DONE!

Woo hoo, this was my last task to complete at Foothill College and I am now officially done with FHC! One last time, since all my EC tasks pushed it down...here is the link to my eportfolio:

alockettcarter.googlepages.com

Good luck to everyone on their finals or continued years here or whatever it is that you aspire to do!! Adios.

Amanda

Extra Credit Task #2

Proposition: The house believes that social networking technologies will bring large [positive] changes to educational methods, in and out of the classroom.

I really felt that both sides of this debate made excellent points. McIntosh's opening statement said exactly what I feel is true, and would tie in well with the debate over whether or not technology has made a difference in the classroom. His class would be an excellent example of where it has. He also does a good job at presenting the "tech" aspect of it all as something more than cyborgs and data chips, which is something that many people are scared of.
I tend to agree with McIntosh's view on things, I do believe that online, interactive learning can improve the way we learn. I do feel though, that it needs to be tempered by some of the issues that were brought up by the opposition. The "online" aspect of things like Facebook and Myspace can be scary, and worrying about the way they shove personal information onto the internet is a valid point. I personally also worry about the loss of human interaction in all of these advancements. Even though I don't feel the goal is to turn us into data chips, I do believe the REAL classroom is important, more-so than the online one. Online technology can certainly complement our educational system and improve upon aspects where it's lasting, but I do not feel that it should replace it by any means.
Both sides presented excellent points although I do feel McIntosh did the better job in presenting himself clearly. The opposition sounded a bit too "doomsday" at times, the whole "computers will take over the world" demeanor came across more than once which is detrimental to their argument.
I look forward to seeing where technology takes us in the educational world as I continue my college career at UCSD. The advancements in availability of scientific articles and journals online is indisputable and I am excited to see what other benefits we can reap from the "techies" of the education.

Extra Credit Task #3

So I actually have to agree with Sir John on this one because I don't believe that the technological aspect of education has completely changed the field of learning. I do however, agree with Kozma when he says that it has the ability too. I believe we have seen numerous examples of how it can change education in our class this year. But to bring the argument down to it's base question: the answer in my opinion is no. However, technology is beginning to open doorways in the educational world that weren't there before.

I do strongly agree with the idea that it is the teacher that must be educated as to what technology can do for the classroom. Until my English classes with you, Dr. Lankford, I never had any technological aspects to any of classes other than Etudes. But our ePortfolios and readings on alternate "educational worlds" have expanded my horizons. I would not have learned of these if I hadn't taken classes with a professor that was interested in them though, and that I believe is an important point for people like Kozma to take note of.

What I think both parties need to agree on though is the need to educate more people, students and teachers, about the benefits that the technological world can give. I know that I for one was dreading making an ePortfolio purely because of the tech aspect to it. I would happily create a 20 page paper portfolio without breaking a sweat, but do it online?! *GASP* However I was pleasantly surprised to find that the entire process was relatively pain free. The most difficult thing was embedding videos into googlepages.com but I solved that problem but embedding the videos into blogger.com (Thank you IAN!) and making a link! So all in all, the task was fun for me and less difficult then I expected. My initial apprehensions though are shared by many students and teachers and it is these issues that must be addressed.

Extra Credit Task #4

I've actually found that English and/or Chemistry tie into all of my classes in some way, shape, or form. This has proven true of all of my classes at Foothill, from Art to Anthro to Organic Chemistry.
English, as we all know, relates to almost all subjects because the ability to write and analyze work is important across the board. English has played a role in my Biology and science courses when I have to write clear, concise research papers. It has also played a surprising role in my International Relations/Poli Sci class that I took this past quarter. Dr. Heiser assigns an INSANE amount of writing in her class (bless her heart), most of which focuses on taking 12 page papers and condensing them down into a one page maximum summary. I thought this would be easy, think again. As someone who enjoys writing for English purposes, having to edit down every last word is quite a learning experience. However, by the end of the quarter I was a pro, and my Poli Sci class improved my writing abilities while at the same time, my writing enabled me to earn that A!
Chemistry studies the basic chemical reactions that occur in the world and in our bodies so that we are able to live and exist. Because of this, I've found that Chemistry not only relates to numerous different subjects, but it is often a foundation for them as well. Chemistry is the basis of biology because the systems that we study are all made up of chemical reactions and combinations. Geology and oceanography all stem from chemical reactions as well. Chemistry even relates to Physics because it makes up the structure of anything a physicist studies.
Perhaps the most difficult class to relate to is math, which I'm sure most of us would agree with. But being the nerd that I am, I find that the most interesting relationship that Math has is with Biology, or more specifically, nature. Mathematical formulas and numbers are mirrored in nature everywhere. The mathematical aspect of nature is part of what makes it so incredibly complex.
The main lesson that I have learned through all of my classes and their relationships to one another is that each class does serve a purpose. We often complain that we will "never use this in the real world" but we do use it in college, and past college as well. Just because my major isn't going to focus on Poli Sci doesn't mean that I won't use the summarization skills that I learned in class in reviewing research papers for Marine Biology. All classes and lessons relate to one another, it's just up to us to figure out how to use them for our benefit.

