Learning: It's More Than the Courses You Take

Remember this?

And this: "So, does all this added information benefit me? I'll let you know after my first "A."" (FYI the "Y" denotes a retake.)

Was this class easier this time around? Well, sort of. I did a few things that I would recommend to anyone that is in a similar situation. First, don't just drop the class. Your school may or may not have this option, but I was able to "Audit" Astronomy the first time around.

It was after the official withdrawal date, and I did not want an "F" on my transcript; it seemed far too ominous and would seriously harm my GPA. I audited the class and continued to attend the class to learn and absorb as much as possible.

What I did next was and is very important to ANY college career. I researched my Professors. Having the right one can make all the difference. If the Professor does not explain the information to you in a way that you can make sense of, find another.

There are a few ways you can go about this. Rate My Professors is a good start, but don't stop there. Remember to take what is said about each Professor with a grain of salt. You should be able to get a good feel though.

You've found a Professor or two that you think you might like? Good, now go to his or her home page in the College Directory. This may take a little bit of digging and not every Professor will have a home page. You can search the college website by the his or her name, area or school of study, or department. Some will even come up in a Google search of their name.

Want to know more? Send an email. Keep in mind, Professors have hundreds of students, and believe it or not lives too. Ask pointed questions such as "I'm an audio-visual learner. Do you use media to help explain your concepts." Instead of "Hey Prof, what's your teaching style?" Don't be disappointed if you do not receive a reply right away, or at all, but do continue your research. Which brings me to my next suggestion.

Ask around! There are other students that you have come to know, like and whose opinions you trust. Most will be glad to tell you their experiences. Some good questions to ask: "How much time did you devote to this class?" "How many papers and tests?" And "Did you enjoy and/or "get" the information presented?"

The Professor is just one component. You, of course, are the most important one. How do you approach a class or subject? With fear and loathing or with eagerness and curiosity? Your attitude  makes a difference. Very important: Don't get discouraged! If you are having a problem with a particular course, make the time to speak with the Professor.

Included in your tuition you have a certain amount of office hours with each of your Professors and free or discounted tutoring. Take advantage of these valuable resources. A little bit of extra effort on your part can mean the difference between a so-so B or a fabulous A.

Lastly, know your limitations. Do you honestly think you can take six courses, in which you have to devote 2 to 3 hours of study per each course credit hour, hold down a full or part time job, contribute to your community or civic responsibilities, attend to familial obligations, run here and do that? Your brain needs downtime to process what you are inputing. Don't overextend.

Will your Degree be worth it? According to  JF Stewar at CNC.edu "On average, from age 19 to age 65, college graduates earn $16,426 PER YEAR more than high school graduates..." And according to the Wall Street Journal "College graduates in general earn at least 60% more than high-school grads on average, both annually and over their lifetimes..."

Hmm, make more money AND do something I love and was born to do? Sounds like a win/win to me. 

Google Docs Spreadsheets

What a fun class this has been! With this assignment: Google Docs Spreadsheet, I finish CIT 198B, Web 2.0 This Dynamic Web. I have learned much, had fun collaborating with my classmates, and made some new friends and valuable contacts along the way. The end of this class does not mean the end of this Blog. After all, it does say "Perpetual." : D

I will be post my ongoing adventures about once or month or so. My next post will most likely be a semester summary so that you can know a bit of what I know; which classes and Professors to choose, and transfer preparations amongst other things.

For this assignment I have set up the fictitious company of ABC Marketing. I have 6 positions available, and a TBD (To Be Determined) position also. Do you see a niche at ABC Marketing that you can fill? If the answer is "yes" please do so.

Visit the spreadsheet, choose your position, and fill in what you think you might be worth for a week of Holiday Pay at the end of July. Please try not to exceed my budget and remember that you must have your job description wiki finished before you can collect your Holiday pay. [Of course you don't have to furnish a job description - just substitute your name for contributor at the top and enter a $ amount next to the color that corresponds with your position.]
 

Deadlines and Drop Boxes - The Drop Box Side

Well Hello There!

