Post Three

Learning Module Three Blog Post

This module (Module 3) wasn't the longest one, or had the most assignments, but I really feel like it was one of the more challenging ones thus far. I think it was challenging because it really dealt with some things I hadn't had much prior experience with. This lesson focused a lot on searching the web effectively and efficiently, a very important skill to have in modern society. The world is going digital, almost anything can be found online, and the world wide web contains, what seems to be, endless amounts of information. Searching through this information to find exactly what you're looking for is like trying to find a marble in an ocean, unless you use the right tools! This module helped me to discover and implement the tools needed to search the web successfully. I found the Web Lab assignments to be greatly helpful in providing me with practice needed for this kind of web searching.

The first Lab we did was a search tutorial learning activity. While is wasn't an entirely "hands-on" project, it definitely covered the basics of searching, as well as many advanced topics. Through this activity, I was able to learn a lot about search engines, search strategies, the search process, searching the deep web, and using Boolean Logic. Now, I have been familiarized with search engines, I thought I knew a few search strategies, and I knew a little bit about what the search process involved, but this web lad really opened my eyes as to how LITTLE I really knew. Like how the web has only a small portion of data readily available on the "public" web, we humans are capable of only storing a small amount of data in or brains. The vast amount of unknown information is similar to the deep web. It's out there, but it isn't common knowledge. That is exactly how I felt when learning about Boolean Logic. I had no idea such a thing existed. I can honestly say that, after learning about Boolean Logic, I have already began using it in my searches.

The deep web is another thing I really didn't know existed. I mean, it makes sense that it exists, but I guess I never really thought about it existing before. Just to think about all of the information that could be "hidden" within the deep web. Now when I think about the deep web, it almost gives me the same feeling I have when I think about the universe, and how vast and uncharted it really is. I mean, the idea that almost ALL of the internet is contained in the deep web is just mind-boggling. It's amazing to think that when I search something and get thousands of results, those results don't even include the millions upon millons of results I could find residing in the deep web. Unbelievable.

We went deeper into searching with later Web Labs. The "Scholarly Searching" web lab was really pretty fun. When we were first assignment this Web Lab my initial thought was, "okay, I hated using the library database in Writing I and Writing II, and I'm going to hate using it for this assignment." But really, I was wrong. We learned through the assignment, a simple was to search through the database, and by applying Boolean Logic, using multiple search tools within the database, and combining all of the other search tools we learned, it really made searching the library database quite a breeze.

I also thought learning about social bookmarking and Del.icio.us was very interesting. I never utilized bookmarking at all in the past. I never knew something like Del.icio.us even existed. I really like how it integrates right into the toolbox in your browser. You can easily bookmark pages. It's actually easier bookmarking to Del.icio.us than it is bookmarking in the browser itself, which is pretty funny.

To close out this blog post, I'd like to discuss some of the things I learned on the Route21 website. This website is full of skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. Some of the highlights include life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, and information, media, and technology skills.

The life and career skills helped remind me that it is important to adapt to change. I think humans are naturally reluctant to adapt easily to change. We people get used to something, it is easiest to stick with it. Unfortunately, that is almost impossible in today's digital world. Things are changing so fast, new technology is created every day, and what used to be years between new advances in technology, is quickly becoming months. With all of this change happening so quickly, it is most important that you are able to adapt to it, or else you will be left behind.

I also thought that the most important part of the, "Information, Media, and Technology Skills," section of the website, was the fact that it is crucial to analyze media and information we receive on a daily basis. With the internet being so expansive and technology reaching so many people, media news and information can be presented by almost anyone. It is critical that we understand where our information is coming from, if it is truthful, and if it is reputable. This is more important now than it ever was before.

Overall I would say this was an EXTREMELY helpful module. I'll definitely be applying the techniques I learned in this module throughout my college career. I would even suggest that this module alone be expanded into a 5 week or full semester 1 or 2 credit class for new college students. Learning how to search, use citation, and expand our web browsing capabilities, is probably one of the most important things a student in the 21st century could ever learn.

Post Two

               

Learning Module Two Blog Post

This learning module was a fairly long one. It encompassed many things and I really felt like I learned a lot from it. From definitions, to activities, to assignments, this module was filled with learning opportunities made for a student to easily take advantage of. It’s easier to learn the material when almost everything is online, can be easily accessible, and we work online to learn about online. This class is almost like a workshop class. It’s hands on and we work one-on-one with the tools we are learning about. This makes learning easier and I feel that, under this method, most students retain more of the information. I know I do. So, what have a learned? Well, it might be hard to cover everything, because I really feel in this class that I am almost ALWAYS learning something new, but I’ll try my best to cover some of the most important topics and lessons I learned from this learning module.

                In this module, we learned how computers communicate with each other, send messages over the internet, and understand files that we can access through the World Wide Web. We learned about TCP/IP, which is a protocol used for transferring data. FTP, another protocol, is used for file transfer. The modem is able to convert analog signals to digital ones, and also digital signals to analog ones. The server handles the data you request, and the bandwidth is the amount of data that can travel from server to server and across the internet at one time. All of these elements play a crucial role in internet and computer communications and without them, computing between computers would be nearly impossible.

