week 10 reflections

I just want to say that I think it's really cool the way this course is laid out.

I had no idea that I'd be so immersed in different types of technology. Looking back, I suppose I should have, but I'm honestly surprised at how much I've learned and how many new technologies and topics I've explored in the name of Web 2.0 and my future career.

Grad school has this bad rap as the only alternative to a dead-end job if you got a liberal arts degree, but nobody really talks about how much you learn and how useful it all is, compared to the assorted and mostly useless facts they shoved into your brain for all those undergrad years.

I just want to put it out there for anyone who hasn't heard yet -- grad school is awesome!

so, performance support systems...

the first thing i thought when reading up on this assignment was "how is this different than curating?" 

After some digging I realized that PSS, or EPSS according to Wikipedia, are collections of resources that can be used to help complete a certain task, moreso than just providing information on a given topic.

My topic of choice is web design. My system will be a collection of resources for the aspiring web designer. Hopefully there will be a lot fewer distractions while I'm in Tampa for the next week or so, and I can get this one done in a timely manner. I'm exploring a lot of tools I have never used before like Yahoo Pipes and TaDaWeb, and I'm hopeful that it will turn out well.

 

How about you? What topic have you chosen?

status update

Hi guys,

Last week I went to Canada for a family reunion. It was wonderful, though it made being productive quite difficult. Each day was packed with events, and off-time was spent trying to do homework with spotty wifi access and trying to catch up on a lack of sleep that had been building since the previous week.

Did you see my pics from Niagara Falls?

Anyways, sorry for my absence. I'm back now.

I did, in fact, submit an instructional design project. I used Edmodo. You can access it here. The code is hs6diz. 

Now, off to work on the Performance Support Project. I'm trying my hardest to stay on top of all of these projects. How far along are you?

This week's readings

What I got out of this week's papers is that teachers are falling short in the area of using Web 2.0 technologies effectively and optimally. This reminds me of a topic we discussed in Trends & Issues in IDT - that despite each technological innovation we've had since early 20th century, and despite the great hopes and expectations people had of that technology's effect on the education system, there has been little real change. It seems to me that in all of teacher education, there is room left for instructional designers to work in schools in a larger capacity than they do currently.

I have looked up "instructional designer" in the BLS, and I found entries under Training Specialist and Instructional Coordinator. Unfortunately, neither of these covers the e-learning component of instructional design. I wonder how those individuals are categorized?

If you've ever met me, you might have guessed that I have an aversion to working in highly corporate environments, and thus have chosen to focus on online instructional development over performance improvement, as those seemed to be the two main avenues we can go down. But what I really like is teaching people. I like explaining things and helping people understand concepts they couldn't get their heads around.

I'm drawn to the idea of being a teaching consultant, or "instructional coordinator", if that's the same thing. The person who teaches the teachers how to teach. Surely there ought to be more of these, especially at the higher ed level.

Do you guys know about these kinds of jobs? What careers are you interested in pursuing post grad school?

instructional design project

My instructional design project came to me in a spark of inspiration. My boyfriend is taking an astronomy course this summer, and he keeps telling me how awfully boring it is, and how the lengthy lectures just aren't really working to communicate the concepts the professor is spending so much time trying to communicate.

I've had a look at his syllabus, and as I suspected, there are no clear objectives stated anywhere. So, my project will be recreating a college-level astronomy lesson using instructional design knowledge + Web 2.0 resources. I dig astronomy, so this is really fun!

What are you all working on?

I have watched ALL of your VoiceThreads!

It took a bit longer than I expected, but I have officially viewed and commented on all of your VoiceThreads.

*By "all" I mean every one that I was able to access. If I didn't leave a comment on your presentation, it's because a)you have comments disabled, or b)your privacy settings wouldn't let me see it. In any case, I think there are only two that I was unable to view. If that was the case, I left a comment for you somewhere else on the interwebs or on the DB. If your VT does not fall under either of those categories and I still didn't leave you a comment, then I must have missed your thread. I don't think that's the case, but please keep me honest and send me the link.

