Thing 16

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Originally uploaded by The Lady Stardust

1.) Did you like Flickr's geotagging feature?
I thought it was interesting that you could know where the photos were taken, but how would you really know? In some ways it’s cool, but I’m not sure that I understand the point. Maybe for documentation, or if you move house frequently. Or vacations?

2.) Did you explore any of the other geotagging services? How did they compare to Flickr?
I liked the map on Flickr, the coordinates were all right. Being able to drag the photos onto the map with Flickr’s tool was definitely the coolest.

3.) How will you use this tool either personally or professionally?
I could start recording exactly where I’ve taken every photo from now on. If I needed to go back for a similar shot, I would know where to go.

4.) Why would anyone ever want to geocache? Seriously, why?
For all the aforementioned (speculated) reasons. Personally, I don’t know that I would use it. Maybe I’ll have a change of heart; miracles happen everyday!

5.)What is wrong with these people?
They are creepy, exacting stalkers. . .

~Kaitlyn King

Thing 15

1. Which podcast(s) did you listen to?


         Doctor Who: Podshock, because I am an enormously British dork.

2. Which of the directories did you find easiest to use?


         Podcast.com was definitely the easiest to use, and anytime I’m looking for some audio on a certain subject – that will be my first stop.

3. Has this Thing inspired you to do any podcasting yourself or to subscribe to a podcast to listen to it regularly?
         I already do podcasts, but all of my friends and I call them video blogs. They began as a way to keep in touch with my friend Claire, but more and more of my friends started watching them – So I branched out a bit. They are silly and random – Filled with stories and useless information.

4. If Walt Whitman were alive today (which I am certain that he is not), do you think he'd podcast? If so, what would he call his podcast? Would his parents listen to it? Why or why not? Discuss.
         Sure, Whitman would podcast to get his thoughts out there. He would probably call it “Song of Myself.” His parents would totally listen to it, but I’m not so sure about the level of enjoyment it would incur.

~K.

Thing 14

1.) Which of the two calculators seems better suited for your research work here at Ai Minnesota? Why?

       Personally, neither of these seemed very helpful to ME. But I would probably recommend the University of Minnesota’s calculator. The steps seem more personalized and easier to follow. There is information within the steps to help students to complete their work.

2.) How might the RPC and the Teacher Guide help you manage research projects?

3.) Assuming you'll graduate from Ai MN someday -- can you think of any uses for personal or professional projects—could you use any of these tools to help manage a timeline for a project of your own?

       Toward the end of my time at Ai, I would probably start using a timeline calculator. I wouldn’t want to get behind on any assignments, let alone the more crucial projects near graduation.

~Kaitlyn

Thing 13

1. Which start page did you choose? Why did that one appeal to you? Will you make it your permanent home page?

       I used iGoogle, because most of the resources I use (like GoogleDocs and Gmail) are Google related, and in the past Google has been good to me. I have made it my home page. It allows me to get straight to my documents and email!

2. Did you find a tool that has some uses for you at school or at home? Which tool(s) would you recommend to others?

       On iGoogle, you can use the Google maps tool, which I need to use a lot. There is also a “To Do List” tool which should be helpful. There are calculators and YouTube search engines for those who feel so inclined.

3. How can the online calendars be useful to you?

       You can keep track of what you need to be doing from anywhere in the world, and likewise – Add any information about upcoming events.

4. What about the to-do lists—helpful, too much work…?

       Oh, funny, I didn’t even see this question. I feel like a nerd. I love the to do lists, I am very organized and they help me out! That’s probably why I just answered each of the prompts number by number – It keeps Things tidy.

5. Did you try out Backpack? What did you think?

       Yes, I thought it was a neat place to store your documents and to keep track of your schedule while sharing both.

6. Did you try any of the other tools in the list? Any good ones we should all try?

       I tried Remember the Milk, because the name was too clever for me to pass up. :)  I loved it and recommend it, because you can download an App on your iPhone/iTouch and access your to do list at any time!

~Kaitlyn

Thing 12

1. Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool.

       I truly enjoyed this Thing (or the del.icio.us part of this Thing), because I always seem to want to bookmark everything that I find fascinating. And for some reason, I believe MANY things are absolutely fantastic. It would sometimes come down to me having to use abbreviations, and I would forget what the abbreviations were. With Del.icio.us I can describe exactly what the website is and know exactly where that link will take me. Also with Del.icio.us, I only need to have one link in my Bookmarks Bar.

2. Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?

       After signing up, I immediately began using this tool for research and clearing my Bookmarks Bar. You can access any of the information that you found relevant all in one place. This is a great tool for anyone who frequents the internet.

~Kaitlyn

3. Do you see any other useful applications of tagging and del.icio.us in your academic and/or professional life?

       To keep track of silly videos my friends send to me. :)

Thing 11

1.) What uses do these tools have for professional or personal use?
       You can create both professional presentations that can be accessed from any computer, and slideshows for personal use.