Extra Credit Task #5

So I actually didn't know that much about the copyright issues excluding what I know to create a Works Cited for a paper. These were very enlightening readings and although I don't personally use YouTube (although I did for my ePortfolio!!) I can see how enforcing more limitations would restrict the ease of information on the internet. Google's argument and that of the editors is one that I agree with, I believe that the use of information should be free. I understand when it comes to things like CDs and DVDs because the profits of those are based off of sales, but for something like an image of DNA that a teacher wants to place on an overhead...that should be an option!! As should the ability to use videos found on YouTube to demonstrate points in class. In English 48A we looked at numerous YouTube links showing old plays of the works that we were reading. They helped in the learning process greatly and to think that something like that could be made illegal seems a shame. Anything that furthers the learning process should be acceptable as long as certain precautions are taken. I don't believe that YouTube should have to follow even more regulations, they already take down enough videos when Copyright owners complain. The ability to actually USE the information that we find on the internet is important and one that we should fight for. I read a few more sites after googling "YouTube copyright" and found that most of the issues do seem to be with broadcasting networks anger at their shows being posted online. This is ridiculous, you can almost never find complete clips of a show. Viewers still watch the show on TV, most of the time the YouTube clips are only used to post funny videos on Myspace or Facebook. It doesn't seem as though they are losing any money because of YouTube which is (I'm assuming) their main concern?

ePortfolio Link

http://alockettcarter.googlepages.com

Extra Credit Task #1

I have to admit that I believe that the average Honors student at Foothill College most likely became involved in the program because of the TAP that it offers with UCLA.  However, I do not feel that this is what students leave the program with.  No matter what the reason for becoming involved within the Honors Institute at Foothill, the classes that you take and the requirements that you must meet leave a lasting impact that goes above and beyond the call of duty for the UCLA TAP.  I honestly feel that institutions like UCLA and UCSD benefit from receiving students from Foothill's HI.  The classes promote participation in a way that normal classes do not.  They also tend to require more critical thinking and dedication on the part of the student, a lesson that is incredibly valuable as we move on to our respective Universities.  Obviously the mission of the HI is not to get its students into UCLA, instead I believe that it is to better prepare students who wish to have the challenge of Honors level courses for their work at universities.  UCLA or not UCLA, students do not sign up for the program unless they are interested in completing Honors level work and are prepared to meet the time and energy requirements that come along with the HI.  Because of the lessons that students learn while in the HI and the classes that they are able to partake in, I believe that the HI actually achieves its goal with most of the students involved.  We've all made friends in HI classes, learned lessons from teachers that are willing to ask a little more from us and expect a higher level of work.  All in all, regardless of what school we transfer, completing the HI at Foothill is definitely an achievement to be proud of as well as one that will serve us well through the rest of our academic careers.

Week 9 - Task 1

One of the most important decisions that must be made during life is that of choosing a career.  For any people, salary is a key deciding factor when deciding what their profession and focus will be.  But the people who are often happiest with their jobs are the ones that truly love what they do.  Going to work each day isn't something that they dread doing, rather it is something that they look forward to and enjoy.  Some people are never lucky enough to discover what this profession would be for them, instead they slave a way in cubicles counting down the seconds from 9am until 5pm when they get to go him.  I however, feel incredibly fortunate to have found a career and major that I truly love, Marine Biology.  

Although it took me until my freshman year of college to discover that Marine Science was my true passion, the formation of my love for the subject began when I was just a baby.  From the beginning of having my crib attached to my family's sailboat when I was a baby all the way to my transfer to UCSD in Fall and my work at the Marine Mammal Rescue Center, my love for the ocean and it's inhabitants is a long standing theme throughout my life.  I intend to explore where my passion has led me by examining the process of how I reached the level that I am at today.  By reviewing the formation of my love for Marine Biology, I have been better able to appreciate how far I have come and how far I will go.  I have been blessed to discover a field for which I have so much passion, and I look forward to sparking a similar reaction in others.  

So the first two Honors Program videos that I watched were the Columbia College one and the JMU Myth-Busters approach.  I actually expected to like JMU's more simply because it sounded funny (I love Myth-Busters) and I thought that the approach would be more student oriented.  However,  after watching the two, I was surprised to find that I actually far preferred the Columbia College approach.  It was better organized and well laid out.  It also did an excellent job at showing how the Honors program can benefit you as a student and removing any fear that it would be an excess amount of work.  The JMU project was really corny, which as  student, is more of a turn-off then an attraction.  The 30 second SJSU informercial was good for a quick intro into the program.  This would be a good thing to play during a movie at a school or something where students would at least see it so that they would be aware of the Honors Program.  I also really liked the Slippery Rock University informercial.  By using interviews with the students they kept it short and sweet but also well-organized.  They managed to provide a lot of information about the program, while also showing the aspects that students really appreciate.  Looking at these infomercials, I felt that a good approach for the Foothill Honors Program would be a combination of the student interview and documentary approach.  Both students and teachers could be interviewed, I definitely feel that the teachers in the Honors Program would be a good asset to use for the informercial.  Also, the students within our honors program could give their own experiences, using people who enjoy the Honors classes and participation, the TAP with UCLA (it has to be in there), the benefits that come with the Honors Scholar status, etc, etc.  Then also interviewing teachers so that their view of the Honors program was put forth as well.  Teresa could also be interviewed to give an idea of what the requirements are and how they fit in well with a students class schedule (hopefully).  

