yeeeoooow blog time!

Week 12

2008-05-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL:
Today in the tutorial we viewed the website for the Australian copyright council: www.copyright.org.au. On this website there was descriptive copyright information and all the information sheets. Our task was to choose five information sheets that are or will be relevant for an undergraduate to read. The second task for the tutorial was to visit the APRA site and explain information about music and the web. The final task in the tutorial was to construct a plan that protects our computers from attacks on your privacy and security. This plan included the threats of viruses, Trojans and how you can protect personal information.

LECTURE:
Most of the lecture today was based on protecting yourself and your PC on the World-wide Web. I didn’t know much information on this topic before the lecture today as I don’t have any personal information accessible to anyone via the internet. Although I do want to start internet banking so I was aware that the information covered in this week’s tutorial and lecture would be important for me to learn. The lectured covered a range of information relating to this topic, beginning with whom, why, what. A large part of the lecture was also focused on how to protect yourself and your computer. Some of these key pointers included: be aware of spyware, turn your computer off, and don’t reply to SPAM email, update antivirus software.

ACTIVITY 1: Copyright Information.
From the selection of information sheets given I choose 5 sheets from different categories and that where in a field of my interest.

1. Artworks: getting permission.
By having a piece of art work under the law of copyright means no individual apart from the owner of the artistic work can reproduce it by photocopying or scanning. The only way others can reproduce an artist’s piece of work is if they get a license. I found this article interesting and it helped me understand the copyright rules against artwork such as, photographs, paintings, drawings, book illustrations and cartoons.

2. Videos & DVDs: copying & downloading.
The second article I chose was about videos and DVD’s due to the fact that it is a huge issue in our society as people are downloading videos and DVDs off the internet.
Also another problem is that people are copying video and DVD’s that they have loaned, borrowed our brought. One copyright rule that I wasn’t aware of which related to this topic is that a DVD or video lasts for 70 years after copies of the film or video are made available to the public.

3. Logos: legal protection.
This information sheet gave a brief overview of the law as it relates to the protection and reproduction of logos. This article provided a large range of information relating to logos. I found it interesting that there were so many laws in place over a small picture.

4. Writers & copyright.
The writers and copyright sheet overall was the most suitable to my needs and was useful for me to read and understand. Written material including novels, poems and newspaper articles is automatically protected by copyright as soon
as they are written. The article covers the basic topics relating to writers and copyright which include who, what, when, how. Also more in-depth topics; such as, moral rights, infringements and common questions.

5. Choreography and copyright.
As I have done dance choreography for certain routines I was interested in reading about the copyright rules related to this topic. Although copyright does not only apply to dance but also dramictical and musical work. One point that I learnt about dance choreography though was related to the dance costume. The costume may be protected by copyright as a work of artistic craftsmanship.

Overall all 5 information sheets where very descriptive and provided me with a range of knowledge covering the copyright rules.

ACTIVITY 2: Music and the Web.
This website informed me about information relating to music downloads and the web. The reason why downloading music off the web is against the law is because it is classified as stealing. Although there are some music downloads which you can pay for others are free. When an individual is downloading free music it can result in the artist losing interest as they are not making a large enough profit from their work. Personally I have never heard of a poor or financially struggling song writer/singer but there are also moral reasons why downloading music off the web is also wrong.

The APRA website offers two different licenses for an individual to be able to download music legally.

ACTIVITY 3: protect privacy and security.
These tasks included us to view three different websites and to produce a plan which protects the privacy and security within our computers. My plan consists of a few steps which include:
1. Make a copy of all important documents as if the PC gets a viruses everything will be damaged and lost.
2. Turn off you computer when it’s not in use. This saves power and reduces the chance of getting SPAM.
3. Don’t open emails from an unknown sender as it could have viruses attached.
4. Insure that if you have personal information on the internet it’s on a secure site. As people can hack details and use it against you.
5. Update anti-virus software. These program need to be frequently updated to be effective and prevent your computer from receiving any virus.

READING SUMMARY 1: EFF’s Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy.
These reading assisted me in completing activity three. This website views different points on how to keep your PC safe. The 12 points that that are included in this website are:
Do not reveal personal information inadvertently

turn on cookie notices in your Web browser, and/or use cookie management software.

1.Keep a "clean" e-mail address
2.Don't reveal personal details to strangers or just-met "friends"
3.Realize you may be monitored at work, avoid sending highly personal e-mail to mailing lists, and keep sensitive files on your home computer
4.Beware sites that offer some sort of reward or prize in exchange for your contact information or other personal details
5.Do not reply to spammers, for any reason
6.Be conscious of Web security
7.Be conscious of home computer security
8.Examine privacy policies and seals
9.Do not reveal personal information inadvertently
10.Turn on cookie notices in your Web browser, and/or use cookie management software.
11. Remember that YOU decide what information about yourself to reveal, when, why, and to whom
12.Use encryption

I found this website easy to understand and I am now aware about how to keep myself and my PC safe.

