Lesson 5: Google Docs

Lesson 5
Eriko Hiraki


THINK
With a group project, I've been using a study-room in library,
or meeting in Shin-D or somewhere else out of the class. However,
making a time to work on it out of class is very difficult since
everybody has own schedule, and especially ICU students attend a lot of
other classes, so it often happens that not all the member attend.

Also,
as you said in Introduction, attaching a document to e-mail, and
sending to all the group members have been most common way to group
work since I entered ICU. It works, but it is very confusing to have so
many e-mails and documents for one project.

Skype is a very
useful tool for group work. Skype is online free phone system, and
talking not only between 2 people, but also between group members is
available. If only group members have a computer, and download skype
system, it works effectivly without meeting face to face.


EXPLORE
People
can participate to the group only with signing up the e-mail addresses
to the list. Not the video but Keita told me that people includes two
types; collaborators and visitors. Collaborator are the group members,
and can edit a document. On the other hand, visitor are teachers or
professors, and can only see a document.

Also, Google Docs save each versions of the work. So people can see all root of their work.

Moreover, anytime and anywhere, we can work on the project with Google Docs.

EXPLAIN
1. The main skills needed to use GDS are the one to access to Google, the one to interview people and organize their opinions in our case this time, the one to make a chart, and the one to export and import documents.

2. GDS makes possible to export documents to other blogs. It is very useful since we can work with other people and with actual project outside of classes using Google Docs. After working and completing the project, we can publish on the web.
To make sure, if we want to work on the project with other people, it is required to join the group list as the first step!

3. Being similar to above questions, Google Docs enables us to work together on the project even when the group members are not be together. Everyone can edit the project. It will make the project more highly developed, and everyone can share each other's ideas.

4. I have never used Google Docs before, but I surely would like to use it with future work!! Rather than working with other people in studyrooms in library or Shin-D, using Google Docs saves us from wasting time since we can work on it anytime anywhere. Surely we can make highly developed project!



Owen, thank you for your course this term. I want to use the knowledge for future life in this digital age.
Eriko

fireshot

Kobe

Route map in environs

Barabasi's questions

1.What elements or factors were critical to Paul's success in spreading the Christian message?

Becoming as a bridge between people and people, or communities was the most effective elements of Paul's success in spreading Christianity. He traveled so many time, in other words, traveling was the most common network at that time, and he made full of it. In addition to it, his comprehension about both agreed and disagreed side of Christianity accelerated his success.


2. Barabasi asks the question, "Could it happen again?" (p.4), what is your answer?

I think something like it could be happen again with the power of mass media. In this age, if only one person travel around and persuade people, not so many people cannot believe him. However, with mass media, a lot of people are actually persuaded consciously or unconsciously. Many people believe what commonly said on mass media.


3.What new kinds of maps have been made of our interconnectivity (p.5)? What kinds of interconnectivity would you like to see mapped?

The maps show surprises and challenges which could not even be imagined a few years ago. Also, detailed maps of the Internet usage have revealed the vulnerability of the Internet. Moreover, trade and ownership's maps among companies have traced the trail of power and money in Silicon Valley. In my personal idea, I would like to see a map which shows how the virus spread out especially a new kind of flu virus is very common globally.

4.What is the 'real surprise' (p.5) that such maps have revealed? Personally, does this surprise you?

That those maps have the same and simple structure is the 'real surprise'. I was very surprised to know this fact. It is unexpected and interesting that something look complicated or difficult turn out to be simple and easy.


5. How does the author define the nature of most scientific research in the 20th Century? What is the problem associated with such an approach (p.6-7)?

Barabasi emphasized that "nature is not a well-designed puzzle with only on way to put it back together". In complicated system, the results can turn out to be tons of different ways. With this nature, the problem, which it can be too difficult to make effective future for each person since there are too many ways, can be happened.


6.What does Barabasi predict will be the new focus of scientific research in the coming era (p.7)? What is your view?

Barabasi emphasized that network will become an important focus of scientific research in the coming era. I think network already has played an important role in the world. It is not too much to say we cannot even live without it anymore. We are so deeply connected to each other with it.