Week 8 - Task 1

So I'm not sure if this is what I am going to stick with or not, but coming up with an idea for this portfolio is REALLY hard.  I don't have papers to link this too or anything...so I'm pretty much drawing a complete blank (I may do the Infomercial, who knows).  However, just running with it:  My initial idea would (surprise) be Marine Biology.  Maybe even my journey of becoming a Marine Bio major, the catalysts that pushed me towards, the final decision, etc.  I'll probably base this off another blog, since I am more familiar with Blogger, etc.  My evidence would start with my summers in Maine as a child where I developed such a love for the sea, I even have poems that I wrote for class assignments about my summers there and how much I loved being out on the water, the peace that I found.  Some of those poems would be perfect evidence.  I also have a lot of photos from those days, continuing all the way through my life.  Then I would use my sophomore research trip to the Bahamas, where I worked on Andros Island as my next piece.  This is when my love of scientific research involving the ocean really began.  Up until then I had spent most of my childhood in the lab with my mom,  but those experiments were spooling DNA from onions, strawberries, kiwis, etc.  Andros and my work there was one of the defining moments in my high school life.  I have photos from there, along with a journal that I could scan and link into my ePortfolio.  Next would be Caryn Owen's Marine Bio class at Foothill, this class is what made me change my major to Marine Biology and stick with it.  Then working at the Marine Mammal Center in Marine.  And now, after A LOT of hard work, I'll be attending UCSD and working at Scripps Institute of Oceanography to get my minor in Marine Science in the Fall.  Definitely quite a journey!  My video or audio enhancement is one that I'm not sure about, but I thought that me reading from my journal might work?  Not sure there...As far as evaluators go, my boyfriend would be one good possibility.  As a Bio major, and someone who has been by my side for a long time, he knows the amount of work and dedication I have put into achieving my goals.  For the professional evaluator, Caryn would be one option if she has time, if not my mother is a scientist so she could evaluate it as well.  The self-evaluation and reflection in this would really occur through me doing the ePortfolio.  Looking back on things, it seems as though this is what I was meant to do all along.  Also, sometimes it's easy to feel defeated and tired because of all the work we put on our shoulders as students, but looking back and seeing just how much we have achieved helps with the process and makes me feel proud of what I have overcome.  For Week 9, I think gathering all the evidence together and laying it on in the proper format would be best, along with starting my new blog site for the ePortfolio.  In Week 10, the inital compilation stage could take place.  Scanning in evidence, creating the links, putting everything into the ePortfolio, making the audio part of it.  Then in Week 11 I could solidify everything, do any retouching that I need to and have someone look over it to tell me what they think.  Then, in Week 12, it's due!! And no procrastination!

Week 7 - Re-Assessing the Honors Institute

So my experience within the Honors Institute has been a good one, I've enjoyed the classes that I've taken in order to fulfill my requirements, even when they weren't applicable to my major.  I do feel however that an expansion on the classes available would be an excellent change that could be offered.  As a high unit Bio major, fitting in 6 classes that were not related to my requirements for schools was difficult and a bit trying at times.  For example, this quarter I had to pass on Chem 1B simply because the Honors class times are so limited that the schedules constantly conflict with one another.  By offering a greater variety of classes with a wider range of times, the Honors Institute might be able to combat these problems.  I do feel that the seminar requirements are actually really beneficial.  Although taking 1 unit classes may seem like a pain, I have really felt that the opportunity to "dabble" in other fields is great.  Perhaps creating even more Seminars would further expand this opportunity.  For example:  I feel that the lack of any Bio seminars is a shame.  Many Language/Arts majors don't have to take a Bio course for their requirements, and I definitely feel that the addition of a seminar within the field would be a great resource for these majors.  Obviously they won't want to take a 6 unit lab class, but a 1 unit introduction seminar into the field might be something that other majors would be willing to take.  However, on the downside of the seminars, it is difficult having a work load more applicable to a 4 or 5 unit class for a 1 unit one.  The physics seminar is more demanding than a calculus or physics course! And it's one unit! Ridiculous! The institute should impose a few more guidelines to prevent that from becoming an issue.  I immediately dropped from that course even though I wanted to take it simply because I didn't have the time to dedicate so much work to a 1 unit class.  Overall though, I feel that they Honors Institute serves it's purpose well.  In all honesty, most students use it as their "in" to UCLA, I certainly did.  But the experience along the way has definitely been worth it, I've taken courses that I never would have bothered with if I'd stuck to fulfilling my major requirements only.

Week 7 - Steve Jobs

So I absolutely loved this speech, I even copied it and sent it to my mom and boyfriend so they could read it as well.  Talk about inspirational for a college student, even one who isn't graduating.  I personally related to this a lot.  His words "you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life" are so applicable to life as a college student.  For me personally, it helped with a decision that I just made, saying no to UCLA and yes to UCSD.  This was hard!!! UCLA has the name, but I'm a Marine Bio major and therefore UCSD is a better school, plus I know that I will be happier there.  But there is still that question of having made the right decision, did I?  Who knows, but reading his words about trusting your gut and connecting the dots backwards makes me feel better about the decision that I made.  Even his words about loving the work that you choose is something that I found inspirational.  As a Bio major, money obviously is not a big part of the picture, so loving your work is essential.  Now I personally LOVE my major and everything about it.  The idea of spending the next 40+ years of my life doing research and studying marine life totally floats my boat.  Reading this speech made me realize how lucky I am to feel that way.  Sure, I won't be raking in millions of dollars, but I can honestly say that I don't think I'm going to dread going to work the way so many people do.  That in itself is far more important than the amount of zeros on your paycheck.  For someone who has gone through so much, Jobs has maintained a remarkably positive attitude about everything, something that I think is really impressive.  Although I don't want to drop out of school and take a calligraphy class now, I think that the lessons that can be learned through his actions are still important.  When I started college my mom told me to make sure to take one class a quarter that I wanted to take.  She said that this would help keep me going, even when other classes seemed overwhelming.  She was right, following this idea has kept me from throwing up my hands and quitting many times.  Jobs proposes a similar idea when he talks about calligraphy class and the value of dropping in on courses that he found interesting.  Marine Bio was one of my "enjoyable" classes, and look where that took me.