Viewing each one of your VTs was nice and I'm glad Yvette reminded me that I said I would. If this were a F2F class, we'd all be forced to sit through each and every presentation and become familiar with each other in the process, but being asynchronous as it is, I feel that I have missed out on getting to know you by virtue of not having been able to keep up with all your blogs, tweets, and posts. So, I truly enjoyed the watching experience as much as I typically enjoy creating. Thanks for sharing your projects with me.

I also like the way Dr. D. assigns these projects without strict guidelines, because it leaves room for a lot of variety in the final products. One of my favorite things was the way that Eric created mutual links from the VT to his story. I don't think I knew it was possible to embed clickable hyperlinks using that way, and it is a neat feature that I will try to incorporate with my next VT.

P.S. So glad we've got any easy catch-up week this week. Happy 4th everyone!

Over the hump...

Now that we're more than halfway through, I'm noticing a significant shift in the way I think about the web. I wasn't really sure what Web 2.0 meant before this class, but now I not only know that it's about participating, I am enjoying finding all of these new ways to connect with people. Even though I fit into the category of "digital native", I'd never really embraced the concept of virtual communities. I'm mostly an introvert IRL, but there's something about web communities - you put yourself out there, but with a greater degree of control and less intimidation than, say, if you walked into a club meeting for the first time. I dig it.

P.S. If you're waiting for me to grace your VT with my comments (lol), I'll get to it, promise. :)

G+ (again)

Spoken of, tweeted, and now blogged...

Won't you join me?

I've been watching your VoiceThreads...

One of my goals this week is to take the time out to view and comment on everyone's VoiceThread.

I've watched a handful so far, and it's interesting to see how each person perceived and responded to the guidelines a little bit differently. Some greatly emphasized the intellectual property concerns we've been discussing, while others took the time out to share each item in his or her collection. Still others spent more time explaining their sharing and tracking processes, and some (myself included) shared the pros and cons of using their chosen tool. I like that we all had slightly different approaches. They're more interesting to watch that way.

A gripe about VoiceThread: You can't be logged in at more than one location at a time. This is annoying, because (a)I was between computers while working on the project and (b) the tool lends itself to mobile use pretty well. I agree with others who've noted that it's easier to record your voiceover with your phone than with your computer. And, in my case, there's a lot less noise in the background since there's no whirring sound from the hard drive. Also, the countdown screen is a nice cue for when to start talking. But, as I was trying to view your videos on my phone (which I couldn't, btw, since free accounts are not able to see the content of other free account users without a direct URL (which does not work in the mobile app)), I had to keep logging in and out of each portal every time I wanted to try and see something I saw online on my phone. Also, the app was glitchy, so I had to delete and reinstall it a couple of times. And, when I changed my profile pic using my phone (there wasn't one I liked on my PC), I logged out and logged in on the PC and the picture was not changed. wth? Whatever.

Still, VoiceThreads are kind of neat. Your voices add personality to a presentation like a Slideshare never can (no offense to Slideshare). I've got an online group project coming up in another class and I'm thinking that VT is the way to go.

What did you guys think of VT? The first time I had to record my voice for a presentation was really weird for me. It was weird this time, but I kept recording my voice over and over to get it just right, so I guess I've gotten used to the way I sound.

How do you feel about listening to your recorded voice?

What? Meetup...if you missed it, you missed out

This is the only photo I took, unfortunately.

I'm blogging from my phone on the walk back home from What? Cafe where I just met up with Dr. D, Janet, and Jiyae. It was so nice finally getting to talk to each other IRL. We talked about the merits and cons of Facebook, #cellphonesforkids, class projects, balancing life with the demands of grad school (glad to know I'm not the only one struggling), and meeting up again...Janet suggested starting a storytelling group, and we talked about doing an international potluck (Janet makes a mean Jamaican curry, Jiyae's all over the Korean food) - maybe as a class or as an ISSA event. Either way, I'm in. 