I've missed you! With assignments pending and Finals looming, I've been pretty busy. A few posts ago I told you about Video Podcasting. Since then, I've found a nifty podcasting program that goes with my Cannon camera.  More on that later.


Screencasting is a kind of video podcasting as well.  For my next assignment in my Web 2.0 class, Professor Fightmaster introduced us to Jing. What a neat little tool this is!  I've created a screencast for you below on Online Campus Courses. Here I'll show you around the online campus. Below my screencast is a link, produced by the fine staff of CSN, that shows how to actually use the dropbox, 


There are limitations on what Jing will let me do; one of them is switching from 'microphone in' to another input channel. Please see below for links to any programs you may need to do your own screencasting and captures. So, without further ado: I present my first screencast. (For a Larger view go HERE)

For a Larger view go HERE

Here is the Tutorial on how to do a Drop Box, courtesy of the fine Staff of CSN

Useful Links



Jing



Soundflower 



Audacity

What's a Wiki?

If you're like me, your answer is something like "It's that online, unreliable reference the kids use to do their homework." Turns out a wiki is more extensive, interactive and useful than I had originally thought. Common Craft's video, Wikis In Plain English, gives a nice example of how a wiki can be used as a collaborative information medium. Here is another video from sfhomeless.net on how to edit a wiki page.

How to Edit a Wiki Page from sfhomeless.net on Vimeo.

I wondered if there were any wikis (plus it was part of my wiki assignment for my Web 2.0 class) that related to Andragogy and Adult Learning. Were they reference only, or would you and I be able to contribute as well? Here's what I found.

In Wikipedia 

• Andragogy Basic information here; the article could be expounded upon but great links
• Lifelong learning This article is most pertinent to this Adult Learner's approach to college/life
• Learning Plan This I found through a link from the Andragogy article. I'm looking forward to blogging on this and the following article
• Electronic Portfolio

Now, I have yet to, except for a small contribution to a wiki, delve into this very deeply. With this wiki assignment, I will learn more and be able to share with you how to wiki in future installments.  If you would like to learn a bit about how to edit a wiki before I get back to you, go to this Wikiversity article. Be sure to create an account otherwise your IP address is recorded until you return next time.

And an FYI ~ No I have not forgotten the rest of the installments on how to Video Podcast; I just have to get assignments and schoolwork in first. Darn those measly 168 hours in a week!

Connectivism and The Adult Learner

OK, raise your hand if you still can't program your VCR. I see a few of you out there, and I am one of them, so don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Technology is, and ever will be, growing, expanding and affecting our lives. Can any of us remember a time before ATM's, cell phones, automated gas pumps or home computers?

Exponential growth in technologies affects our education as well. My first time around at college, I used a typewriter (what's that? haha) to type my term papers. There was also this great big piece of furniture in the Library called Stacks or The Stacks that you would use to find your book. My home computer and the digital library reference that I now use is optimal. I couldn't imagine doing without either one.

The following video, The Networked Student, shows how we can all be learning now, and will all be learning in the future. The idea is presented for a 10th grade Psychology Student, but it applies to all students.

Connectivism is a Godsend for the Adult Learner only after having mastered the technologies. And how does one do that? Play with the programs/software and use the tutorials. Visit the discussion boards and ask questions. Don't be afraid of being a stupid ninny. There are undoubtedly others in the disussion forums who have the same or similar questions as you. 

Have you found a useful technology or program other than those mentioned in the video? If so, please leave them in the comments. We can all benefit from each others input and knowledge.

Building a Video Podcast Part 2

This is Part Two in the Series: How to Build a Video Podcast

In part one of this series I told you that I had looked all over for video podcasting software, and could only find the two standards; Vimeo and youtube. These will work for a quickie-cast, but I was looking for something a bit more professional.  Since that posting, I have done some research.  This book report/review is also an Assignment for my Dynamic Web Application Class. (Say hi to Professor Fightmaster when you sign up for this fabulous class! :)

I found some invaluable information in these two books; Absolute Beginners Guide to Podcasting by George Colombo & Curtis Franklin, Jr. and Podcasting and Blogging with GarageBand and iWeb by Robin Williams and John Tollett.