READING SUMMARY 2: Ethics in Computing - Social Justice Issues: Electronic Monitoring.
The website is similar to reading 1 as it covers issues related to keeping your PC safe. Although I found that this website produced more information about each topic and also a range of information about employees using the internet.

READING SUMMARY 3: Brown & Michaels - Overview of Intellectual Property.
This reading was based on protecting intellectual property. It covered many aspects in relation to this topic which included; patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. These are all examples of intellectual property protection.

Overall I feel that this tutorial and lecture was very important as it covered a range of information that was useful for me to learn.

Week 11

2008-05-29T03:37:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL:
This week in the tutorial we viewed the following webpage http://www.success.co.il/is/dik.html and used the Internet to find some dictionaries. Then we looked up the terms; data, information, knowledge and wisdom. Once these terms where research we explained how that can assist university studying. The next task was to construct a graphical design of these terms in Microsoft word. I found this task fun and enjoyable. The final activity for today was to make a list of at least 5 organizations that collect information from their clients or the public and describe the reason for this.

LECTURE:
The lecture began this week with a quick quiz reviewing all the information we have learnt up to this week. Also in the lecture we viewed the definition for various terms. The three main terms included data, knowledge and information. The content of the lecture also included a brief definition, characteristics, importance and examples of these three words. I found the lecture for this week effective as it refreshed my memory about data, knowledge and information also it reminded me about the previous lectures by having a pop quiz.

ACTIVITY 1 - Definitions.

DATA:
This is a collection of facts and or figures subject which can then be developed further into pieces of writing or records. Normally based on a certain topic.

INFORMATION:
The verb ‘inform’ is used in the sense to communicate. It's a collection of facts or data that has been recorded.

KNOWLEDGE:
This is facts or principles that have been received from a study or investigation. It requires a deep understanding of the topic and information that is being researched.

WISDOM:
This can be defined as applying and understanding accumulated information.

The website http://www.success.co.il/is/dik.html assisted me in constructing these definitions as I read through the different definitions posted by other people I was able to understand these terms allot clearer. This website was effective and useful for me to complete this task.

ACTIVITY 2: graphical representation.

ACTIVITY 3: How these terms can assist a university student.

By knowing these three terms a university student like myself will be able to understand research and the importance of research. The relationship between these three terms, data, information, wisdom and knowledge can assist a university student in excelling there studies at a higher level.

ACTIVITY 4: Organizations.
Many organizations collect information from the public for several reasons. Several reasons why this may occur include; contact details, advertisement (promoting the business) via mail or email, emergency details, payment plans etc.
5 organizations in which collect the public’s or clients personal information include:

1. School, University or Tafe: These organizations collect their students personal information for a number of reasons. An application used to collect students information is usually called an enrolment form. This is done in case of an emergency and for financial reasons.

2. Banks: All banks around the world have the client’s personal information. Many people receive loans from the bank and a financial payment play is then registered to the person’s name.

3. Sports clubs: An enrolment form and fees are also received by individuals who participate in a recreational sport.

4. Doctors surgery and hospital: Personal information is collected within these organizations to ensure health and safety. This information is kept extremely confidential.

5. Australian Red Cross Blood Service: Even though clients from this organization donate they still need to complete a personal detail form to ensure the health to themselves and others.

READING 1 - http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm
this article is titled Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom. This article briefly described the four terms that today’s tutorial and lecture was based on. I found this article easy to understand and it clarified the definition of these four terms. I noticed that it a picture from the lecture that represents the information in a graph. I was able to have a closer look and understand exactly what Helen was talking about in the lecture.

READING 2 - http://otec.uoregon.edu/data-wisdom.htm
this article was similar to the above reading as it even had the same title of Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom. It generally covered the same key point of these four terms. Although this article also supplied a business point of view and Educational Implications.

Week 10

2008-05-29T01:03:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL:
Today in the tutorial the first activity was to visit a website on bookmarks and favorites on the internet. By using these tools to save internet URLs it saves time and the computer stores your favorite websites. Activity two was to use the information in the tutorial and set up a favorites list that has 3 folders in it, each with at least two websites marked as favorites. The next step was read Negroponte's famous "Being Digital" archive online. This archive was about selected bits and digital life. Before reading this archive I was unaware about the meaning of this information so I found this task extremely useful. The last task for today's tutorial was to complete a short summary about this archive about atoms and bits.