It's a little late in the semester now, but I hope we can have more meetups like this one in the future, and I hope that you'll try to make it out.

PS @Vanessa - I'd much rather meet there for office hours, if you're gonna be there anyway :)

follow me!

Still trying to figure out the proper way to insert this button in the right sidebar using html. For now, it's here. :)

Social bookmarking vs curating

Yasin shared an interesting video on social bookmarking this week, and as I was watching it, I began to ponder my own use of bookmarking in the past and present.

I used to "add to bookmarks" everything I found interesting on my web browser toolbar, the old-fashioned way, as the video says, though I've noticed that I do it less recently. I think this is because of Pinterest. I have 43 boards on Pinterest, and a lot of it is re-pinned content I found while perusing the site. However, whenever I find new things online that I want to refer back to, my first instinct is to Pin it. I have pinned reading lists, tips for organizing, and general lifehacks, as well as things that I find aesthetically pleasing or just entertaining. Pinterest becomes frustrating when the link I want to post has no good photo associated with it. In that case, I'll typically just add the content to my browser toolbar, or go through the trouble of finding my own photo to upload (this has only happened once or twice in 2,095 pins thus far).

Though I'm familiar with the concept of tagging, I don't do it much. I have a Tumblr account, and on that site tagging is prevalent so I understand its usefulness in helping others find content. The hermit inside me, though, never wants to tag anything and has yet to lament over not tagging something I posted somewhere. Pinterest doesn't really do tagging. I suppose that because you can create an unlimited number of boards. Though it seems useful, I'm still hesitant to sign up for another site whose sole purpose is to organize the content I find online. There are so many already! I created a Diigo account for this class, but I have yet to use it, and I think it has a lot to do with the (imo) ugly interface. Delicious's interface is only slightly better. I like pictures with my content and idk if it's worth it to sign up for another account that I may or may not use.

All things considered, I'd say social bookmarking and curating are exactly the same, with a few nuanced differences amongst the sites.

Have you found this to be true?

Have you heard of Rebelmouse?

I came across this site called Rebelmouse today. It's a curation tool that incorporates real time social media updates. The company provides its services on different platforms for individuals and companies, and it seems that individual accounts are free.

This is the tool for those people who are constantly connected, and have a lot to say or share. The interface is really attractive, and designed with the modern web user in mind. No wonder the ad I saw was targeted to journalists. The business platform (which I'm sure is paid) is called Rebel Roar, and provides hard-core analytics while bridging the gap amongst social media platforms. The platform for individuals is called Rebel Explore. Rebel Explore touts itself as being "a full blogging platform that's social to the core", and suggests that users "Tell your story, your way", "Be your own newspaper", and "Recruit followers to join the battle". As I was looking through the site, I found myself thinking that I'd like to sign up, IF I were the kind of person who had something to say and wanted everyone to hear. Maybe I will someday. I certainly have a new perspective on how I can use the web to connect with the rest of the world.

This article provides a deeper description of the site's purposes if you're interested.

Would you use it? What do you think?

Scoop.it vs Storify

So now that I've gotten everyone to check out my Scoop.it page on alternative education, I'm starting to wish I'd used Storify instead. I really liked Yvette's story on the case for legalizing marijuana, and I started thinking that I wish I could have compiled all the stuff on my topic into a neat little story like that. I like that Storify lets you make comments on each piece, though it would it be nice to leave comments at the end of the story also. The thing with Storify is that it takes a little more thought and creativity to pull everything together nicely. I wish I'd figured this out sooner. At the moment it feels like it might take more time than I have (and it's a little too late to start tracking visitors). Fortunately, I have learned the values and setbacks of different types of curation tools for the future.

Side note: Have I mentioned how much I love grad school? Everything we learn and do is so useful!

I'd like to share some knowledge with you...

...from our knowledge sharing and tracking project.

