Web 2.0 Tools

Hello to all of my blogging buddies! The end of the semester is drawing near and we have gone through a lot together. I wanted to share with you this very insightful article I read about Web 2.0 tools. Not only was it was extremely helpful while writing my paper, but also clearly explained what the term means in a general sense. You can find the article here: What is Web 2.0 by Tim O'Reilly.

O'Reilly provides a description of how the term started and what the creators originally had in mind. There is a chart to help explain the thought structure and a chart that helps describe the difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. While this may not provide the only definition of Web 2.0 tools, it does provide a basic interpretation that I found valuable.

Screencast about Blogging

Well, it's taken a lot of work, but I've finally finished my video for class. It is about how to use the different features on http://www.blogger.com/ to manage your blog. I used Camtasia to make the video, and I am pretty pleased with the results. Take a look here:

Podcasting in Education

Hello Friends! It has been awhile since my last post, but I promise the wait has been well worth it! In my never-ending quest to share my adventures in school with you, I have a new podcast to present. I'd like to explain first what the project was about, and then I will give you my opinion on how easy it was to set up.

Our assignment was to create an account on Podbean.com, and record a podcast about 2-3 minutes in length. My podcast is about the presence and use of podcasting in education. This is an important topic. As many of you know, not only am I learning about podcasting in school myself, but this mode of communication is fast becoming a way for professors to get lectures to students. My podcast, of course, goes into greater depth than that, and includes some thoughts on the benefits of podcasting in terms of technologically advancing classrooms.

In terms of set-up time and effort, I was pleasantly surprised. Initially I was concerned about how labor intensive setting up Audacity and my microphone would be, but it turned out to be no big deal. The most difficult part of the whole process was recording without catching too much background noise. I imagine some individuals with a more technological background would find it easy to correct some of that, but for someone like me it provided a bit of a challenge. The Podbean website was really enjoyable to use, and seemed very user friendly. If you are looking for a website to post your podcasts, I suggest you give it a try!

Blogging with Multimedia

The assignment due today in Podcasting, Vodcasting and Blogging class was to write a 5 page paper about Blogging with Multimedia. The focus specifically was on the use of multimedia in business blogging.

My paper included an introduction that discussed the difference between print media and online media - and why it's important to understand that they are two entirely different animals. It then when on to explain the different reasons a business might use multimedia in blogging. The sections following delineated use of photographs, podcasting and vodcasting as multimedia in a blog. Finally my paper concluded with some rules to follow when using multimedia in a blog and what results to expect.

Writing the paper really opened my eyes to the possibilities available when using multimedia. It also reminded me of how valuable dynamic and updated content can be.

Promoting Your Blog on Twitter

Hello to all my fellow bloggers and blog followers! It has been about a week since I have last posted. Talk about a crazy week! At any rate, I've been thinking a lot about blog promotion lately. This has been prompted by an assignment our Podcasting professor gave us. The assignment is to write a paper about how blogs are being used in business. I'm not entirely sure yet what angle I'll be writing my paper from, but I wanted to share a link that could be useful for any one of us.

I do not promote my blog anywhere yet, but this article lists tips for promoting a blog on Twitter. I think this could be especially relevant for those active on Twitter, or those with plans to try to make money by blogging.

Have a great week!

PlayStation Move Release

Hello friends! Thank goodness for weekends right? Not only do I have to run some errands, but I need to make a big pan of baked ziti for dinner too. No small task I assure you! Enough about me though...

Yesterday, the new PlayStation Move was released in stores in North America. Designed to compete with the Nintendo Wii, the system offers active gaming that is sure to appeal to a wide variety of people. It offers many of the same features as Wii, but appears more technologically advanced because it also includes augmented reality and 3-D capabilities. (Ever the safety-conscious consumer, my biggest concern is that I didn't see a wrist strap. Can we just assume this may result in increased television sales due to broken screens?)

We own a Wii in my home, so I doubt we'll be purchasing any new gaming systems for awhile. However, if any of you are in the market for one, or perhaps thinking ahead about holiday shopping, you should check out PlayStation's blog.

New To Blogging? Watch This Video!

If you are not sure what a blog is or how it works, the video called Blogs in Plain English will help. This video explains why blogs are such a "big deal." To view the video, just click on the large arrow in the middle of the video window below.