LECTURE:
The lecture today was based on information management. There were many questions answered and as I knew little information on this topic I found the lecture very beneficial. The lecture covered many points which include; the main problem with information management, two types of information format (atom-based and bit-based), pro's and con's and principles for organizing your bits. Also in the lecture we watched a small film regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the internet.

ACTIVITY 1- Favorites and bookmarks.
In this tutorial activity we were given a website to view which educated us about saving selected websites as favorites. Although this website has used an order version of windows I still found it helpful. One site which I allocated into my favorites is the referencing guide as I use this application frequently. Also in this folder I included other useful ECU websites. The second folder which I added to favorites was a MySpace folder simply because everyone uses MySpace. The third folder was an msn messenger folder this also had no relation to the tutorial but it is a program I frequently use to contact and email people.

ACTIVITY 2: Being Digital.

This archive; http://archives.obs-us.com/obs/english/books/nn/bdcont.htm is informing readers about atoms and bits. I believe that this article is still relevant. Negroponte educates readers about that fact that atom (newspaper, reports, magazine etc) are still an important part of our society even though they do not have a price on them worth millions. Where as bits are electronic or digital applications economically speaking worth more than atoms. I enjoyed reading this archive as Negroponte’s sense of humor and use of expression keeps the descriptive text interesting.

Atoms are an informational format including books, newspapers, reports act there are many disadvantages involved when using them. These disadvantages include:
 Costly – Resource implications
 Difficult to edit
 Difficult to distribute
 Inflexible … not interchangeable
 Bulky – Encyclopedia Britannica
Although atoms are not always a bad resource some advantages that are involved when using atoms include:
 Exists in space … we can see it
 We can know where it is
 Easily concealed … we can hide it
 Easy to protect
 Difficult to change
 Difficult to copy.

Bits-based is more frequently used in my generation and society due to the evolving increase of use of technology. Bits-based resources include digital and electronic applications. Some disadvantages that are included with using bits-based applications include:
 Privacy – easy to copy and steal
 Authenticity – easy to fake, alter and edit information
 Unsolicited broadcast – SPAM
Some advantages include:
 Very Flexible – easily move between formats
 Very Cheap – Resource implications much less
 Easy to Edit
 Easy to mass produce and broadcast

READING SUMMARY 1- Grazing the Net.
This article discusses the internet and mainly school students. It informs readers that this generation is becoming full of free range students and it views how schools take advantage of the electronic networks. I found the text and choice of words in this article interesting although not much useful data about information management.

Overall this tutorial has been extremely useful for me to learn and I’m glad that I attended both lecture and tutorial as both classes taught me a range of information that I had never heard of before.

Week 9

2008-05-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL:
This week in the tutorial we learnt about emails, podcasts and chat room forums.
Before the tutorial I was aware about emails and the different types of email also chat room forums. One chat room forum I enjoy using is Msn Messenger. The first task in the tutorial today was to visit www.google.com and entre a search term of our interest and report our findings. In the second activity we were asked to visit a podcast hosting site. The site I visited was http://podcasts.yahoo.com/. Prior to this task I knew minimal information about podcasts but now I am aware that podcasts are a great source to retrieve information off. Although it is essential that the chosen podcasts is accurate before depending on it and using it as a reference.

LECTURE:
In the lecture today we basically learnt about how we communicate in today's society compared to twenty years ago. Twenty years ago people where using Morse code to communicate. Now technology has evolved and we are depending on technology sources such as telephones and the internet. Also in the lecture I was educated about the definition of ITC. ITC defined as Information and Communication Technology. Some examples of ITC are:

-Mobile telephone (3G network)
-Video and tale-conferencing
-iPods, mp3, lap-tops
-Electronic Mail (e-mail)
-Multi-media communications

briefly in the lecture merging technology was also explained as well as using ITC. Overall I feel I had benefit from this lecture as before entering the room I was unaware of the topics.

ACTIVITY 1: Google search.
In this activity I searched the term sports within Google groups. 160,000,000 results were found. Therefore I decided to refine my search term to aqua sports which result in 81,700 outcomes. In some sites you had to become a member but for others I was able to view the conversations posted. Some conversations where controversial as people didn’t agree with other people’s opinions overall I found it interesting to view others opinions about a topic. Although I thought some chat forums where irrelevant to the topic I search.

Screen Shot: Google search.

ACTIVITY 2: Podcasts
In the lecture we were educated about podcasts. Podcast are audio files that can be downloaded and listened to on an MP3 player or the PC. There are many topics that can be displayed on a podcasts. Which provide information to the viewer visually. The term which I researched in the yahoo podcast search engine was elephants. The only reason I chose this topic was for general interest and I was unaware of what would result in this search. This search resulted in visual and audio files also other people’s opinion on the search.

