuccessful. The first is capture things that need to get done and write them down. Second, separate to do now items from to do later items. Thirdly keep list of priorities each day. Finally schedule to do later items for the near future. All of these tips will allow you to more productive and accomplish goals in all areas of life.

This video really helps anyone that may have problems prioritizing tasks and understanding what an emergency is and what can be put off until a later date. This is very common in students because we all have so many classes and activities going on at the same time. Using these tips can make sure you don’t forget any tasks whether they are simple or extremely important. I have never heard these tips before and I will definitely be implementing them into my prioritizing techniques.

There are multiple meetings each day in the business environment and it is important to clearly understand what is being talked about in each one.  To make sure meetings don’t start blending together it is essential to take notes. Effective note taking can make a huge difference as you review these notes days or weeks later.  One can do this by forming their own template or by coming prepared with a PowerPoint already printed. The later one can be much less stressful so you have a lot already down on paper; however, it all depends on preference. After reviewing your notes and looking over the topics of the meeting it is important to act immediately if confused or need further explaining. The internet is an effective tool and there are many videos or podcasts that can help further your knowledge using a different perspective. Since the videos are online they also have a unique advantage that allows the videos to be rewind or pause as necessary. There are many different strategies and advantages to different note taking techniques and ways to come across information but there is no one right way. It is key to practice each method and then figure out which one is most successful.

It is very important to continue to read and learn even after you are done with school. Employers like those who are always interested in making themselves better in the workplace. Here are some useful tips to use when you are willing to gain knowledge. First after you read a page or paragraph make sure you understand what you have read. Do this by summarize what you just read and re-read any parts that may be confusing to you. Highlighting can be useful during this time as well. This way you can look back at a different time and skim the important parts of the texts. Vocabulary words being highlighted can keep increase your intelligence level when you re-read.  Also when you plan on reading for learning purposes make sure your learning environment is free of any distractions. This includes cell-phones, laptops, or loud distracting people. You can’t effectively read if you are interrupted every ten minutes and not having your full attention in the reading. It is important to keep in mind distracted reading is pretty much like not reading at all. Finally make sure to not overlook any charts or pictures that were placed in the reading. They were put there for a reason so they are just as important the actual text.

Technology has totally changed the way people communicate throughout the workplace which is why it is very important to understand what is appropriate for the web. Employers are always researching their potential employees to see how they behavior online. This can be very detrimental to people’s career as well as their personal life. Some useful tips are to think before you send or post anything. Once that button is pressed it can never truly be deleted. Make sure that posts or emails have been properly checked for spelling and grammar. Reading emails with many grammatical errors send a bad message to the boss. It looks like you don’t care about your responsibilities and didn’t take the time to do your work.  The recent generation communicates via text message a lot more than anyone else. It is very important to keep that text slang in text messages and don’t transfer that over to your professional writing. Also it is important to know your employer and understand they grew up in a different professional setting where everyone communicated face to face or by phone. Know what they are used to and communicate the way they like. Appropriate behavior on the web can put your job in jeopardy or take you out of the list of potential employees.

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