One of the statistical analysis programs I was able to discover and experiment with was data plot. I believe data plot can be very useful and applicable for a measurement and evaluation project I am currently working on. It offers presentation graphics, raw graphics, multivariate, probability conclusions and more. This type of information is a longer and harder process when the proper tools can not be utilized. It also possesses functions such as mean, standard deviation and it also displays graphs in histograms and frequency polygons. What I found to be the coolest feature in the data plot software was the ability to have 3-D visual displays. These visual 3-D visual displays I think could be very valuable for an architect or a person who works with the city landscaping/design. The picture above is just one example of what data plot is capable of.
Pros
1. It allows people to look for job opportunities within their field and also allows people to search for jobs close in their area of residence.
2. Professional profile pages help articulate the type of person and work quality a person possesses. If the page displays poor work quality it is probable the person as well displays possess poor quality in their work.
3. Using the internet to display professional networking or viewing sites allows instantaneous feedback. With the social media being as big as it is it is almost necessary to have your professional information online to be seen.
Cons
1. A page can sometimes tell too much about a person and therefore hinder them from becoming a possible candidate for a position.
2. Some people may not know how to operate a professional networking site and therefore it becomes time consuming for someone who may not know how to navigate the social networking community.
3. One major issue with professional profile pages is expose of ones privacy or private business. When a name is published on the internet it remains vulnerable for others to possibly take advantage. Most of the time a site will contain a name, phone number, email and other personal information. This private information that gets posted makes a person vulnerable to the world.
There are many strategies to networking. I think one of the first things a person needs to assess when deciding to network is to find sites that you personally can utilize. If Facebook is how someone wants to market themselves then focus on utilizing Facebook. Don't try to use sites that are unfamiliar and foreign to you. Once you have found how to market yourself online you then want to make yourself stand out from other people within these social networking sites. Find ways to show that you have the best to offer whatever company you may be targeting. Some other strategies of networking that are more than just online media based are actually attending networking events and getting to know people. Making those personal face to face connections with people is crucial in networking strategies. Our realm of social networking can be multiplied with the number of contacts made with other people. Social networking can encompass online activities as well as face to face interactions.
Wikis are a web based encyclepedia where experts and comments can be made to the page. I feel wikis can be very useful in education. I think wikis are great for gathering information and finding answers to questions in a rapid manner. However, the only aspect of wikis I find questionable is the validity of the content. I would never quote wikis in a scholarly paper or article. It is a great way to formulate ideas and creatively come up with topics of interest. I also believe it is a great way to formulate collaborative learning. Wikis can be used as a type of learning tool that can be very valuable in education. I found in reading about wikis that, "Instructors and graduate students can make changes as needed to documents, without having to go though channels to update course materials". I believe this would be a great tool to utilize and it could be faster and more convenient to use.
When examining the social media sites of LinkedIn and Facebook I found there are many similarities within the sites but they both also have many differences. I found that LinkedIn is more geared for a more professional audience where Facebook in my opinion is more for personal uses rather than professional. I really think both sites are great just one is more for personal uses. I think LinkedIn is a great way to spread news about a person who is searching for a job. LinkedIn allows a person to post resumes and past work experience and gives an opportunity to show off the type of professional they are. Facebook is great for personal connections to people. What I believe is a downfall for Facebook in the professional world is that it sometimes can express too much personal information.
Fitness Buddy-
The fitness buddy app I feel could be very useful for students to keep a log of their exercise and fitness progress. The fitness buddy app has different workouts available and many exercises to work the different muscles in the body. There is also a calendar aspect to this app, which allows the individual to keep track of what exercises are being done on what specific day. This app is also able to track an individual’s fitness progress. One of the best aspects this app has to offer is that it is free of charge. I feel being able to track fitness and exercise will help students and individuals be able to see improvement and even be motivated to continue with their fitness programs.
The list of 100 tools for learning at first glance is a little overwhelming. There were numerous tools I had never heard of or recognized and there were also many tools that surprised me. I was very surprised to see that Twitter was listed number one on the top tools for learning. I would have guessed that Facebook, Moodle, Blackboard or even YouTube would have been the top tool for learning rather than Twitter. However, I do think Twitter is a valuable learning tool I was just surprised to see it as number one. I was also surprised to see that Google Translate was a new tool for learning. I have been using Google Translate for the past few years to learn a new language. I didn’t realize that it was a new learning tool. Another one that was also surprised to me was Pinterest as a new learning tool. I didn’t realize that it was a new learning tool either. I do feel Pinterst is vital for learning. It shares new and creative ideas for others to view and implement. It amazes me how many tools are used for learning. I really enjoyed seeing the new and old learning tools and how they have grown expediently in the last few years.
There are many tools that have been explored and that are being used in education. One of the many tools that is being utilized more is Facebook. Facebook has become a worldwide phenomenon and is even being used in education. In the article, “How the internet is revolutionizing education”, they discuss that even Bill Gates has donated 2 million dollars toward developing the Facebook app to help students stay in school. Facebook has become more than just a site for social media but also for education. In previous reading material I have learned that it is still not preferred over Moodle or Blackboard but it is catching up fast. I know from personal experience that teachers are even using Facebook. Some teachers are not only fiends with their students but have group pages to discuss classroom topics and get information to their students fast. Using Facebook to get important notices to their students are often times faster than emailing them.
The other article, “The Best Web 2.0 Applications for Education in 2012” discussed the many different types of applications that were utilized in 2012. All the sites must be accessible in English, free of charge, for classroom use, and browser based that doesn’t require a download. I found many applications to be familiar but many were unfamiliar to me and I had never heard of them. For example, one site I had never heard of is Zoho. Zoho is a site that “drags-and-drops” to create a pleasant looking and inventive website. It allows anyone to build a professional website in minutes without needing to know HTML or CSS. After reading more about the site I was able to learn that Zoho going to be going up to its biggest competitor Google. I think the site is going to be very useful but I still don’t know if their site will ever be able to compete with a name like Google.