Won't you check out my board on Alternative Education?

Are you reading this?

This is a question I've been wanting to ask for a few weeks now.

Before this class started I had a Bloglovin account that I used to log into frequently. Since I started grad school, though, I don't have the time to read half as much as I used to and the posts just keep piling up (sometimes into the hundreds) as "unread" until I clear out the queue without having read more than more one or two of them.

Though I wish it were not the case, I find myself doing the same thing to your blog posts. In order to avoid  feeling overwhelmed by the 50+ posts you all have written this week, I "mark all as read" and then scroll through the headlines to see what everyone is talking about this week. I sincerely wish I had more time to read what everyone is blogging and tweeting about, along with all of the resources and info that Dr. D posts. One can get lost in the digital world. But how to manage all of this + work + home life and still have time to unwind?

How many of our blogs are you reading, on average, per week? Do you think this is contributing to the lack of comments? If I tend to post on Sundays does that mean more or fewer people are reading? Any tips on life management?

update: evolution of my web tools & resources

Now that we're almost halfway through, I have to give an update about what I'm using and how...

Facebook - still primarily a personal tool. IMO, it's still the best way to keep in touch with the greatest number of people. Not a great professional or learning tool, per se, but not without merit. My favorite communities are all active here, and future employers will probably be looking me up this way, so it's important to keep up with.

Google+ - I consider this my public persona. Since I exist in the age of the internet, why not? I like that other people can't post whatever they want on my page, unlike some other networks...^^ And, communities of practice are easy to find and join. Sharing is easy and encouraged. Still an A in my book.

LinkedIn - it exists, though I don't log in frequently, as I haven't found it to be as suitable to my needs and interests as some other tools. I think it will come in handy for specific instances of networking, or when I'm more fully immersed in the professional world.

Scoop.it - This is a fun one, but today I tried to create a 3rd topic to follow, and was told I had to pay to upgrade my account. $12.99/month is a little steep for me. I decided to explore using Storify, but I'm having technical difficulties trying to create an account. Will update again once I get it working.

Pinterest - I currently have 43 boards, the vast majority of which are for personal, non-professional interests. I like that there's no limit to the content I can pin, though it lends itself less to verbal content - meaning, if what you want to post does not have an image to represent it, you either have to get creative (find an image to upload yourself, and link to the site) or forget about it. It wasn't meant for academia, methinks.

Twitter - I was all about this one a few weeks ago, but a couple of issues have deterred me from using it frequently. For one, there's always too much to catch up on. Regarding the pro accounts tweeting about education, data, web 2.0, etc., there are always so many links to articles and stories, it's overwhelming. The other is that I can't seem to figure out the conversations. I tried to participate in #lrnchat last week, but I could not find/see others' responses. In general, after this class is over I think I'll be using it as a personal sounding board. I like taking random photos when I'm out and about, but I just keep them on my phone most of the time. Maybe Twitter is a better place for those one-off random photo ops and following those few whose opinions I'm genuinely interested in.

How are you all doing with your PLNs?

on curation

Before enrolling in Dr. D's SMOOC earlier this year, I thought the term "curation" only applied to museums.

I've been embracing Scoop.it lately. Last week's post got me thinking about alternative education. Click the picture to see my scoops on that topic.

 I like the interface, though every time I try to point out what's special about it, I can think of other sites that do the same thing only slightly differently.

Have you been using Scoop.it? What do you like or dislike about it?

On privacy

Taking Web 2.0 and Learning Analytics has me thinking hard about privacy concerns in the age of the internet and big data. There are at least 2 perspectives from which to discuss the situation: macro level and micro level.

source

On the macro level, it's about the ease and access companies and governments have of collecting information about us, the transparency of those collection techniques, and how the data will be used. And I think to myself, sure, Google already knows a lot about me, but I seriously doubt anyone who works there actually cares about where I was this past weekend, or what I'm searching for on an individual level. My privacy paranoia tends to skew in the direction of government conspiracy (think Bourne trilogy movies; ever heard of the NSA?), and I'm less concerned about the corporations who just want to know what I'm buying so they can try to sell me things that I either (a) actually do want or (b) won't buy regardless. When I think about macro level privacy, I think about projects like inbloom - it's demise was poor execution. To be sure, there are others just like this popping up, and they will continue to do so.
Of course, the problem without a solution (yet) is determining how these institutions will use the data they've gathered on us in the future. Opinions vary across a wide spectrum here.