University students can benefit from podcasts as some students are visual learners and this is a form of visual learning. Also podcasts provide extra information on a topic and lectures can sometimes be available via podcasts. Also podcasts can be an extra source of information to students assisting them in understanding a topic or researching a topic. Overall I feel that podcasts are a beneficial element to many university students learning process.

Screen Shot: Podcast - Elephants.

READING 1 - Guide to using e-mail
Within this reading there are two different links one like is tittles "Email Do's and Don'ts" and the other link is titled "Essential Email Etiquette". I found both these websites where a useful guide in advancing my email skills.

Email DO's and Don'ts.
This website provides information about what should be in an email. It has two main sections relating to emails these sections are:
1. How to read and reply to an email.
2. Writing an email.
I found this site appealing a useful tool to use when writing my email.

Essential email Etiquette.
Having essential email etiquette is important for both the writer and the reader. This website talks about appropriate topics for an email, Irony and Sarcasm within an email and attachments. Before viewing these readings I thought I was aware on how to produce a good email but I knew minimal information compared to what I know have learnt. Emails are a useful and efficient way of communicating and I believe everybody should have an idea of correct email etiquette.

READING 2:
This reading is to inform readers about UBE, which is Unsolicited Bulk Email or SPAM. The reading includes an introduction, problems with SPAM and solutions that do and don’t work. UBE can be defined as an easy and cheap way of advertising that has consequences to the receiver of this advertisement. The advertisement is usually done in an email form and once the receiver opens this email it has potential to destroy this persons computer or stored information and programs. I believe UBE senders should be fined or have some form of punishment. From viewing this reading I am now aware of what sent items and advertisement not to open.

Week 8

2008-05-27T20:22:00.001-07:00

TUTORIAL:
This week in the tutorial we were educated on how to make a good presentation. The website which was given to us to assist us in completing this task was; http://www.personal.psu.edu/uxg3/blogs/undergraduateresearch/2008/02/online-resources-for-how-to-pr.html. I thought this website was extremely useful and I gained allot of knowledge about good presentation's from reading it. From this website our first activity is to complete a list of 5 top strategies to help deliver a top-notch presentation. The second activity is to complete a PowerPoint presentation. Within this PowerPoint presentation we included:
• Title slide
• Introductory slide
• At least 3 ‘Main body’ slides
• Summary slide
• Graphics and 1 animation effect that enhance the presentation.

LECTURE:
This week’s lecture was based on oral presentations. We looked at different types of presentations which include; self contained presentation, written presentation and stand and deliver (oral presentation). Also in the lecture we were provided with a visual video which show us what a bad presentation and the things that we should avoid doing when presenting to an audience. I believe the main key to a good presentation is to keep the audience interested and speak load and clear.

ACTIVITY 1 - Top Five list to a good presentation

1. Engage the audience: Keep the audience interested make sure you have research the topic. Be prepared to answer any unexpected questions.

2. Practice: Most speeches have a maximum time allocated. Practice your speech in front of mirror, pet or friend. A good presentation is hard work and allot of time should be spent researching, writing, and honing the presentation.

3. Keep content simple: Try and stay on the original topic and not to go too far in-depth. Do not include excessive information. K.I.S.S (keep it simple stupid).

4. Have confidence: Keeping eye contact is important as it shows confidence also having a load clear voice is another sign of confidence.

5. Show up early: Showing up early is important as there can be technical problems. If this occurs it gives you time to alter your presentation and still be prepared to present.

ACITIVTY 2: PowerPoint based on a bad presentation.

Resource Summary:
The resource which we were given to use during this tutorial was to assist in the creation of our power points. I found this resource an efficient tool as it helped me create my PowerPoint. I had forgotten how to use some elements of MS PowerPoint but this website reminded me. Overall I found this tutorial interesting and enjoyable.

Week 7

2008-05-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL:
This week in the tutorial we learnt about a program called "Endnote". At first I found this program very confusing but after practicing the referencing I found that Endnote is a useful tool to use in future referencing. The first part of the tutorial we were asked to reference a book, journal article and website. For the second part of the tutorial we completed an activity in endnote "Cite while you write." I found the both these activities are extremely useful to my further studies.

LECTURE:
The majority of this week’s lecture was based on learning about Endnote. The main points that where covered in the lecture where: what Endnote is, how Endnote works, why we use Endnote and a brief example of Endnote.

ACTIVITY 1 - Referencing in Endnote
Referencing is used to distinguish and knowledge others work. We use referencing when we have taken someone else’s idea to support our text. When we reference it is usually done in alphabetical order and used at the end of the essay or dissertation.

