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Semester Reflection

3 things I learned in class this semester that I believe were valuable, not only during this semester, but will continue to be valuable beyond this semester. 1. Twitter . I started using Twitter many years ago when it was a newly introduced platform. I never really got into it that much, and it was another technology that went by the wayside. When we were encouraged to use Twitter as part of this class, I'll admit that I wasn't really looking forward to it. But as I updated my profile, started following new users and connecting with new professionals as part of my PLN, I learned that it is not just another social media platform, but it has become a valuable tool as part of my PLN. It has become a resource for articles and opinions of others in my field and professionals whose outlook I value.  2. Image Capture . We learned about the snipping tool this semester, and it is super useful. I have started using this many times a week. It allows me to show a specific part of a documen...
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Exploring Canva

 This week we were able to explore our class e-book, which had so many technological tools we could explore. I chose Canva.  I was drawn to this tool because of its artistic and creative appeal. With Canva, you can design almost anything. From posters and lesson plans to designs for social media. It was almost a bit overwhelming to scroll through so many choices. There are hundreds of templates to choose from, which are all very user-friendly. You choose a template, and click on the text or images that you want to edit. The possibilities are truly endless. I used it to design a poster for a fundraiser we are doing at work. The most time-consuming part of making this poster was choosing which template design I wanted, because there are so many to choose from! I would highly recommend this tool for any design task. It's free, it's easy to use, and it produces top-quality projects.
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Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias has been a hot topic as part of our conversations around Inclusion, Diversity, and Engagement (IDE) at work. But what exactly is unconscious bias? This can be a complex issue, but it basically explains our tendencies to make snap judgments and stereotypes based on our background and personal experiences. This quick video does a great job of explaining what unconscious bias is.  For example, if I were to ask you to close your eyes (but obviously don't do that, because I need you to read this post) and picture yourself sitting in an airplane. A voice comes over the intercom and says, "Hello, this is your captain speaking," or to imagine you are enjoying conversation with the couple sitting next to you. Did you take a moment to imagine that situation? Go ahead....imagine the captain speaking over the intercom and having conversation with the couple sitting next to you. Got it? OK. Who is the captain, as pictured in your mind? Is it a white male? An Asian fe...
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Instructional Redesign Podcast

 Last week, I addressed podcasts. This week, we were encouraged to listen to more podcasts as they related to our PLNs. There is a plethora of podcasts out there, and it can be difficult to find the good ones. I use the Castbox app to listen to podcasts, so I started simply by opening up my Castbox app, and in the search box, I typed "Instructional Technology". One of the first ones to pop up was a podcast titled, Instructional Redesign.  As I browsed the episodes to give one a listen, the first one that caught my eye was Episode 007: Personal Learning Networks. Well, now, that's definitely right in line with what I was trying to find! The hosts, Joseph Suarez and Cara North had a great discussion on how they navigate their PLNs, and eluded to the point that we can be very social when it comes to our PLNs, or we can be very introverted. The introverts tend to be consumers of information posted by others in their network, where the more social butterflies do more interacti...
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Podcasts

Today happens to be National Podcast Day. Have you ever taken some time out of your day to listen to a podcast? There are many platforms you can use to listen to podcasts. Some of my favorites are Castbox, iTunes, and Spotify. Check out this link to discover some more listening apps: https://www.podcastinsights.com/best-podcast-apps/ I started listening to podcasts while getting ready in the mornings, instead of having the news on the television. Some I listen to for pure entertainment, but others have proven to be great resources for personal and professional development. My most used app is Castbox – it’s easy to navigate, it saves your progress if you don’t finish it in one setting, and it’s easy to save and subscribe to your favorites. Since today celebrates podcasts, I wanted to share some of my favorites, and would encourage you to go explore some of your own! ·        Imagined Life – Each episode takes you on a journey into the life of a famou...
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Image Editing Made Easy!

Have you ever wanted to add images or extra details to your documents but wasn't sure where to start? There is a handy little tool called the ' Snipping Tool ' built right into most computers! I use this tool almost daily, as it is such an easy way to show certain parts of programs or other items on your computer screen. You only have to click and drag, and boom ! You have a usable photo.  Read all about it at my professor's blog:  Dr. Robin's Blog - Snipping Tool I learned something new this week, thanks to Dr. Robin! I used to paste my snips into a Word document, and would get super frustrated that I couldn't move them around the page in a simple manner. They would only align to the left, center or right. What I learned from her is to edit in PowerPoint instead. This will allow me to move those images anywhere on the screen, and it so much easier!  So take a chance and liven up your documents or presentations! Here is an example of an image I edited in PowerPo...
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Tweet Tweet!

I am currently attending Idaho State University, pursuing my bachelors degree in Workplace Training & Leadership. For my OLP 4407 course, Instructional Technology, we have been asked to start a Twitter account. I joined Twitter back in 2011. I only had a total of 8 tweets back in the day. It was just one of those social media platforms that I never got into. I was more active on Facebook and Instagram. Since that time, my Twitter just disappeared into the black hole of my psyche, and hasn't been touched since. So here we are, it's 2020 - a crazy year, as we all know, and I'm digging into Twitter again. I have to be honest; I have no idea what I'm doing! My husband and kids both use Twitter on a regular basis, but tweeting has never been my  forté . I know how to use it - I know how to reply, retweet, follow and all of that, but for some reason, the platform just overwhelms me! I'm willing to give it another go. I'm intrigued by the possibility of using thi...
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