On the micro level, privacy is about being able to filter out what people can discover about us based on our digital footprints. I think that for most individuals, this is the more immediate concern. Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg famously declared that privacy is dead. To a certain extent, he's right. I think what's important is that people young and old are educated about what privacy means in the age of the internet. The harm comes in not realizing the permanence of internet info, and not realizing what others have access to.
There are so many ways to share oneself with the world now. Each platform has different methods for managing privacy, but when you want to connect different (but not necessarily all) parts of yourself for others to see and/or get to know you better, it can be tricky.

Personally, I'm still conflicted about my current level of visibility. I've discussed my affinity for Google+ before. I like that it is a place where I can be easily connect with friends and participate in communities. However, the fact that it is such a public platform gives me pause. Then again, as a citizen of the world I think there's something to be said for embracing a public persona. I find myself wanting to be "out there" more than I want to conceal my identity and the idea of a managing false identities doesn't really appeal to me.

When you think about internet privacy, what's your concern?
	what they're doing with my data (macro level)
	who's seeing my info (micro level)
	i'm not really that concerned
	other

Social Media in Education: A Vision

Several of this week's readings discuss student interest in using social media (most notably, Facebook) as an educational tool, with findings indicating ambivalence at best. I, too, feel this way, and some of you have expressed the same sentiment.

I think it's fair to say that most people using social media these days has a Facebook account. But did you know that high schoolers these days are not that into it? At least, not the ones I've been talking to.
From the mouths of babes: "Facebook stopped being cool when parents started using it." They are all about Instagram and to a lesser extent, Twitter - at least from what I gather. (If you're wondering where I get this information, I work with a lot of teenagers. Still, take the information with a grain of salt.) I bring this up to emphasize the (for lack of better term) mortality of any web platform.

Reading the findings on how current college students (we who are actively using the site) feel about integrating the SM platform into education, has got me thinking, "What if there was a social media site devoted to educational pursuits?" Like, what if Facebook and LinkedIn had a baby and it was designed for students of all ages - to grow with as they advance their educational careers?

If you haven't read the papers I'm referring to, they report students generally feeling uncomfortable with the idea of using it to augment their educational experience, mainly citing concerns over privacy issues. I believe that just as the creators of on LinkedIn saw the need for a social network dedicated to professionals and their need to network, there is a need for a social network that doesn't cross the line (however arbitrary and individualized it may be) between students' educational and personal lives.

What would this network be like, you ask?
That's a good question.

The vision is blurry, but I see a platform where students of all ages are comfortable communicating with their professors and other students, where it's clear that the intention is for education. It would be open to the public, so that anyone can connect with anyone else, post about what's interesting to them, have quick access to homework resources, and also provide a way for students and teachers to collaborate in a more private space (something akin to Facebook's "groups").

 

(image source)

I think that for my vision to work there would have to be a shift in the educational paradigm that fosters more collaborative learning at younger ages. Kids today are more comfortable with technology than their parents, so it's not about them being able to use the technology. I think it's about changing the way we "do" education nowadays. I wish I could remember where I came across the notion that it's no longer about being able to absorb information so much as being able to access and use it properly. We all have everything we need to know in little handheld computers, so instead of keeping them out of the system, we have to find a way to integrate them. This class is all about that concept, but what I'm referring to is something bigger than using standalone applications in the classroom. I'm talking about bringing the entire system into the 21st century by changing the way we see schools. Now, I'm not saying there's no need for classrooms, but maybe there's a need to reconsider the most effective use for them.