Week 6 - Task 4

So I think that perfectionism would have to be my other big "learning weakness" other than procrastination.  Now I know that to most people (ie: non-perfectionists) this may seem like a ridiculous problem.  After all, who is going to complain about the need to get things done "perfectly?"  But oh, how little do they know.  Perfectionism can actual cause such a huge amount of anxiety and stress over doing something "perfectly" that it becomes almost impossible to do it at all.  I can stress myself out to the point of completely frying my brain trying to make something exactly "perfect" according to someone else's (normally a teacher's) expectations.  I particularly manage to do this to myself when confronted with an essay that has lots of "guidelines" and specific requirements.  For example: If you asked me to write a 15 page paper on procrastination I could do it.  No problem, no stress, great paper, congratulations Amanda.  However, if you ask me to write said 15 page paper with exactly 10 sources, each dedicated to one specific topic sentence and focusing on a comparing and contrasting the different elements that go into "procrastination," my stress level doubles.  Because all of a sudden there are all these expectations that I feel the need to meet perfectly.  As a result, I write 6 pages and don't like any of it because I feel that my topic sentences aren't "well-definited" (even when they are) or that my sources aren't supporting enough (even when they are), and then I get so worked up about it all that I won't to throw up my hands and cry because I will NEVER live up to my own expectations, even when I far exceed those of everyone else.  So welcome to a perfectionist's world, although you may think of it as more of a blessing it can most definitely be a curse.  

As far as overcoming my "perfectionism," I think I mostly just have to learn to live with it and bend it a bit.  Learning to accept that an A rather than an A+ is necessary.  Also, I definitely have to take steps towards becoming O.K. with not having something "perfect" the first time around.  Even if that means writing my paper, having my teacher tell me what I did wrong, and then going and re-writing it for a better grade.  Now to be honest, that grates on me like NOTHING else, but sometimes it's simply needed.  Also, I've learned to embrace the parts of my life where my perfectionism is a good thing.  For example, I am the most dedicated friend, girlfriend, cook, athlete, bookworm, biologist, therapist, whatever...you could possibly desire.  Simply because I constantly strive to better myself and achieve that perfection in my eyes and in others.  So perfectionism, just like procrastination, has it's ups and downs, pros and cons.  The trick is learning to enjoy the pros and accept the cons while learning how to work better and more efficiently all around.  Because the honest truth is that I will always be a procrastinating perfectionist, which is definitely one of the worst combinations ever.  I just have to learn how to work with it.

Week 6 - Task 3

So I have to start out with saying that considering "real work" as what will end up in your obituary almost completely rules out all undergraduate college work and lower division classes.  So, that mind set may not be the best!  

The main focus of this work seemed to be focusing on things that you enjoy rather than making To Do lists that you simply must get done.  The problem with this for me personally is that I'm a college student.  95% of the things that I need to get are most definitely NOT things that I want to do or even have any interest in doing.  However, he did make a point about the fact that we often make ourselves to busy to do work by filling the day with errands rather than getting a big "To Do" project done.  This is definitely something that I can relate to, I do always seem to have a million things to do, but I definitely pick and choose when I decide to stress about them.  For example, if I have a paper due in two days, I'll manage to spend every moment of those two days running errands, cleaning the house, and getting things done to keep myself from having any time to write the actual paper.  Having all these other things to do makes putting off the paper far easier.  The Type A, B, and C procrastinators were interesting as well.  I'm sort of a combination of all three depending on how I'm feeling or the mood that I'm in.  If I am just plain exhausted I'll tend to be Type A and just completely ignore what I have to get done and take a nap instead.  My "errand" tendencies could fall into Type B, which normally occurs when I have plenty of energy but absolutely no attention span for homework at the time.  And Type C normally occurs when I have stuff to do that I am actually interested in, so I work on that instead of the more pressing assignments that I don't find interesting.  So all in all I felt that this paper was certainly informative, but it had less ideas as to how to overcome the procrastination problem in comparison to the others.  Granted, the author mentions this himself, but then he also goes on to say that he has learned lots of "tricks" over the years to help with procrastination.  So I guess I would have preferred that he include some of those.  

Week 6 - Task 2

So this article was hilarious to read, particularly one section of it, "Active participation in anything tends to give you a positive attitude toward that activity; inactivity helps acquire an unfavorable attitude. In other words, the reason you dislike calculus is because it's hanging over your head, worrying you. Since you haven't acquires skills in it, you can't do the assignments, so why try? Also, there's a test coming up soon, and you MUST do well on it -- except you know you can't." This is a remarkably accurate summary of my life at the moment. I haven't managed to catch up on my calculus homework since being sick, therefore I don't want to do it since I don't know how to, and not only that, but I had a quiz today and felt completely defeated even trying to study for it because I hadn't finished the homework on the basics that the quiz took into account. This article was also excellent at describing my own personal tendencies towards procrastination. 1. I am a perfectionist, to the extreme. If I feel like I'm not doing something perfectly, I tend to become so frustrated with myself that I will just walk away and ignore it so that "it goes away" leaving me with a horrible deadline. 2. Even when I procrastinate, I tend to get A's, so there's that reinforcement that they talked about. I totally justify leaving papers till the last minute because I know I'm good at writing, and I always get an A, last minute or not. Therefore, it's easy to say "Oh, just relax. The paper will be a breeze anyways." 3. I am HORRIBLE about coming home, knowing I should start on homework, but deciding to relax for "a while" which always becomes the entire evening. 4. I also always know what I need to be doing, it's not that I have an issue with time management or like I don't know what I should be doing and when. It's simply that I have an insanely difficult time motivating myself to do things that I don't want to do. (For example, I'm avoiding writing an english essay by doing this homework because I'd rather do this than that, ta dah!)