My five references include:

1. Curiel, J. (2008). Daylight-saving not good for cows. Journal. Retrieved from http://66.35.240.8/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MN8OVEV9P.DTL

2 . Vernon, J. (1996-2007 March 31, 2006). The History of Daylight Saving Time. from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0330_040330_daylightsavings.html

3. Harvey, F. (2002). Teaching and Learning Strategies from http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/styles/styl_review_silver.htm

4. Morrisey, T. (2008 ). NBL needs to start from scratch if it is to survive [Electronic Version], from http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23775098-10914,00.html.

5. Daylight Saving Information. (2008). from http://wa.gov.au/daylightsaving/

Activity 2 - Cite while you write.

READING 1 - Guide to EndNote.
I used this guide to get stated as I found EndNote a complicated activity at first. The guide was very useful and as it had a contents page it was easy to access certain sections. The context was also easy to understand as it was supported with screen shots.

READING 2 - Some additional EndNote help.
I found this webpage a useful source as it provided me with a detailed explanation about what EndNote is and how it is used on most computers. This reading has links to match the program that the reader is using. Overall I found EndNote to same time and most importantly result with accurate references.

Week 6

2008-05-04T03:11:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL:
This week in the tutorial we learnt how to search and find useful and quality information on the World Wide Web. In the tutorial we reviewed a website which educated us about different strategies for evaluating information on websites. After reviewing this webpage we compared it with two other websites to search for further information. The second task for the tutorial was to complete an exercise on the ICYouSee website. The last activity we completed was to evaluate two websites on the list.

LECTURE:
To find out if the website is quality there are a few points which should be reviewed these factors include; Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency and Coverage.

Accuracy
Many web pages may provide false, misleading and untrue information therefore the accuracy of a page is important. If the information on the website is easy to edit then this is a sign that it is not quality site.
Authority
Authority within a website can be checked by reviewing if the website has an experienced author, publisher and sponsor.
Many authors produce information in a way which could be bias; for example if the author provides his/hers opinion and information regarding only one side of a subject it is known as a bias opinion. When an author is bias or the webpage shows advertisement this shows the objective of the website is bias.
Currency
Currency of a webpage is extremely important although dates of when the site was published may not always be provided. If a date is provided it may mean various things for example; when the material was first written, when the material was first placed on the web or it may indicate when the material was last revised.
Coverage
The coverage of a website compared to a printed text is usually different as sometimes websites are constructed for a joke. To ensure a website has good coverage it is important to check what topics are covered and how in-depth the material is covered.

Checking this information on a website ensures the quality of the information on a webpage.

ACTIVITY 1 - Evaluating websites
ICYouSee: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html.
This website informs readers about what a quality website contains. On this webpage there is six addition suggestions for examining a webpage. The authority of this webpage is good as there is a author displayed and a link to the authors profile. This demonstrates that the author is a official and reliable source. Currency is also demonstrated in this website. There are two different dates shown which are the official opening of the website and the last updated date which is current. Overall I personally believe that the information on this webpage is accurate.

Evaluating
INCO 48: http://www.taftcollege.edu/newTC/Academic/INCO48/sec6-4.htm
This website is also similar to the webpage ICYouSee as the quality and information of the text is accurate. This webpage informs readers about domain types and the ten C's which include:
1. Content
2. Credibility
3. Critical Thinking
4. Copyright
5. Citation
6. Continuity
7. Censorship
8. Connectivity
9. Comparability
10.Context

Evaluating
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/eval.html
The website views the reason why it is a good idea to evaluate web sources. This website provides examples, evaluation criteria, suggestions and a bibliography.
Overall all WebPages are accurate and provide similar information although the website "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" is the only website to provide a list of references (bibliography).

ACTIVITY 2
The two WebPages I have chosen to evaluate from the ICYouSee "living the sixties site" are the "Psychedelic '60s" and "The Almost Great Society: The 60s."
Psychedelic '60s.
Accuracy:
No grammar or punctuation errors.

Authority:
Domain- edu. Educational website
Author; Written by scholars of University Virginiais. Information is more believable.

Purpose:
To inform readers about the 60s. Written by scholars therefore information seems to be aimed at other scholars and students.

Detail and Design:
Easy to read.
No complicated links.
Coverpage is interesting and colorful.

Overall I believe this website provides a great range of information. Because the URL finishes in .edu resembles it is for educational purposes.

The Almost Great Society: The 60s
Accuracy:
produced by the University of Wisconsin.
No grammar or spelling errors.

Authority:
Professor Stanley Schultz
Domain- edu: education.