One thing that stood out to me while taking Trends & Issues in IDT last semester was how the advent of new technologies, while continually predicted to make a huge impact on the system, never actually did. Not very much has changed in a couple hundred years.

I wonder if the internet is a game-changer.

Your thoughts?

Youtube, the unsung wonder

So, Youtube is pretty much the greatest thing sliced bread, isn't it? There's literally nothing under the sun that someone hasn't made a video about, be it a makeup tutorial or a TedTalk. I turn to Youtube first when I need someone to show me how to do something. We haven't discussed it much in this class, aside from a few shares here and there, but I think this site has the potential to be a very powerful tool in the PLN toolbox. I can't tell you how much informal learning I've done there. Aside from entertainment, informal learning has to be next biggest use of the site. 

The playlist feature is great. Yet another way to curate good information.

The following video is one that I really liked. I can't remember exactly how I found it. A tweet, maybe?
Have you seen it?


What have you been looking at on Youtube?

web tools

How I'm using my web 2.0 tools

Facebook - I've had since 2006. Was introduced in college and has always been a strictly social, non-learning tool. Sometimes I share links to things that are interesting, but most often I'm just "catching up" with everyone virtually.

Diigo - This is new to me, and I'm still figuring out how it works best. It seems like another shareable pinboard, with a less attractive interface than Pinterest. Granted, I haven't spent tons of time trying to curate content through this platform, but I did explore a bit. I think one main difference is that it's easier to share academic papers and the like - no photo required. I will have to explore more before I cast final judgment on this one.

Google+ - One of my new favorites, as I mentioned last week. The feed is like Facebook, without all the personal updates, only links to interesting photos, stories, pages, etc. People say it is not very active, but the communities I've discovered are pretty active (though I'm still a lurker in all -- maybe I should change that).

Pinterest - Another app I thought was "pointless" until I finally decided to explore, after which point I couldn't get enough. Check out my Organization board.

Scoop.it - I created an account after hearing about it during SMOOC earlier this year. Actually, I have an academic one and a personal one. I like that there are descriptions of the link along with photos, which, now that I think about it, probably makes it better for posting academic content than Pinterest. I had forgotten about this account for a while, but I'm going to be using it more frequently now.

Twitter - Another one I have mentioned before. I think I'll be using this one for a while. :)

What have you guys been doing? I'm trying to keep up with everyone's blogs, but maybe I missed you.
Any suggestions for other types of tools?
Leave me a link. :)

reflecting on communities

One thing I really like about the communities I joined is the sense of inclusiveness. For the subject I picked in particular, and I think most people can relate this on some level, if one has an unpopular opinion, it can be difficult to find others to share your ideas with. But in these communities, everyone is there to share in the conversation, and if someone steps out of line, there is usually another voice who will put them in their place, or at least start a dialogue about what is respectful or disrespectful.

Also, there's something different about participating that I wouldn't have expected. I feel more connected to the people who interact with me. It brings new meaning to the sense of "community". I'm finding that I wish I was allowed to participate in the second community as well.

Anyone else having a similar experience?

Information Overload

Have you guys seen this video yet?



I just love how this class is making me think so much more deeply about the technology and resources right at our fingertips.

Happy blogging! :)

This Week's Assignment

Guys, I finally found my communities!

I know I'm late here, but I've been feeling really conflicted about this class lately.

Even though I'm still technically sitting on my couch with my laptop, I've been feeling anxious about putting myself "out there" on the internet. I am a really private person, and I tend to feel like my thoughts are best kept to myself, lest people judge and/or misunderstand me. I realize that it is something I have to get over in order to succeed in this class, and throughout life.

To that end, I would like to share that I've had a hard time finding communities to delve into this week. I looked at the communities I'm involved in with Google+ and Twitter, and even though I don't LJ anymore, I looked through pages and pages of LiveJournal communities, and nothing seemed quite right.