Lesson 4: A Personal & Social Study Tool

Think
1.
a) 5 years ago, 0-10% : I was a first-year-student in high school. At that time, I did not have much opportunity to search something on the Web, since what I needed to search or study was almost in my textbooks. When I needed to search something, I went to library. b) 2 years ago, 10-30%: I was a third-year-student in high school. Almost as same as 5 years ago, I did not make full of the Web except for some current news. In class of politics, I needed to research current political problems, so I used the Web. c) Now, 80-90%: I am a sophomore at ICU. I got my own laptop, and have used every single day. It is not too much to say that I cannot do my work without computer. With academic works, we cannot use only data from the Web, but recently, we can read news articles and books. Therefore, my use of the Web has become larger and larger.

2.
Usually, I bookmark those sites to my computer, or with my academic works, I always make a bibliography, which records titles, the data when I looked them, and addresses.


3.
Copying the URL address, and pasting it to the passage on e-mail is the most frequent way to share the information about the site.


Explore
17. Nagisa.scicu (Nagisa) : Wikipedia, Japan Times and Mango
c121657a (Masatoshi) : only Japan Times and Mango
Natsumiscicu09 (Natsumi) : only Japan Times and Mango


Do
Actually, to begin with, the first thing I was recognized again was that this Delicious bookmarking system goes with the website, not with the computer. Old bookmarking system was always with the computer. I have been bookmarking web pages normally without any acknowledgment that I was working with the online web page.. It was surprising for me when I was watching the presentation!!
Also, with the online bookmarking, we can share the sites we like to people in our network. In fact, I and Keita shared a website. Bookmarking with the computer does not make it possible to share the web pages, but with the online system, it is possible. I would like to share some useful pages with people in my network.
Moreover, we can create new tags when we bookmark and tag. I have used only common tags, such as language, education, french, and so on. But, the presentation showed that we can make any tags we like. However, it has a little bit of problems, too, to create new ones, because it takes some times to remember and coordinate them.



EXPLORE
1.
In order to use Delicious, basically we should be able to access on the Internet, of course. Also, we should have the skill to search the web sites we like, and put exact tags when we bookmark them, which makes useful when we look for the sites we need later on.

2.
With bookmarking socially, we can carry around our favorite sites only with own USB, since it does not bookmark with the computer. Also, we can share our favorite sites with people in network. In fact, Keita recommended a site, and I bookmarked it on my Delicious. It was very helpful.

3.
With Delicious, we can bookmark a lot of useful sites for academic works with tags. When we want to look for some specific things, we can look for them with tags only if we bookmark with some helpful explanation.

4.
I learned so much with bookmarking, as you could see through reading my answers. I would like to use this social bookmarking system in future for my academic works, and also for my daily life. I can bookmark recipes or blogs, and can organize my favorite sites with tags:)

I have played volleyball since I was 7 years old. Obviously, volleyball is my favorite sport, and whenever I play it, I feel very satisfied.
In high school, I went on to the Kinki competition.

Regrettably, there are no pictures which show the play, and this picture was taken at the sport festival. I am the one whoso number is 4.












I like taking photos, and always carry around my camera. When I find something interesting, I take them. I also like painting, especially oil paintings. When I was in the U.S., I started to do it. I have worked with a lot of oil paints, and this painting of the sky in Kansas State is my favorite one.

my work (Lesson 3 :Do)

In this term, I've been taking the class of development study. In that class, I joined to Group Pauline, in which we contact with Ms. Pauline who live and work in a slum in Africa. We listened to her opinions about "development aid", and told them to the students in the class. I made a slide-show containing 20 slides. Since the group had about 15 members, we made a full of use of the blog. (The blog for a presentation )


In last summer, I joined to a volunteer work in France. This program had 12 members from all over the world. (See pictures ) There were French, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, Georgian, Korean, Taiwanese, and Japanese myself. We reconstruct a castle which was built in 12nd century. This program lasted 3 weeks. During it, we stayed at a shelter in a small village, and cooked ourselves in turn, cleaned our 'house' ourselves. It was very good time, and I made a wonderful friends in all over the world as well as memories.