2.) Was the tool you used easy to navigate and understand?
       It was extremely simple, and reminiscent of PowerPoint.

3.) Would you recommend it to others?
       I would definitely recommend Zoho Show to anyone looking for a free slideshow program.

4.) Do you use other sharing tools for photos, documents, or other creations that you would recommend?
       The only other sharing tool I use that has not previously been mentioned in 16 Things is Photobucket. It serves my needs, but I understand why others would enjoy Flickr. I always use GoogleDocs for files.

~K.

Thing 10

A motivational poster I created with BigHugeLabs. I love Frankenstein - If you hadn't noticed. :)

1.) What do you think of sharing photos online? Consider copyright and licensing issues.

       If you credit your source and are sending the image to a friend to brighten up their day, there probably shouldn’t be a huge problem. Properly crediting a photo’s source in an assignment is also acceptable, but if one was planning to publish a work using a copyrighted photo – that is where things get tricky.

       There is definitely a trouble with people flinging photos around, taking them from anywhere, with no one getting any credit. I think at linking back to the URL where the photos are found is the least that people can do.

~Kaitlyn

Thing 9

by Topsy Turvy Design

http://www.flickr.com/photos/topsyturvydesign/3550305348/in/photostream/

How might you use Flickr for schoolwork, in your personal life or professional setting?

         I sometimes search around Flickr looking for inspiration. I don’t mean reproduction – I mean seeing a photo that suddenly makes me want to paint of draw something. It could also be applied to schoolwork and a professional life for inspiration. To avoid plagiarism, one probably would not want to use these photos for personal projects. One could potentially contact the photographers in order to hire them for projects.

Do you use Flickr or another photo hosting service? Which one? How does it compare to Flickr?
         I mostly use Photobucket for photo storage and editing. Flickr doesn’t allow me to edit my photos in anyway, so I suppose that’s why got into Photobucket.

How do you feel about having your photos public (note that you can mark your Flickr photos private, too)--any concerns?
         I don’t have any concerns. I must say that the concept is a little weird, because my photos are obviously personal (as are everyone’s). Luckily, I don’t have any freaky nudes that anyone has to worry about.

~K.

Thing 8

1.) What did you find interesting about the wiki concept?
         That you can find information about literally anything! Whether or not ANY of that information can hold water is an entirely different matter. But who cares?! – It’s the magic of the internet!!!

2.) What types of applications within schools and professional organizations might work well with a wiki?
         Once again, getting any information out is noteworthy, but accuracy is always a concern with wikis.

3.) Many teachers/faculty "ban" Wikipedia as a source for student research. What do you think of the practice of limiting information by format?
         Well, I once sat in on a report given on different sections of the brain and when one student reached the hippocampus – they proceeded to at length explain that the hippocampus was a mythical sea horse inside everyone’s head. Students these days have trouble with choosing the correct disambiguation, let alone knowing what’s true or false or fudged. Wikipedia while fun, should not be the go-to place for academic research.

4.) Which wiki did you edit?
         I edited “Rochester, MN” page on Wikipedia by adding my high school (Studio Academy) to the list of Rochester’s high schools.

5.) Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV or Physical Graffiti and why?
         Led Zeppelin IV.

~K.

Thing 7

1.) Which of these tools is easier for you to use? 

            GoogleDocs was immediately easier to use as I already have an account with Google.

2.) How do the features of each compare? 



            I found using DropBox. . . well, lame. Probably because I already have used GoogleDocs for a while.

3.) Does one have features that would make you choose it over the other? 



            The editing tools on GoogleDocs are simple to use and I am well acquainted with them.

4.) What would the Founding Fathers think of these tools? 



            “Well, this format is infinitely better than reading Jefferson’s g*ddamn handwriting.”

5.) Would the final draft of the "Declaration of Independence" have been better had these tools been at their disposal?

            It would have been more legible and easier to compartmentalize.

~K.

Thing 6

1. How can you use Digg to collect research for your next report or design project?

Search their database for articles relevant to your project’s subject. . . But be sure to at least investigate a little bit to determine legitimacy.

2. How can you use Digg to establish your reputation and credibility?
Posting articles about yourself and your work? I’m not entirely sure about this one.

3. How can you connect your other social media circles to Digg and increase your popularity?

I could connect my Digg account to my Facebook account, which would allow more people to find me in multiple locations – Which would enable a rapid spreading of popularity . . . Like a zombie virus.

4. Reddit is using Twitter. Discuss what combining the experience means to you in terms of saving your oh so "precious time"? I can describe in two words what this union means to me: “The Terror”.

5. How can you ensure that information on an open source website like Reddit is credible?
You can look at the website it came from. A website like news.bbc.co.uk would undoubtedly be more credible than self.reddit.com. But one might still be wary and conscientious.