Then, as if by magic (okay, more like algorithms), there was a suggestion on Facebook for a community that I am quite interested in being a member of.

For some, this is a contentious topic, but it is one that I feel strongly about, and am interested to hear others' voices on. That is, being childfree.

So, I've found my two communities (one Facebook, one LiveJournal), and I'm eager to find out what it's like to be a contributing member, rather than just a lurker.  :)

How has it been finding your communities?

#Twitter

Twitter is the subject of the week.

I avoided it before this class, because, honestly, it always seemed like a narcissistic waste of time. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't occasionally curious about what I was missing out on, but the feeling was never so compelling as to get me to actually set up an account.

But then within the span of two weeks I find myself managing not only my personal account, but also one for my job. Now that I'm in charge of 2 different Twitter accounts, I can see its usefulness. Connecting with others in short snippets, to put it broadly.

My favorite thing about Twitter is that, unlike Facebook, there is no filter discerning whose updates I see and whose I don't. The fact that it's all in headlines is great, and since I mostly follow organizations and public figures, it's easier to stay current on the topics and news I'm most interested in. I love how easy it is to skim the feed and see what's going on everywhere. Coincidentally, I have a good friend who's never been much for Facebook, but has always been a tweeter, and now we have another way to keep in touch.
All in all, I have to say I'm actually quite fond of that little blue bird now.

...........

(source)

Regarding Twitter in the classroom, I recently witnessed my boyfriend go through a class that had a 2-week Twitter experiment. The class was Social History of the United States, and for 2 weeks, the students re-enacted historical figures and their speeches in the classroom, while the rest of the class live-tweeted the speeches.

I can tell you from my boyfriend's perspective that he thought the Twitter experiment was "weird." For one, live-tweeting during a speech means that the tweeter is not fully paying attention, and probably missing something important. Another thing was the incongruence between embracing historical contexts (they were encouraged to dress up and engage in other activities meant to set the historical environment) and actively use cell phones in class. It seems to have taken away from the authenticity of the experience.

I think that this was not the most effective way to use Twitter in the classroom, as I have read some of your articles about elementary children solving math problems,  and other creative, more effective methods.
So it seems to me that it's not something that works in every teaching situation, but has a lot of potential.

I'd love to hear your comments

:)

PS: Follow me

Google+

Everyone has heard of Google+, right? Google's version of a social network.

Essentially, if you have a Gmail account, you have a Google+ account ready and waiting to be used. For some reason, it hasn't picked up as quickly as some of the others, and some even say it's dying.

I've been exploring and utilizing and connecting all many of the networks and tools available to me, and I have to say, I like Google+ a lot, and I think it has a lot of potential.

I think that the interface is more about sharing news, info, & interests with others, compared to more narcissistic purposes of Facebook (not offense to Facebook users, I update mine pretty often).
Several of the infographics I've come across imply that Google+ is more for the scholarly-minded, and that there is high ratio of male users to female users.

I think Google+ is a good alternative to Facebook if you're the kind of person who often finds people's status updates annoying, and prefers to skims down the news feed for links to interesting articles.

Google+ is definitely going to be a staple of my Personal Learning Network from now on.

Photo credit

If you're interested, here's a whole Pinterest board of Google+ infographics.

What do you think of Google+?

Bloglovin

As I mentioned, I've been reading blogs for a long time now, probably since high school (c. 2002-06), when LiveJournal was "in".

Anyways, over the years I've started and stopped following many blogs, and Bloglovin is my Reader of choice. It is mobile-friendly, and is useful for grouping and sorting, if you follow several blogs. For example, mine are grouped into categories by subject (e.g., food blogs, science and education blogs, and art blogs). Click the link below to check it out.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin ;-)

First Post

Hello and welcome to my little corner of the internet.

I'm a lurker by nature, so this blog will be an interesting challenge for me, but I'm really looking forward to learning about and experiencing the web in new ways.

 Cheers,
Camille