So after reading through the paper I found one suggestion that I think will be a great help to me, and that is the "Five Minute Plan."  "Work on something for just five minutes. At the end of five minutes, switch to something else if you want. Chances are, you'll get involved enough to keep going."  This is sooooooo part of my issue! I avoid assignments largely due to the fact that I simply don't want to sit down and work on them for the next few hours.  As a result, motivating myself to start it is IMPOSSIBLE.  This plan seems perfect! Because normally if I at least start on something, I end up completing it because I get wrapped up in the subject and don't want to lose my train of thought.  However, using a 5 minute rule means that at least if after 5 minutes (or maybe 10) I'm completely over the work, I can let it go.  This does require that I use the rule way ahead of the deadline, however, that's fine.  If I have a week to complete something and use the 5 minute rule once without following things to completion, it's no big deal.  I can use it the next day and maybe even the next so that I'll still end up completing the work on time!  BRILLIANT idea, and one that I'm actually applying to writing my english essay this evening!

Week 4 - Task 2

So I started off by watching the film "What is Digital Storytelling?" because I thought this would be a good starting point.  The only problem was that I could barely hear her! I had all the volume up on my comp and on the video but her voice was quieted down and the music covered a lot of it.  However, from what I heard, the use of digital storytelling with younger students seems promising.  Her point that it will help students who would benefit from different forms of learning was one that I completely agree with.  Although I personally learn really well from reading, there are some people who need to have a hands-on experience to really learn the material and fully comprehend it.  This would also create a great basis in learning for students at a young age.  To create opportunities where they would be able to create their own story using their own voice could possibly increase their interest in the entire learning experience by making it more fun.  After all, designing and creating their own "digital story" and then being able to hear their own voice narrating it would be so exciting!  I definitely felt that this was a good idea, as long as the technological aspects of it wouldn't be too time consuming or difficult for the students and faculty involved.

My personal interest was better reflected in the "documentary" and "record of experience" discussions.  I actually brought up an idea similar to this when I was talking about the benefits of having voice recordings on an ePortfolio in one of the first assignments.  I was talking about using voice and video recordings to make research more personal, allowing it to reach out to more people and keep them interested better than plain research papers.  Using a "digital story" to document research and explain it to people in layman's terms and scientific terms as well would be beneficial for any case study or project.  As far as my ePortfolio project in class, this would definitely allow for even more creativity.  The only issue here is that I have no idea how to upload videos and the like onto the web and embed them into an ePortfolio.  Also, would you need a video camera? Because all I have is the video feature on my camera.  So these were my main concerns with the digital storytelling aspect.  

Week 4 - Task 1

So this I definitely thought that the Google Apps were pretty incredible! I definitely felt that the most impressive aspect of this is the "free" part.  A school, teacher, or division being able to set one of these up for free seems beneficial to the entire process.  This eliminates the need for paying for an individual server, etc.  It also seems that having the clear organization and affordability of the ePortfolio sphere would mean that more people would become involved.  After all, if it's easy enough, why not?  This would then allow for the expansion of the use of ePortfolios, along with creating the potential for more businesses to include them in their interviewing processes.  Also, having all of the ePortfolios grouped together means easier access and organization for the teacher and the students as well.  I also thought that the Google Docs online powerpoint presentation option was a good tool.  To be able to present a powerpoint online would be a valuable, it made me think of the Second Life options.  Just a bit less technological, and perhaps a bit more doable for the average Joe?  Using Blogger is certainly simple enough, so it seems like a good idea to continue with having all the applications be as simple and easy to use.  Although Second Life may certainly be a creation of the future, the Google set-up seems like one perfectly suited for the present.  

However, the one thing that I was curious about was the privacy aspect of having all of this associated with google.  I understand that using Blogger is one thing, but reading about having all of your pictures and videos stored online and associated with an ePortfolio makes me a bit nervous.  I was just curious about exactly how private all of the links would be? For example, would people "googling" be able to access your personal videos and photos?  Those were my main concerns about the entire set up.  Other than the privacy issues, the entire Google ePortfolio "sphere" seems like a great idea and a far more affordable option for both universities, teachers, and students alike.

Week 6 "Structured Procrastination"

I loved this article, I thought it was absolutely hilarious and a completely intriguing fact.  Also, this is an idea that would totally work for some people I know.  My only personal problem with this idea is that I actually do something of the sort, but I always manage to avoid the school things on the list.  For example: If I need to go to the DMV and renew my license, get dog food, go for a run, write a paper for a class, and read a book for the class, I will do absolutely everything but write the paper.  Even if it is the only thing that is due the next day.  As a result, I get a lot of important things done, but then I'm still up to 3am writing the paper (which I'm actually doing right now).  This article does propose some unique ideas though.  It definitely is possible to trick yourself into completing more tasks than you planned on.  My issue with procrastination is usually just getting myself to start whatever it is that I have to get done.  Once I get started on it I'll will complete it all in one sitting, but actually making myself sit done and get it done is the hardest thing for me to do.  Plus, I'm horrible at breaking big tasks up into little parts.  I absolutely HATE doing that, I would always prefer to sit down and pound out whatever it is in 5 hours then break it up in to seperate 1 hour components.  I definitely enjoyed this article though, and maybe I'll try it out for myself!! I'm really excited though to read the next few articles about procrastination to see if there is an idea better suited to my own, unique form of procrastination.  =)

Extra Credit - Second Life

So I thought this was pretty incredible.  I Wiki'ed "Second Life" before watching the YouTube video and found the entire concept pretty insane.  The fact that they have their own currency called "lindens" that is actually exchangeable for the dollar is crazy.  So I have to admit that reading the Wiki version of Second Life made me not like it a bit.  I have to admit, I'm someone who thinks that the virtual world is replacing human interactions too much.  I feel that sometimes you should pick up the phone and call someone instead of leaving them a Facebook or Myspace comment.  The idea of an entire virtual world almost completely cuts out all interaction.