6. Who's crazier; old shaggy-haired Kate or the "new" Kate with the 80's sk8er punk haircut?

They’re both on their way to rehab or the loony bin anyway.

7. Have you ever seen a photograph of Jon Gosselin when he wasn't wearing an Ed Hardy shirt? Is that all he owns or what?

I haven’t really seen much of Jon Gosselin – Only when I go over to middle-aged women’s homes.

Thing 5

1. Which social journal did you choose? Why?

I chose Twitter, because I already had one. I originally signed up a VERY long time ago, because I wanted keep up with my favourite musician’s (Amanda Palmer) upcoming releases and her blogs and whatnot. I followed one person forever – THEN I found out that Twitter was this giant fad and all the kids were doing it. I did the same thing with MySpace – Signed up when it was a fledgling website, and was friends with one person until it blew up!!! I should get into the stock market.

2. What is unique about the online journaling experience?

I suppose at the beginning it was that you could give little blips about yourself all day long. Now there isn’t much uniqueness left. Now everyone is typing whatever they want – As long as it fits along the edge of a ruler.

3. Can you see this having some application to schoolwork or professional development?

In my heart of hearts – I hope not. But professionals could use these sites to update what they are working on as they are working. It could be a useful organizing tool and also a communication tool for shorter messages. Eventually, we’ll get back to monosyllabic conversations and grunts – And all films will only be 10 minutes long, because we really just can’t stand to sit still for 90 minutes . . . That’s absurd.

4. What are some ways that these tools could be used for evil, instead of good?

Those who become addicted to Twitter may fall under a spell in which they must constantly update their status. “I woke up.” “I rolled out of bed.” “I’m walking to the bathroom.” “Urinating now.” “Not washing my hands.” “Brushing my teeth.” “Walking downstairs.” “Walking toward the fridge.”
See? --- That would be an emulation of the true essence of evil.

Until next time, this is Kaitlyn King saying,

   -"Good-Bye"

Thing 4

1. Now that you have a profile on Facebook or MySpace, how will you share information about yourself to meet other students at Ai and start to build your network?


            I have had a profile on each site for a while. For both I have added information about myself that the site asks for, and then I add my friends and usually accept the requests of my acquaintances. I try to add information that displays my personality and everything that I am fond of. Hopefully this will help attract those with similar interests and focuses.

2. Keeping in mind that employers use social networks as a recruiting tool, how will you use Facebook or MySpace to promote yourself to potential employers?
            As I accumulate my portfolio and resume, I can post my accomplishments on the networking sites in the hopes that potential employers like what they see.

3. How will you use Facebook or MySpace to build your professional network?
            Most companies have profiles representing them on these sites. Having instant access to several professionals spreads a web of connections throughout the business.

4. What interests and personal details will you share with your circle?
            Enough to be entirely honest, but nothing creepy or perverted. Everything that showcases the best of Kaitlyn King. Nothing that illustrates how entirely insane I am.

5. How is professional networking different from social networking?

            There is an emphasis on professionally oriented criteria on professional networking sites. One’s favourite film is most likely not considered as professional as a resume.

~K.

Thing 3

1. What about My Ai Campus.com seems interesting or useful to you?

I enjoyed being able to look through the calendar for events. It was also nice to have a place to find out what grades you’re getting.

2. Why is this such a great resource for students here at Ai?

It helps them to keep in touch with schoolwork. The site can also assist students who are looking to stay organized and up-to-date on events going on at AI.

3. What specific resources do you find useful or helpful?

I enjoy using the “See My Grades” and the “Campus Life” section.

4. Did you have any problems accessing your student portal account or other services in this Thing?

Having already had my MyAICampus account set up for a quarter, now I have absolutely no problem with it. But when I initially created it --- I don’t know why --- But I could NOT find the “MyAICampus.com” link. I gave up after about 20 minutes and then the next time I logged on – I saw it immediately. Eureka!

Until next time, this is Kaitlyn King saying,

   -“Good-Bye”

Thing 2

1.) What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?


They allow you to access a lot of information in one place, without having to remember everything you needed to check up on while using the internet.

2.) How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your school or personal life?

To keep track of assignments and what the world, my friends and professionals are up to (Or anything else at all.)

3.) How can teachers or media specialists libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

To find and keep useful resources that can be accessed with a click of the mouse.




4.) Which tool for finding feeds was easiest to use?

Google Reader’s search engine was the first tool I used, and it was incredibly easy to find things to add to my feed.

5.) What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?

I found www.feedzilla.com/rss.asp, www.feedage.com/ and dir.yahoo.com/rss/dir/index.php

6.) Find any great sources we should all add to our feed reader?

http://volpinprops.blogspot.com/ This guy is fantastic! He creates commissioned props. He can do anything.

Until next time, this is Kaitlyn King saying,

   -"Good-Bye"

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