I am belonged to the softball club. ( See pictures ) I started to play it in last January, so it is still had, but also it is very fun to play a new sport. I am a 3rd base player.

Lesson 3: Blog as e-Portfolio

121095 HIRAKI, Eriko

THINK
Before you began this course, how would you show others (and yourself) evidence of what you know and what you can do?

Before I started this course, I have made a blog, and recorded a lot of my works and experiences. Also, usually with in-class presentations, I have often used handouts, slide shows (power point), and charts, since it is easy to get ideas with visual figures. Moreover, other than in-class presentations, I could actually use physical motions to show what I could do.


EXPLORE
1. Do you need an e-portfolio? In your own words, briefly explain what you understand an e-portfolio is.

I need an e-portfolio since it is very easy to carry out a lot of tour knowledge. As the presentation showed, e-portfolio has many positive points. With it, we don't have to carry around heavy folders, all of the information from books if we write in our e-portfolio, and we can find directly where all of my information is.
As the most important premise, in order to make our e-portfolio useful, we have to spend much time to improve them. This makes our e-portfolio special.

2. What content may you want to add to your e-portfolio? Think about content that will tell important things about what you know and what you can do, that you would like others to learn about you. Please make a list of your ideas.

*links for pictures
*links for study
*links for databases
I would like to add some links and pictures in order to show my experiences.
As a support for my academic works, I can link to the blog which I used with the group work in the other class, Development Study. Also, I would like to put my slideshows and academic essays on my e-portfolio.
With my part time job as a waitress at a hotel, I have attended many wedding receptions, conferences and so on. Unfortunately, talking about the contents of personal events is not allowed because of terms of privacy. Therefore, it is not workable in e-portfolio. When we make e-portfolio, we have to consider human rights, too.
As personal activities, I can show my pictures of the volunteer work and my sport activities, attaching my homepage as link, and so on.


3. What do you see as some of the main advantages or disadvantages in having an e-portfolio in addition to a traditional resume?

Comparing "Athletic trainer" and "University Student", with the resume of "Athletic trainer", one of the major advantages is simple and easy to catch the information with simple look, since its amount of information is not too much. However, resume can be easy to lose, and might be heavy when it contains a bunch of sheets, which can be its disadvantage.

With the e-portfolio of "University Student", one of the major advantages is that some contents can appeal with visual motion. Also, e-portfolio can easily show makers' characteristic since e-portfolio can have infinite possibility to be improved with many functions.


EXPLORE
Write a post reflecting on your blog as an e-Portfolio with reference to the four SCICU Key Questions.

Basically, only skill the users need is the one to access my e-portfolio. Once they access to it, they can easily find my profile, posts. Also, in order to see my linked photo sites, the users should have an account on Yahoo! and facebook. With my e-portfolio, the users can see some different quotes each time. Those quotes make readers happy, that is why I put them in my e-portfolio. Furthermore, I have some links, in my link list, which are useful for searching for academic resources, the databases of ICU library and American Embassy. Whenever and whoever wants to look for them, people can easily take a step.
Through developing my e-portfolio, of course I learned how to use it, and how to upload my photos. What's more, I have often considered of "how users can understand about me". E-portfolio is not only we post or upload pictures; we make our e-portfolio for "readers". It was very hard, and still is hard, but through this Social Computing course, I would like to create more useful e-portfolio by anyone.

Lesson 2: The Browser as Personal Learning Environment

THINK
What arrangements do you make to try and ensure that you can do any of your work during the day? Think about work that requires you to access your files, information and particular programs and needs you to make your own arrangements so you can do that work (or not) at any computer.

I think USB memory sticks can be the most convenient measure to do any of works. Also, some online work folders, for example Google Space, Yahoo! Photos, and so on, can help us to do our works anytime when we are with computers.


EXPLORE
View a couple of these screen shot tours showing how different users have developed a personal work environment in Firefox (FF). Take notes on at least two (2) features that look interesting.

1. In #1, I found interesting that the terms can link to other web sites, in this case; the last week's one, only with clicking them. It is useful especially when we, readers don't have much ideas about those.

2. In #1, being compared with #2, it contains many people's website without photos. Even though it provises readers whose websites those are, this actually might not be helpful since readers cannot easily imagine what those are about, or look like..