However, watching the Ohio University's YouTube video was interesting.  The concept of having such an in-depth learning experience available online is extremely interesting.  It would definitely allow for students who don't have the ability to commute to school to have a more interesting experience than your generic online class.  But I do have to admit that I really value my in class time.   I don't particularly like the idea of online worlds taking over a classroom experience.  I think that the human interaction and simple act of verbal, in person debate is extremely valuable in an individual's learning process.  I'm planning on attending the presentation at the KCI center tomorrow so I will be able to learn a bit more as to the specifics of the Second Life program, however at this point in time I definitely feel that it has it's pros and cons.  I do think I'm a bit old-fashioned though, I don't even like having books replaced by online texts (although it does save trees) just because I absolutely love having me books to read.  Which is probably why I have 5 books shelves...

The video show an absolutely incredible world of technology.  I liked the idea of the 1 hour learning modules.  This is definitely an idea that appeals to me more than actually replacing a class with an online one.  I think that using those modules in conjunction with a class would be an awesome idea.  Also, having those available to students would allow for exploration into new fields that they may be interested in.  I know that if I could look up a catalog of 1 hour modules on different subjects I would definitely take the time to listen to a huge number of them in a vast array of subjects.  

I definitely think that Second Life is a valuable idea and I am interested to see how the implementation of it at Ohio University will go.  I would love to see statistics as to the number of students who use it, and those who find it useful or not.  

Journey Week 5

Thinking about parts of my life that could qualify as a "journey" brings up a lot of different ideas.  My schooling, research that I have done, moving to and from DC, family journeys, etc.  However, I decided to choose one that I feel I have grown tremendously from in the past 9 months, and that is the journey of living on my own for the first time.  Although this may not seem like a huge deal, it has been a HUGE thing for me to overcome and get used too.  Both my mother, my boyfriend, and three of my best friends moved at the beginning of this school year.  I was left alone, in my house with my four dogs for company.  Now, apart from the simple difficulty of having my mother 3000 miles away from me in DC and my boyfriend 400 miles away in San Diego, living alone is an experience all in itself.  So I feel that this relates well to a journey in which I have had to overcome many obstacles, or "ogres" if you prefer.  Initially, the devastation of having the two people who I loved most move away from me was huge.  You get used to always having somewhere there or at least a phone call and five minute drive away.  All of a sudden, my mother was no where near me and the three hour time difference made sad late night phone calls an impossibility.  Then on top of this, as anyone who has been in a long-distance relationship knows, having your boyfriend/girlfriend move far away to college with his two best friends as their room mates is hardly the most comforting situation in the world.  I had to overcome feelings of worry and possible jealousy, knowing that he was going out to bars without me and meeting new people at school.  But most of all, I had to overcome the huge obstacle of feeling completely alone.  Coming home to an empty house, going to sleep in an empty house, waking up in one...It's hard, especially if you've never done it before.  But I overcame obstacles like this by throwing myself into school, into working out, into playing with my dogs and enjoying the time with them.  I started hiking everyday with my puppy Benjamin and making weekend beach trips to go run with him a requirement.  I found that staying active, especially with the company of my dog, made me happier.  Those endorphins do work!!  I also found a new friend, my boyfriend's friend's wife, Valerie.  She is now probably my best friend, second only to my boyfriend.  She and I forged a fast friendship during these past 9 months as she helped me through everything.  We became workout buddies, shopping buddies, beach buddies, completely inseparable.  She, along with my puppy, helped pull me through the darkest times, and as a result, I came out with a new found confidence in myself.  The confidence in my ability to be alone, to live by myself.  Along with an actual appreciation of having time to myself, time to throw a leash on my dog and hike for two hours and not worry about anything else.  As a reward, I have an amazing relationship with my boyfriend, our relationship has only strengthened.  I have complete trust in him, as he does in me, and we're even closer as friends as we've helped each other deal with the drastic changes in our lives.  My mother and I improved our relationship too.  I've definitely discovered that having one of us "leave the nest" creates a far more balanced relationship as mother and daughter (ie: a lot less arguing).  So all in all, these obstacles or ogres have simply become learning experiences.  Things that have only made me stronger for all the pain and trouble that they caused.  Although it may not have been an easy journey, it was an important one, and one that isn't over yet.

Week 3, Task 2:

My research as a Marine Biologist and even my work towards my graduate thesis for my PhD would all be applicable for an ePortfolio.  I think that using an ePortfolio to document my work for my graduate thesis and the reflections and evaluations of my work would be extremely beneficial.  The use of video, audio, and graphics would all be extremely useful in documenting scientific research and discoveries.  Since my focus in Marine Biology is on marine mammals, with an emphasis on dolphins and their social behavior and health, using video cameras to document the animals that I would be studying would be useful and possible because of the ePortfolio.  YouTube allows you to post videos and then post them anywhere, most likely in an ePortfolio as well.  The audio aspect of an ePortfolio could be used to document my personal observations.  For example; if I was out surveying a pod of dolphins or diving and observing them, using an audio recorder would allow me to document all of my observations down to a minute detail.  Then, taking those audio recordings and posting them along with my research on an ePortfolio, would create an even more in-depth look at the work that I was doing.  Following along these same thoughts, graphics would also be a great addition to my portfolio.  Graphical evidence is often used to document scientific research and provide hard data as proof, so posting this along with all my research would create even more depth within my research and allow any evaluators to see exactly what I was doing.  Said evaluators obviously being professors or a panel for my doctorate.  The video, audio, and graphics would be the best possible evidence of my learning and research within my ePortfolio.  Evolution of my learning is best summed up by my research itself.  Science is all about creating hypotheses, proving them wrong, learning from it, and adjusting your data and continuing from there.  That in itself is an evolution of learning shown through my own evaluation and adjustment of my research and my continued experimentation.  

