TL Topic 8: Creating Documents and Presentations

Today I created a short and suspenseful story that my partners completed. I also created a presentation of things in my life that make me happy and a spreadsheet of my favorite music. The software on Google Docs is extremely useful. It is very easy to use and very helpful in application to school projects, essays, and even just for fun. For school, an essay can by typed using a document, a powerpoint can be made using a presentation, or values for a science project can be formatted using a spreadsheet. For fun, a presentation can be made of things that make you happy, pictures of family gatherings, or pets and animals that you love. Google Docs is very similar to Microsoft Word, however, it offers yet another place to save your document besides a flashdrive and computer. This is very helpful and reassuring to know that if anything should happen, such as your flashdrive being stolen or your computer crashing, you will easily be able to access your documents over the Internet.

Make Beliefs Comix and Pixton Comics

Ice Cream

Picnic

A Day In The Park

 

Make Beliefs Comix and Pixton are
websties used to create your own comics. Creating these comics is a fun
experience because you are able to express your creativity and own preferences into your work. As we know, comics can easily be used to express funny jokes and sayings. But, comics can also be applied to school projects to provide an interpretation of a topic. For example, last year while completing a project covering the Bill of Rights in history class, I used comics to allow a more relateable and understandable explanation of each amendment. However, even if you have no reason to use this software, I encourage you to make a comic of your own.

 

Animoto and dVolver Videos

http://animoto.com/play/9lmnQ7OAi1y5kUyrTBrX2g?utm_content=challenger

http://animoto.com/play/D0bGhgDPq93giiZc91Ok2g?utm_content=challenger

http://animoto.com/play/QGmSKrD3qNIkmgY0eVMTBg

http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies-559514


I created my videos using Animoto and dVolver software. I really enjoyed the experience of making these videos. It was extremely fun, easy, and allowed me to express my creativity. At Amimoto, you can create a membership that allows you to produce 30 second videos for free. First, you choose the template on which you want your photos and video clips to appear. Then, you upload your photos and video clips to the video and select the music you wish to accompany your video with. Once finished, you email the video to yourself and are able to view it by clicking on the link you are sent. I feel that this site is very innovative and useful. Animoto is ideal for presentations for school as well as Christmas cards to relatives. DVolver is another movie-making site that allows you to produce simple videos. At dVolver, you select a background and sky for your video. Next, you choose how many characters and the plot you wish for your characters to be involved in. Then, you select the appearance for the characters in the video and then the dialogue between your characters. Finally, you are given a choice of music to accompany your video with. After finishing your movie, you can emial it to yourself, friends, and family. This was also a fun and creative way to create a movie, however, I feel it is not as useful in school projects as Animoto is. DVolver can be used to simply take a break from your hectic day and brighten a friend's with a funny video created by you.

ImageChef And Big Huge Labs Photos





FlickrCC Images

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16230743@N06/2349593195

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/3410783929

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/4908748535

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61417564@N00/2992242065

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48889042138@N01/4363849672

On FlickrCC, there is an enormous amount of images to view. I enjoyed browsing through pictures of magnificent landscapes and features of the world. The images I chose to post on my blog feature the amazing and awe-inspiring sights around the globe. The pictures on my post today show how truly brilliant and wonderful nature is. I love the beauty of nature and decided to showcase the breathtaking views of the world we live in on my blog post today.

Avatars

I created three avatars that I believe describe me.



I plan to use my blog to talk about my life and voice my opinion about issues and events occurring in the world. I will enjoy writing about my life so people can get to know me better. An issue I will also address is being a good digital citizen. I will write about cyberbullying, privacy, and how to maintain a good reputation over the internet. I will speak about the pros and cons of how much technology, specifically the internet and cyberspace affect our lives. In my blog, I must also ensure that I keep aspects of my life private and to not include them in my posts. Posts including my address or any other personal information could easily cause problems over the internet.

            Now, I want to go more in depth about being a good digital citizen. Digital citizenship is how you interact and behave through technology. Many rights and responsibilities are required of a digital citizen. The first issue that manypeople forget about until they become accused of it is plagiarism. It is important that credit is given to those who deserve it. This means that we must always cite where we received our information from. Although we may not get caught or accused of plagiarism, eventually it will happen. Many people do not realize that anyone has access to everything on the internet. A teacher or professor can effortlessly find where you received your words from. Remembering to always cite your work and never simply copy and paste and simply forget the consequences of your action. Digital citizens must be courteous and conscientious of what they post on the internet, because it will remain in cyberspace forever. Digital citizens need to realize that people are not always who they appear to be. There are many creepers, stalkers, and pedophiles in the world that pose as innocent children. It is just as important to maintain proper etiquette both in person and in cyberspace. Cyberbullying occurs everyday over the internet. People insult others under an anonymous screen name, causing the victim to become terrified, frightened, and severely insulted. If you wouldn’t say or do it in person, don’t do it in cyberspace. In today’s world, it is more important than ever to be cautious of what you do, say, or post on the internet. We do not think about who the pictures and words floating around in cyberspace will affect. Negative images and words can easily
interfere with future opportunities, such as jobs, colleges, and others’ opinions of you. In order to maintain a positive reputation in cyberspace, we must always consider the consequences of our actions. Although our actions may not have taken affect now, they may come back to haunt us in the future.