                We also learned about something most of us come across, but maybe don’t fully understand. Cookies are little files that are stored in our computer for a multitude of reasons. There are different types of cookies, and all of them do similar and different things. For example, there are temporary/session cookies, persistent cookies, first-party cookies, and third-party cookies. One thing I never knew was that third-party cookies are usually unwanted by the user, while first-party cookies are safe and okay to have in your computer. Third-party cookies usually come from a website accessed through a different website. For example, while on Amazon.com, you may receive cookies from other websites selling through Amazon.com. They didn’t come from Amazon.com, but from a third-party. These cookies may be more than data that saves settings and personalizes searches and preferences. These cookies could be a number of things including malware, spyware, or adware.

                Malware, spyware, and adware are all able to affect your computer’s performance, sometimes without you even knowing it right away. Malware is software designed to infiltrate your computer and cause harm to a multitude of software components. Spyware installs itself on a computer secretly, often times tracking computer use and obtaining data for demographical research. Adware is less harmful, but will often times be frustrating, causing ads to appear on your computer.

                Your computer can also be infected with viruses. We’ve all heard the term, ‘virus,’ when dealing with computers, but there are a few different kinds that are important to be aware of. In class we focused on learning about worm viruses and Trojan horses. Worm viruses can be pretty deadly because they can spread on their own; they do not need a human to duplicate and infect other computers. Trojan horses can be very tricky. They disguise themselves as something else, such as a, seemingly safe, software download. Instead, you download a virus and before you know it your computer is running slower, your settings aren’t what you set them to be, your internet is acting up, and worst of all, your computer crashes and you lose valuable information.

                Thankfully, viruses can be avoided and people have come up with some ways to stay one step ahead of these internet threats. By installing some simple anti-virus software and keeping your network’s firewall in working order is a great way to stop viruses from infecting your computer. Anti-virus software ranges in price from free to over a hundred dollars. When choosing the right anti-virus software, it is important to think about what is best to fit your computing needs. If you use only a laptop at home mainly for offline functions, you probably don’t need a $100.00 anti-virus software.

                To go along with all of this virus-protection and internet safety, we played some games in the learning module that helped reinforce the importance of computer knowledge and staying sharp on how to be safe on the internet. All of the games included tips on protecting your computer from viruses, phishing scams, cyber criminals who try to steal credit card information and social security numbers, wireless hackers, and spamming scams. These games were a really fun and interactive way to learn more about the information covered in class. By playing a game, I was able to retain more of the information because I am able to remember the in-game scenarios and the choices I made to complete the game successfully. I feel many people could learn a lot more this way than from listening to a lecture every class.

                We also learned a lot about IP addresses and Domain Names. I have dealt with these things before because I use wireless devices to go online, watch Netflix, and play games. I encountered a problem with one of my devices about a week before we started this module. The device couldn’t find the IP address to connect to my at-home wireless internet. At first I was frustrated as this had never happened before and I didn't know much about IP addresses. Luckily I was able to find some information online and I had in fixed the next day. Even though I fixed it, I didn't really understand what an IP address was or why it was necessary. Intro to Web Technology cleared up any confusion I had. An IP address is, “a number that uniquely identifies each computer or device connected to the internet,” (Shelly, Cashman). Thinking back to the situation I ran into with my device, I ended up having to reset the IP address because it was lost when my wireless router was unplugged. I still don’t know everything about this, but it’s nice to know what an IP address is when I have to fix it in the future.

                We also took a look at registering a Domain Name and the processes of obtaining your very own website. We learned how to apply for a domain name, how long it would take to get one, how much it would cost, and some good tips for choosing a domain name that is right for you or your business. Many of us may have to set up our own websites in the future so this information is very important to know.

                One of the best sections of this learning module was creating a screencast. I've seen them before and I always wondered how to make one. I had always assumed one needed some sort of hardware hooked up to a computer that was capable of capturing screencasts. I had no idea that there were many websites available that allow people to make screencasts for free. For class we made a basic screen cast discussing features of the browser of our choice. I choose Google Chrome, and just by doing the screencast I learned a lot about Google Chrome that I hadn't known before. Below is a video of the screen cast I made for class.

                          

                 Finally, I would like to add that I really like the online quizzes we have throughout the learning modules. Having these small quizzes really makes it easier to remember the information, because what we’re quizzed on is what we’re learning about. We don’t learn about a multitude of topics then are tested on them all at once at the end. Instead, we learn a few topics, take a quiz, then move on to a few more topics and a few more quizzes, all while working hands-on with the information we are learning about. This is a great way to learn and I’d like to see more of this in other classes.

                I should also add that in two years of college, I have never used a book as much as I have in this class. It seems contradictory that a class conducted mainly online would find so much use with the book, but the fact that a lot of the material is online, I find it even more helpful to use the online and on-hand book source in unison to get the most out of the class.