Having my ePortfolio online would also give professors and peers the ability to access it and evaluate it for me before I even finished with my thesis and research.  That would allow for receiving their feedback and using it to make potentially vital adjustments to my work and the presentation of my work.  This also relates to showing my excitement about my work for others to see.  Marine Biology is obviously a huge passion of me and my research in itself and the dedication that it would document would be evidence of my excitement and love for my work.  Also, having that portfolio there to look back on would remind me of how much I love what I do whenever the going gets potentially tough.  Also, the ePortfolio would allow for other people, such as civilians or students, to see my research and learn from it themselves.  One of my focuses is on marine health and how we are affecting it, so conservation plays a key role.  Showing my own research in ways like video and audio make the situation far more real to people, and potentially have more of an impact on them.  Having my research inspire one person to watch what they dump down the gutter or pour down the drain would be a huge achievement and just another way to make a difference with my portfolio.

Dr. Lankford - Quick Q: You didn't want video and graphics in this correct?  We were supposed to look at it theoretically?  That's what I got from the assignment at least, let me know if I need to add anything! Thank you.

Week 3, Task 1:

I thought about the answer to this question a bit when reading and writing about the FAQ's that we had to read last week.  The two ideas for ePortfolio use that interested me the most were that of an evaluation tool for high school graduation and as an asset within the application and review process for a job.  Since I've obviously graduated from high school =) I can't really relate that to my future life.  However, using an ePortfolio for job interviews and posting resumes is an idea that I find really interesting and potentially extremely useful.  For companies searching for potential employees online, being able to look at ePortfolios including resumes could make the process far more personalized and give them a better idea of the person whom they are considering hiring.  Now, for me personally, this may or may not apply later in life.  My major is Marine Biology and this is something that I want to go to Grad school for and then continue with research in the field.  However, if I move on from research later on in life this is definitely an area where I could use an ePortfolio.  My research itself, however, could be benefitted by the use of an ePortfolio.  I could use the portfolio to document and track my research along with papers that I write on my research.  The portfolio could then be accessed by other scientists within my field so that they could either use it or continue on with it in their own research.  

As far as for my own personal pleasure, an ePortfolio seems like it would be an interesting creation to make throughout a daughter/son's childhood so that they could look back on your thoughts or their achievements that you collected and documented for them.  Also, for any particular goal that I set for myself at some point in time, a portfolio could be used to document my progress and eventual achievement (hopefully) or said goal.  

ePortfolio Search and Evaluations

The first ePortfolio that I came across was a teachers (I used the google search marine biology ePortfolio).  He seems to be using his portfolio as a teaching and organizational aid for his class.  He has assignments posted on the portfolio and his students respond to his questions in their own replies.  I personally think that it is a really well set up educational plan!  It allows all of the students to see their peers responses, and it allows for very clear organization in regards to exactly what you are supposed to be doing.  I've found that some of the online classes through Etudes can be confusing simply because the requirements are split up and posted in so many different places that it is easy to lose track of them.  The simple, chronological order of his posts and the required responses would make the class easy to follow and you definitely wouldn't have any excuse about not knowing what you were supposed to do!

The second ePortfolio I found was a resume/business ePortfolio from a Marine Biologist.  Unfortunately she hadn't yet completed all of the required information, etc.  But it was a good example as to how an ePortfolio could be used in relation to your job, finding a job, putting out a resume, etc.  Also, I noticed that having all this information available along with your resume, in your own personal fashion, makes you seem more like a person instead of just another sheet of paper listing off another blurb of accomplishments.  It definitely seemed like it could make the interview/hiring process a bit more personal, something that would be beneficial to employees and bosses alike.

Next I chose to put in "dolphin research ePortfolio" simply because my focus in Marine Biology is marine mammals and their interactions with each other, us, and the environment.  The first blog that came up was a researchers blog that was actually all filled out unlike the one that I mentioned above.  It was very well organized and presented with numerous research papers listed.  Each one had a small blurb about what the paper was about and why she wrote it and then contained a hypertext link to view the whole document.  This definitely served to give me a better idea as to how my own ePortfolio should be set up.  

I then put "sailing ePortfolio" into the search engine and found a students ePortfolio from the University in Anchorage, Alaska.  This portfolio wasn't set up all that well.  Her About Me was simply a huge, massive paragraph with tons of information thrown at you.   I thought it could have been a bit better organized.  Also, I'm noticing that a lot of these ePortfolios have a blog link, but very few people are actually writing in them.  It seems that if they are using them to send out a resume, using their blog might be helpful into making them seem like more of a human being to the person reviewing their works.  Just a thought...

Lastly, I put in "fashion ePortfolio" and found a students version of an ePortfolio that she is creating during her time at school to list her accomplishments as they come, and to keep track of her personal and professional record.  This one seemed to be the most similar to what Dr. Barrett's FAQs referred to many portfolios as.  Although, this student still didn't use a blog and/or have one attached.  I guess I just linked ePortfolios with blogs more in my head then I should have been? Overall though, I found all of these ePortfolios helpful in giving me an idea of how to start my own. 

Response to FAQs

Question: What do I put into an electronic portfolio?

I chose this question simply because it was the most prevalent question that I had in my own mind (along with not knowing what an ePortfolio was in general).  But I found her response to this question interesting, the idea that the portfolio is a response to a question asked or a purpose.  The concept of using an electronic portfolio to document your past goals and publicly declare your future ones isn't really an idea that I am particularly fond of, to be completely honest.  I tend to be a rather private person when it comes to my past, past achievements, and goals I have set for myself.  I tend to prefer knowing them and keeping them close then to proclaiming them to everyone else.  Granted, I understand the value in making them known, it makes you more likely to achieve them if there is the possibility of others knowing that you failed.  The value of making goals public for things such as losing weight, or getting a job, etc. are ones that make sense to me.  I admit though, I thought that using an ePortfolio to be judged for graduation from high school was an interesting thought.  Plus, it also made me think that a lot of people that I know wouldn't have managed to graduate!  Regurgitating information on a test is far easier then self-reflection and making personal, future goals.  I think that this is a definitely an idea that should be explored throughout more schools and used more often.  However, I still have a question about exactly what our ePortfolio is supposed to represent for this class?  In her response, she said to ask yourself what exactly you are trying to show or what story you are trying to tell.  So I suppose that my real question is far more specific to this class, what story are we supposed to be telling with our own ePortfolios?  