3. In #1, I did not have an idea about the word "iGoogle", so that I checked what it is.
"iGoogle" is our own personalized Google page, originally being found in 2005, and renamed in 2007. Its features include the capability to add web feeds, data formats used for providing users with frequently updated content. Also, we can add photos, news, weather, and stuff from across to our page. Moreover, it is currently available in many localized versions of Globle, in 42 languages, and in over 70 country domain names.


EXPLAIN
1. What are the main skills needed to use your PLE?
Firstly, we should have the skill of English enough to read and understand it, since most of the download homepages for those add-ons are in English.
Secondly, the basic skill of using computer, and in order to make PLE more useful, the skill to master it are needed.
Thirdly, the skill which is needed is to categorize what we actually look for, and find what we disire,

2. What are the affordances of your PLE (what does it make possible, what does it impede)?
With my PLE, I have Google Toolbar, Pronouce, Inline Definitions, Java Quick Started, Zotero, Delicious, Fire Gestures and Speed Dial.The process we can get those add-ons is very easy. With just going to the homepage, and choosing the add-on we want to download make us possible to use them.
Sometimes, several add-ons have similar functions. If we download both of those, it might not useful, and make a computer heavy.


3. How can your PLE be used to network professionally and connect you to learning resources?
When we find something we don't understand through learning new things, we can use several add-ons. For example, when we read the article and find the terms which are not familiar to us, we can highlight those words, and do the right-click. With "Pronounce" and "Inline Definitions", we can get basic information for those terms, and even more, we can search more in Google with "Search in Google".

4. What skills and understandings have you learned from creating a PLE that may promote your development as an effective learner in the digital age?
I have learned a lot of functions about PLE so far. Until I took this course, even though I can use a computer and make documents without problems, I did not know any more of the computer. In this growing digital age, computer is very effective tool to learn and make a progress. We can search about anything anytime anywhere with our PLE. Moreover, with some add-ons, we may be able to expand our curiosity since they enables us to check other things concurrently, in other words, we can easily go to other pages related to the contents. Making full of PLE makes us to be more clever!

Lesson 1 Course Introduction

THINK

1.SOCIAL SOFTWARE
Which websites in the picture (top) are familiar to you? What do you think
social software is? What do you think makes social software social?

I know YouTube, facebook, Gmail, dabble and Wikipedia from that picture.
The term "social software" is a little broad, and to be honest, I don't
come up with exact words to explain it. But, I think that "social
software" is a device which through anyone can connect to anyone easily
and grobally, using Internet.  As I just mentioned, the condition that
anyone is easily available to it makes "social software" actually social.
Moreover, the conditions that good number of people have access to it, and
can take place to improve it is needed to maintain "social software"
social.


2. SOCIAL NETWORK
How would you define a network? What is social about a social network?
"Social network" is a system which is prevailed in the society. It doesn't
have to be always on Internet, in other words, it can be telephone, radio,
and so on.  "Social network" is social since it connects people and people
in the society by using any tools.


EXPLORE
1. Do you know of a recent situation in which knowledge has become
available first through social media?

Umm, I'm afraid that I cannot find a recent situation.


2. Make notes on what you think the key words are?

connect, hidden, job, friends, partners


3. What were three things that surprised you? Why?
>>1 out of 8 couples married in the US in 2005 met online.
- Since I have thought to meet boy/girlfriend online would be rather
rare, this fact surprised me a lot! I wonder how those love became real..

>>100% of 2006 Indian graduates can speak English.
- Because not so many Japanese can speak English even though they study
at least for a few years, and can read and write it, but the fact that
100% of Indian graduates in 2006 can speak it is amazing!

>>70% of 4-year-old children have used a computer.
- Since I surely had not touched to a computer when I was that age, about
16 years ago.


DO

I choose to take this course about social computiong, because in our
today's world, social software occupies surprisingly a lot. We cannot even
live without it. It is actually useful, but at the same time, it can be
dangerous if we don't have much knowledge, or pay attention to the danger.
Through this course, I would like to gain knowledge of it, and make it
useful in rest of my life.

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