Purpose:
To inform readers about American History and the trails and tribulations. Also provides information about the war and civil rights in the 60's.
Aimed towards students studying history, human rights.

Detail and Design:
I found the design to be quite plain.
Effective background: a piece of paper. Might symbolize a journal.

Overall I preferred the psychedelic 60's as it was bright and colorful, easy to read. Where as the "Almost Great Society" wasn't as interesting for me as history is a least favorite subject.

Week 5

2008-04-08T00:24:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL
This week most of the tutorial was based on search engines. I thought this tutorial was so far the most interesting as we got to complete quizzes and the information we learnt wasn't boring. In the first activity we worked through a Monash website. This website was designed to education viewers about the different search engines. The second website we logged onto was http://www.siteseen.co.uk/questions/historytrivia/. On this website we completed the trivia quiz. This quiz was fun.

LECTURE
In this weeks lecture it started off with a quiz where we where asked useful and relevant questions for the course. The majority of the lecture was based on learning information regarding search engines. A search engine is a useful tool and a web-based application. It is used to locate information on a certain topic, which is generally presented in a text form. Although there are many ways to locate information the general aim of the lecture was to minimise and find a specific answer to a topic.

ACTIVITY 1- Monash activity.
In this activity we where to read this website and gain useful search tips from it. This became useful as one problem with using search engines is that it is hard to find an answer to a specific question. Specific information is easier to access if the right steps are taken. For example using techniques such as keywords, phrases, Boolean and advanced engine features help locate this information allot quicker.

Four main strategies which help structure a good search include:

Use several search tools.

Read the search tips or help
information at each search
engine.

For keyword searches, use
several words.

Guess a location.

One of the most useful tools I find search engines contain are online directories. Online directories are a useful research tool as they are extremely reliable and accurate. The reason for the accuracy is because all web pages that are submitted to online directories are not automatically accepted. All web pages submitted are checked manually. This encourages individuals to use directories as a main source of research, as there is no misleading information and facts on a certain topic.

ACTIVITY 2 - History trivia quiz.
The history trivia online quiz was challenging as history is not my strongest topic, therefore for each question I used different search engines to locate the answers. Although some of the answers I did know. For example I knew the answer regarding the Hiroshima bomb in Japan as I studied Japanese for 7 years and then travelled to the Japan where I visited the museum involving the history of the bombing, facts and interesting information.

Within this module I have learnt allot about search engines and easier ways to find answers to my questions. Also I have learnt about the disadvantages and problems with search engines for example; there may be too many results to a question or irrelevant data and old dated information. Also before the lecture and tutorial I wasn’t aware about online directories.

Reading 1 - Robert Harris: "Web Search Strategies"
This week’s reading is about internet search tips and strategies. This document was useful for me to read as I gained extra information about search engines. This document had 3 main parts which included how information is stored and accessed on the web, the types of search tools and suggestions on how to begin a search. I personally found the information about starting a search most beneficial.

Reading 2 - The History of the Internet: chapter 4
This reading was interesting as most of the information was supported with screen shots. The reading covered topics about directories, search engines, databases, and library catalogues. I thought this website helped me develop a better understanding about the internet.

Reading 3 - Search Engine Optimization for Companies.
The reading is a website aimed at people that own a small business. It provides information on how to advertise your business correctly on the internet. As many businesses on the internet are not easily accessible by the public therefore the aim of this website is to make these small businesses accessible to the public. I thought this website was descriptive and could be helpful to people that own a small business.

Screen shot; History Trivia online quiz.

Screen Shot : http://www.monash.com/spidap.html

Week 4

2008-03-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL
This week in the tutorial we reviewed the meaning of the World Wide Web and the difference between the net and the web. Also in the tutorial we looked at the definition of authenticity and how it’s portrayed within certain websites. After viewing the main facts and information about the net and the web we then located a few web pages and websites regarding the Haggis Hunt season, Molossia and Martin Luther King.

LECTURE
The majority of the lecture was based on the difference between the net and the web and general information regarding these two topics. The net was established before the web and is the first wide-area computer network ever built. Where as the web is used to find documents, music and information. Without the net the web would not be able to program.

ACTIVITY 1. Haggis Hunt and Molossia Website.
The web page "The Haggis Hunt" contains information that is not factual therefore this animal protrudes to be invented. The animal looks to be a platypus cross with an echidnae and information on this web page seems to be unreliable.

The other Website that we viewed in the tutorial was about a country called Molossia. This webpage also seems to be unreliable and contains false information. Immediately before entering the webpage I was able to view that it’s been created by an organisation due to the domain; .org.