I chose these two books so that I could learn how to Video Podcast in two different platforms. I may use my Mac for home and school, but Windows is the norm for most workplaces. Let's start with the similarities.

• Plan your podcast. What do you want to say? Who do you want to reach? How long will your podcast be? Will you be doing a series, perpetual, one time or intermittent podcast?
• Research some other podcasts through iTunes. iTunes comes with a Mac and can also be downloaded free for Windows. 
• The Steps:  Plan, Record, Edit & Mix (Groom), Publish, Promote.

Williams and Tollett gives an easy no-geek speak illustrated step by step on how to create your podcast in GarageBand and then incorporate it into your blog page in iWeb. Though this book is a mere 158 pages and it was published in 2006, the information is still relevant.

 

 Colombo and Franklin go into a little more depth. Section IV, Day to Day Issues You'll Face as Podcaster, Chapter 13 deals with Generating Income with your Podcast. In this chapter you will find the Four Basic Revenue Models; The Associate/Affiliate Model, Donations, The Sponsorship Model, and Distribution to Paid Subscribers. 
 
Something that both Podcasting and Blogging with Garage Band and iWeb and Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting address is Bandwidth. With a mobilme subscription for $99 per year you get 20GB of combined email and file storage and 200GB of monthly data transfer.  Colombo and Franklin list  Libsyn, among others,  in their Resources for Podcasters, (p 212).

In GarageBand and iTunes the file format is automatically MP3. If you are using Audicity, as suggested by Colombo and Franklin to create your podcast, you will need an MP3 enocoder like winLame. The Appendices in this book are worth the price alone. Here you will find a list for each: Audio Software for Podcasters, Pod-catching (Aggregator) Software, Audio Equipment Manufacturers, Podcasting Directories, Online Resources for Podcasters, The Podcasting Community Online, and Web Hosting and RSS Feed Software and Services.

Yeah, but you said you were going to tell us how to build a Video Podcast. And so I will.

With a Mac all I need is a digital camera, iMovie and space on my iDisk. According to Williams and Tollett "A video podcast is basically a standard audio podcast with video added" (p 152). I create the video in iMovie and then send it to GarageBand. Colombo and Franklin suggest "Wrapping Your Podcast in a Good Website" (p194). Photos, slide-shows, and an accompanying video clip that you have uploaded to either youtube or Vimeo makes the visit more inviting.

OK, I'm off to create my first Video Podcast. I'll have it here for you in Part 3 of the Series: Building a Video Podcast.

Some Helpful Sites I Found

Public Domain Music 

How To Create a Podcast With Mixcraft 3

How to Podcast

My Podcasting Pipeline

Girls Gone Wild

That's what most people think of when they hear Spring Break. But at this time in my life I would much rather settle for a Lady's Life of Leisure. Seems that other plans await me though. Spring Break entails planning the garden, having the air conditioning serviced, and preparing the house for the long hot shut in days of Summer.

I was curious about the origins of Spring Break and found a site or two of interest.  It seems this tradition, originally associated with Easter, was seen by out predecessors as a time for renewal. Trips to the beach for some; healing, restorative springs and spas for others.

 Photo courtesy of Dennis Wong under Creative Commons License

Ahhh; spa time! Now I'm not one to go somewhere and have people touching all over me, (I don't know, call me pedestrian),  'spa' is  more a rejuvenation of the mind and spirit; something to make my soul sing. I can read a book that's not a text, catch a show, or movie, go for a hike, and listen to lots of music.

What does this have to do with Andragogy? Everything, really. With age comes experience. At this point in our lives we have learned that if we don't take care of ourselves, replenish and recharge, then we are no good for ourselves, our loved ones, or our studies.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go do something you love! See ya in a week or so.

*Just to let you know - I will have the rest of "Building a Video Podcast" posted here in a few days.