Reading her FAQs did make me feel far more comfortable about going forward with this assignment.  I had no clue what an ePortfolio was before I read that! But she definitely laid it out in simple, clear terms.  Although, I know that I am going to need technological assistance with all the conversions of files, etc.  But hopefully all will run smoothly!

Blog Search-Coral Reefs

I chose to search for blogs regarding coral reefs.  Obviously as a Marine Biology major and as someone who has done research on and regarding coral reefs, this is a subject I find particularly interesting.  In my search, I found a large number of blogs describing a phenomena that I had been unaware, coral reefs ability to flourish after atomic blasts.

The Bravo Crater is the test site of a thermonuclear weapon dropped in 1954, the largest of everyone detonated.  It is located in the Marshall Islands and is over one mile wide and 80 yards deep.  Apparently this area is still not fit for human life, even above the water.  But when a group of marine scientists dove down into the atoll, they found a crater teeming with a vibrant, flourishing coral reef.  There were no two-headed fish or other radioactive mutations that you might expect, rather there was a reef perfectly untouched and thriving all on its own.  Coral reefs as an ecosystem are unbelievably delicate.  This finding proves their resilience, and yet also shows how great of an effect humans have upon them.  The beauty of this reef and its pristine cleanliness are largely due to the fact that it has been completely untouched and deserted since the bomb was dropped over 50 years ago.  As the researchers pointed out, the reefs obviously do best when left completely alone, something that tourism prevents all over the world. 

I found this amazing, and now of course, I want to go dive there!  Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on our planet and we are destroying them more and more each day.  The fact that they were able to survive an atomic bomb and flourish, but are unable to survive us is a fact that I find incredibly depressing and revealing of the detriment that we, as human beings, have upon the nature around us.

BLOG:  http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/15/coral-reefs-love-nuclear-fallout/

My U-Museum

Welcome to Fantasy Hall, a place full or memories and dreams. These are the small snapshots of my life that I will always remember, there are the moments that have made me who I am today.

The first room of my palace holds the identity that has shaped me and molded me the most, my Mother.  Who I am and where I'm from are firmly rooted within my Mother, she has been the only constant in my life and my best friend.  Intellectually, she has pushed me to my limit, creating the drive that I have to succeed and push forward.  My love of science comes from her, in addition to my love of reading.  My fondest memories of my childhood were reading books with my mother late at night, when everyone had fallen asleep.  To this day, one of the most comforting things I can do it to bury my nose in a good book and block the world out.  My mother is the most constant source of love that I could ask for, and because of that, I have a sense of security and self-esteem that is firmly planted within myself and her love of me.  Whenever I have a doubt, she is there to steady me and hold me true.  To describe myself means describing my mother and my love for her.

As you wander down the hallway you will find a room filled with the ocean and everything that goes with it.  One of the most constant joys throughout my life has been the water, whether sailing on it or swimming within it, it makes me happy in a way that few things can.  Many summers of my life have been spent sailing in Maine with my family, racing a boat in the San Francisco bay, swimming off of whatever beach I found myself at.  An ecology trip spent diving off of Andros Island in the Bahamas on the coral reef there led me into my major, Marine Biology.  To say that the water is part of my personality is a huge understatement, it is part of me and who I am.  I could never live anywhere without a coastline, and the feeling of waking up before dawn and heading out onto the water to watch the sunset from the bow of your boat is the most indescribable feeling in the world.

Next you will find a hall full of pictures of places all around the world, a room symbolizing one of the things that I am most passionate about in my life, traveling.  My love of traveling has taken me from coral reefs across the world to old castles in Great Britain.  I love immersing myself in a new culture, learning a new language, meeting new people.  I want to see everything there is to see in life, in the world.  I want to travel to places where most would rather not go, I want to live in cultures completely different then my own.  I enjoy being out of my comfort zone, I think that it makes us live.  This summer I'm planning on taking part in an endurance ride across the sands of Namibia to the sea.  Traveling will always be a part of me, and wherever I go, I know that I will take a piece of it home with me.

If you look out one of the windows of my palace, you will see a garden full of animals, one of the other great passions in my life.  I grew up riding horses since before I can remember, graduating from small ponies to huge Thoroughbreds that fly with me over jumps.  One of my favorite moments in life is early mornings in the barn, when no one else has woken up and it's just me and the soft noises that the horses make when they know breakfast is near.  I love the feeling of flying across the ground so fast that all you can hear is the wind in your ears and all you can feel is the steady beat of your horses hooves flying across the ground.  My love of horses will be a constant in my life, and one that I wish to pass down to my children as well, along with the love of dogs.  My puppies have taught me responsibility and patience, and the unconditional love of a dog is perhaps the most forgiving and generous of all.  

The room you will wander into down the hall is a huge library, full of old and new books running along shelves all the way up to the ceiling.  Everywhere you turn there are books, surrounding you and enclosing you.  Ladders run up high walls and spin around the room so that each and every book is available to you.  Every single one of these has affected me or will have an effect on me later in life.  Some I have read and some I have yet to read, but the love of reading and of books has stayed with me since I was little.  I want my children to love books the way I do, I want them to experience the excitement of being taken away from your own world for a little while to travel to another.  Reading will always be one of the great loves of my life.