Some features which Indicate authenticity within a website include; the domain, details about the author, validation about the information and references. To view whether an author is a professional there should be further information either on the website or on the Internet. The validation on a website should be current to ensure the information is still factual.

Four clues which indicate that these two websites (www.haggishunt.scotsman.com and www.molossia.org) are a spoof include:
1. Either Web Pages have authors.
2. Allot of advertisements.
3. Errors in the grammar and punctuation.
4. Links go to other irrelevant sites.

ACTIVITY 2. Martin Luther King.

Before opening the web page on Martin Luther King I didn't know anything about him including his occupation or his cultural background. Although the website www.martinlutherking.org indicates to me that the website is about a king and it’s created from an organisation. The web page informed me that he was a king regarding civil rights in America. The information posted in the articles on the website seemed to be an unreliable source. The information I found after researching the king in Google was more detailed then the information on the web page and gave me a better understanding of the history of Martin Luther King.

READING SUMMARIES
Reading 1 - A Brief History of the Internet.
This webpage indicates to be an extremely reliable source as the authors are listed t the beginning of the webpage and then their occupation and personal information is listed at the end of the webpage. Also there is a publisher, the references are listed, and there is a current date and no grammar or punctuation errors. I found this website to be very descriptive regarding information about the history of the Internet.

Reading 2 - History of the World-wide Web.
The website is also another reliable source regarding information about the history of the world wife web. I found this website generally more interesting then the first reading as that it contained pictures, diagrams and interesting information. Even though the chapters where large I still felt I had benefit from reading information on this website.

Week 3

2008-03-27T03:48:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL
The tutorial in week 3 covered activities which included using online libraries and databases. The first activity we completed was logging onto and exploring the electronic ECU library service. This was beneficial for me as I never realised how useful this service can be to students. In the second activity we looked at journal articles and the fact that they can be a reliable resource to use throughout our studies. To access these articles I mainly used a database known as MetaQuest. The Last activity consisted of us viewing a web page regarding drugs and information on certain health topics.

LECTURE
In the lecture we where educated about online databases. Which are an organised collection of information. Some of the advantages of using online databases is that they are always able to be accessed as they can be used 24/7 also they are comprehensive, current and the information is easy to locate.

Online libraries are electronic libraries therefore are popular as the information is up to date and making notes or copy and pasting is easy. They are generally used as online libraries are convenient.

ACTIVITY 1. ECU Library service.
For accessing the online libraries and databases our instructions where to visit the ECU library service. The ECU library service is located at

http://www.ecu.edu.au/library/. This web page has many useful tools to find; general information, resources, services, general assistance and quick links. Some useful function's or search tips which I found on the ECU library included;
1.The opening hours and contact details - as its convenient for students
2.Links to databases - such as MetaQuest and Trail databases.
3.Access to the ECU library catalogue - Therefore students can check if the book is on shelf before arriving at the library.
4.Websites- Its a good resource for students to find websites relating to certain topics.
5.SIMO- Quick link to SIMO which if beneficial to all students.
6.Library locations - Useful for other university students and the public.
7.Referncing Tips - Useful to all students as every student is required to reference their resources.
8.Loan services - provides students how to loan books and items from the library.
9.Electronic book access - A link from the ECU library to provide students with electronic books.

ACTIVITY 2. MetaQuest
Metaquest is a from the online ECU library. It's an online database which assists students in retrieving information in the form of journals and articles. The information is current and relevant to the topic researched. After selecting a suitable database there are a few options when using metaquest:

For a basic search I found that the easiest way to locate information was by typing in a keyword/s related to my topic. Although it is important that the keyword/s used are specific to the topic being research as the are thousands of outcomes.

Using the advanced search in metaquest gives the researcher more of a selection to find what they are looking for as there are different fields to choose from and tittle names as well as subject categories and database categories.

ACTIVITY 3. MEDline Plus Website.

The last activity completed in the tutorial was using a website known as Medline plus. After viewing all the conditions and drugs; the main condition that i found interesting was autism, as autism and other mental health and behaviour issues are related to what I want to do further study in.

MetaQuest; Screen Shot.

ECU Library; Screen Shot

Week 2

2008-03-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

SCREEN SHOTS

Screen shot 1; Microsoft word.

Screen shot 2; Microsoft excel.

Microsoft Excel Exercise- Tables, Formulae and Charts

TUTORIAL
The pressure of the University Preparation course has began! We officially all have enough assignments and work to complete. Each unit has given us an assessment to focus on and have completed by the due dates. Therefore it was convenient that in this week’s tutorial for UPC0004; Accessing knowledge, we were educated about time management. In assisting us to understand how to manage our time we were asked to complete a daily schedule. The schedule was completed by using a program called Microsoft Excel.

