A 5.6 Progress Memo 1

Date: September 28, 2008

Title: Progress Report Memo-1

 

Content Summary:

            This progress memo serves to document the skills that I have obtained this far from my CD 315 class. The teacher describes this phase of the semester as being “preparatory in nature”, meaning that, the things that we have been required to  learn thus far are preparing or building a knowledge base for what is to come as we as students progress. Although, I am sure that this is preparatory; I consider these first few weeks to be far more than preparatory. For me, these first few weeks have covered a wealth of new knowledge. Most of the skills I have been learning are strangely foreign to me. The first six chapters of our text, “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms” by William Richardson, have covered more new information than I had thought possible. In the first chapter the author talks about the sociological and educational implications of Web-based learning. The Web-based tools that can be used for learning such as Weblogs, Wikis, RSS feeds, as well as Social Bookmarking, are becoming the catalyst for cultural reform in today’s current education system—use this class as an example. We are learning the ways of professional literacy, skills that are used to access and use information for the benefit of us and our clients via literature found specifically through technology to enhance our professional skills and mindset.

            In the text, the author has described several web-based applications that can be successful to any educational curriculum that chooses to utilize the power of technology. From this I have learned that weblogs are a great place to document and store assignments, ideas, and research that can be viewed or shared by the global population. With weblogs, teachers and students can communicate in an effective and efficient manner that can best facilitate learning. For example, after a blog is kept and updated for a period of time students and teachers can track progress and watch themselves grow throughout any learning process. Weblogs can break down the classroom walls thus opening the windows to a ‘multimodality’ way of learning. Reading this text has allowed me to learn how to create, maintain, and expand my blogging experience.

            From this text I have also learned what RSS feed is and how to use it (although, I am still trying to master my skill).  RSS is a way to get information without taking the time to go to several sources, instead one place can be used to access a variety of sources. RSS allows its user to subscribe to different sources of information and then sends that information to one site, or what I like to call a ‘holding tank’, where the user can then obtain the prescribed information to use it in whatever way he or she would like. On top of that greatness, information requested by the RSS user is automatically updated any time there is a modification or addition of new information. For example, I have subscribed to the local newspapers RSS feed. This means that whenever there is a new article posted, I have instant access because it is delivered to my own “digital door”. This application saves so much time, the reader doesn’t have to search tirelessly to find information, and it is quickly delivered to them!

            Another application that the author describes is Wiki. Wikis are a space for collaboration; wikis are a place where information can be posted and modified by anyone. This application is like a public dry erase board where ideas, research, and even trips can be planned, modified, or expanded. One important note that the author stresses in the chapter is to be careful when looking at a wiki. Because it can be modified by nearly anyone (unless the wiki is part of a private group), information should be monitored for is validity and reliability. It is the wiki users’ responsibility to question and police their own information system, however; the author does stress that for the most part participants are trying to give the best information possible. Like the weblog, the wiki, is a great place for students and teachers to collaborate to build and enhance education by creating a space that is flexible in sharing different thoughts and ideas.        Lastly, the author talks about social bookmarking. This application allows a person to set up a similar ‘holding tank’ of their writings, links, or other sources of information for others to see. Say I like to find information on horses (specifically—the components for a certian style of riding) and I know I  have a friend that has this information and uses a social bookmarking application, I would simply go to her site look through what she has bookmarked to find the information I am looking for, like the ASHA (American Saddle Horse Association) website, where I can find information I am seeking. Maybe if I do not find information that I am looking for I can be cued by a certain terminology that I come across that could possible spark a better search term for me. Social bookmarking can be a shortcut to information curtsey of others interested in the same topic areas.

 

            Along with the text, our class has been given supplemental materials like articles and videos to view to help us gain several perspectives on the ideas and applications mentioned above. I have found the videos to be more than helpful for more that one reason. First, I depend heavily on visual learning and these videos are a huge complement to my style. I can see the process instead of having to read and envision a process. Second, these videos are a good approximation to the real thing. As I watched the videos and then later setup my applications, I was able to remember how to do things more easily because I had basically seen them done before. The supplemental readings were helpful, although they had similar perspectives as our text book; each offered some different information that was also useful. Reading texts of similar interests was a good task for repetition, allowing me to obtain and make use of the information appropriately.

 

Process Summary:

            The skills that I have acquired from the materials covered in this class so far have been how to use a web-based applications to my benefit, as a student. By setting up a ‘G-mail’ account through ‘Google’, I have been able to learn and use a new mailing system (that I happen to love) to access and send my e-mail from a better service than the one previously used. In doing so, I have learned that I should be looking for newer and better applications that can make my life a little easier. I have also acquired information on how to use services such as RSS to find more appropriate information. By learning RSS I have learned how to look for information quickly, allowing me to spend more time reading information than searching for it. I now am in the habit of checking my sites, RSS, and email everyday to see what new knowledge I have waiting for me. By subscribing to the Merriam-Webster’s Word of the day feed I am learning new words and remembering other words that could possibly help me as I continue to write and communicate with others. From the time when I first setup my blog, I have been learning how to maneuver through my site when posting, writing, and accessing the information I have on my weblog. Because I continue to do these tasks repetitively I am noticing an increase in my speed; which is always more than helpful. I have acquired a ‘metadigital skill’ meaning, I have started to notice how others write, format, and use the technologies available. I notice what others are doing and from that experience I have one more opportunity of exposure to something new and different.

 

Assessment/Reflection:

            As a student that is constantly writing and researching these web-based applications have been helpful. Accessing and thinking about information differently is helping me grow as a student and further adding to my portfolio of abilities.  Because the web is a visual place, and again that complements my learning style, I am able to better retain the skills that I have learned so that I can use them as often as possible. This information is valuable to me because it is information that I can be generalized to any setting in my life. From my student perspective, I can access writing and research that will help me with papers, projects, and practices but because I am someone that likes trivia (among other things like Harry Potter) I too can also access that information to enhance my personal life. To a student that is constantly challenged with finding bodies of information and synthesizing it in order to create an understanding, having these tools, literally at my fingertips, could not be more helpful. I hope that as I learn new ways of getting and giving information I can develop further as a student and pre-professional.