LECTURE
I feel the lecture today was useful towards my learning as it was informing us about common applications, file formats, and general tips when using our PC. The programs that we briefly looked into on the computer where windows explorer, Microsoft word, Microsoft excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook express and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Helen taught us which program would be suitable for completing certain tasks also the knowledge on how to perform specific task within a specific application.

ACTIVITY 1
For the first part of the tutorial we were given time to update our blogs. Once our blogs were updated we moved onto Microsoft Excel. The main problem that I came across when using excel was that I have been using an older version. The version that I am familiar with is Excel 2003 where as the ECU computers contain Microsoft Excel 2007. Therefore things like the icons and location of each button was different. I got confused but I also found it amusing.

The task that we were asked to complete in Microsoft Excel consisted of a timetable, pie graph and bar graph based on our daily activities. Starting off with the timetable we filled in activities such as sleeping, exercising, eating, travelling etc. The time that all these activities took had to add up to 168 hours. Then by adding each activity up and dividing it by seven we found the average hours we spent on each activity per day.

After determining the average for each activity, constructing a pie graph was the second task. I found this task interesting as it clearly determined how much each individual sleeps, eats, exercises etc a day. The activities where labelled down the side of the pie graph and colour coordinated. Another method where the activities were clearly identified was the bar graph indicated what day each individual either socializes, works, studies the most.

ACTIVITY 2
The second activity in which we completed in class was in Microsoft word. To complete this activity I followed the document which was supplied to us titled “reading_Mod01-2-5.pdf.” From this document I learnt how do complete several things such as; Adjusting the typeface, changing the margins and alignment , altering line spacing , Creating headings, keeping the headings with text and inserting headings and footers within a page.

READING SUMMARIES
Reading 1; Using MS Word for APA tasks.
This document contains useful information regarding how to operate and understand Microsoft word. It assists and educates readers about the fundamental elements in Microsoft word. Although the main problem with this reading is that the information is based on an older version of word and not the 2007 version. The document contained general tips on how to complete tasks that we had to complete in our workshop. I found it useful as the document had a written description of the steps and a diagram to assist each description.

Reading 2; Graphic File Formats
This reading was a capture from the webpage: http://www.knight-web.net/tutorials/photoshop/ and is a descriptive document about graphics and images. The document provides information about saving and editing images on the computer and internet. There are five different image formats within this page and each format provides an explanation on what the format is used for and how it is used. I personally found this document useful and next time I format a picture I will consider using the PhotoShop document as it format 2D pictures.

well that is all until week 3.....

Week 1

2008-03-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Within this course; UPC0004, our first assessment is to record information in a blog format regarding what we have learnt in the previous week.

Lecture and Tutorial:
Week one has ended and week two has began! During week one in the tutorial of Accessing and Organising Knowledge we learnt how to use a number of useful sites on the computer such as blackboard,SIMO, student web mail, blogs and image shack.

Blackboard, SIMO and student web mail are all links located from the ECU home page.
By using Blackboard all students are able to access tutorial work sheets, lecture notes and unit assessments. This student service is an important part for all university students to gather information off.

SIMO is another student service which provides enrolment details and general information. Once logging in each student is able to access their daily and exam timetables, course information and progress, exam and assessment results and other important information that is useful for each student to acknowledge.

Student web mail is one of the main communication resources between students and teachers. Each student received the teachers email on the commencing of tutorials and lectures. Emails are used for students to ask the tutors and lecturer's questions regarding their course.

Image shack is a useful website used to upload pictures. There are four easy steps to using image shack.

sign up and make and account.
upload either an image, URL or video.
click on the "host it" button.
post the image, URL, video onto document.

Screen shot; image shack

Reading summaries
Reading one; PC lube and tune.
The web page, PC lube and tune is about an unusual service station. Many ordinary service stations provide things like gas, road maps, food and drinks and friendly advice. PC lube and tune is a convenience store and a service station. It is a business that provides many introductions, tutorials and education programs on technical subjects for computer users. The web page seems to provide unreliable and false information . Factors in which indicate this include; no author, publisher or date shown on the web page.

Reading two; How stuff Works.
How stuff works seems to be a reliable and interesting website. This website informs the readers about computers, how they work and the future of computers. It also contains a visual diagram of a computer that labels each part and describes how it works. I found the website to be interesting and descriptive as it provided me with general and in detailed information regarding computers.

A New Start

2008-02-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

2008 begins,
I welcome you to my first blog. I have just started the university preparation course and one of the assignments consist of constructing a blog. This blog will contain information from each lecture and tutorial as well as answers from each workshop posted on blackboard.

After completing the uni prep course I hope to study primary school teaching.