Weeks 10 & 11

               During the course of this class, I have learned so much more about computers. Excel and Access were two programs that I knew very little about. Excel was something that I could use with basic functions and formatting but not as efficiently as I can now. As I scan through the gradebook I still can’t believe how much work we have done in so little time.

               With Excel I not only improved my formatting skills but I learned how to incorporate outside files and combine multiple worksheets. I never knew some of the formulas we used even existed. Nor did I know that you could apply restrictions to the tables to show only if something is higher lower than what you tell it. I really enjoyed doing the second Excel Assessment. I had never done a fantasy football team so I didn’t quite know where to start but being able to use quarterbacks of my choice and using all the new formulas to find out who really is the best quarterback for my fantasy team was really interesting. Knowing that the information I have learned in this class is actually going to benefit me actually lets me know that this class was well worth my time and effort. I had never in my life used Microsoft Access before better yet I didn’t even know where to begin. If it would have been me trying to work a database, I would have been entering all the data in by hand, but now thanks to the tutorials I know how to incorporate files into the database so it can pull the information for me.

               This class was very focused on two specific things, Microsoft Excel and Access. It was great going into detail with these programs but I think it would have been cool to do all of the Microsoft Office programs. Although, I can understand why the other programs aren’t covered since Excel and Access are so intense. I do like how the assignments were set up for this course. You would start with a tutorial with step by step instructions and pictures. Then, you would have the chance to do cases and after a couple of tutorials you have an assessment to prove you know what you’re doing. It was a building process and I really enjoyed the challenge. Overall, the best part about this class was not only learning about these programs but having a supportive professors who actually help you through the work. I appreciate having second chances on assignments so I could learn from my mistakes. I like it when professors actually teach you and give you bigger opportunities to learn. This semester has been full of those opportunities and I couldn’t be more thankful for that!

Week 8

Working collaboratively online has allowed online learning to be taken to the next step. Over the years I have taken many online classes and working together with other students online has brought the classes together even though the students can’t be seen face to face with each other. I think working collaboratively can be both a good and bad thing. When you have good heard-working class mates then of course it is a good thing because everything goes smoothly and presents nicely. On the other hand, it can also be a negative thing when you end up with group members who don’t put forth their part of participation to the project. I have also been in situations like the class presentation where the entire class contributes to the entire assignment.

During high school I took many online classes through what we called NCVPS, or North Carolina Virtual Public Schools. For a couple of the class vocabulary was a weekly thing. The teachers would arrange a document with tables for the students to fill up. Each vocabulary word was listed on the left, and to the right there were places for us to define the word, use it in a sentence, and other things contributing to the word itself. As for me and my classmates we were to pick out a certain number of words and contribute to the assignment. The good thing was, was when we contributed to our part, we were not penalized for the empty slots or the students who didn’t do it. During my first semester here at LR, I was first introduced to Google Drive. In this class the teacher always depended on us to use Google Drive for almost every assignment we had. I think collaborative learning can be a great advancement with online learning. Although, it is nice to see people think for themselves with their assignments, contributing to an assignment collaboratively lets each of the students get to know the other class mates a little better. We can also learn from each other based on how the other students contribute their work to the assignment.

Working collaborative learning can be seen eve in the public school system. My mom is a teacher and a lot of them times the principal or whoever sends it out will put out a document for all the faculty to contribute to and resubmit so everyone can see the contribution to the file. Even in their server they can all work collaboratively in the files pertaining to their student’s information. It is something that can be used in very beneficially so not all the work is left to one person.

Week 7

I think photo editing can be both a good thing and a bad thing. There are times when it can be beneficial and other times it can be deceiving and/or hurtful. Photo editing is appropriate when it comes to touching up photos for a good reason like acne or a visible scar. I don’t find photo editing appropriate when others find it funny to crop people into ugly situations or mean photos. It’s also not appropriate and untruthful when magazines photo edit actresses and actors to look even better than they already do. Sometimes, they are editing, painted, and tightened so much They edit photos to make these people look absolutely flawless which does effect society in a negative way by giving us an unrealistic idea of what a man or woman is supposed to look like. Photo editing has improved so much to where we do actually believe what we see because the people all over the magazine covers have been altered and cropped their whole life by computers which sends the message of “perfection” to the rest of the world. Even when you have family portraits made by professional photographers they give you the option to do touch ups to your photos to give them a more enhanced look so they say. When we had pictures made for our church directory, they air brushed our faces so much you would think we had Botox injected into every line and wrinkle on our faces possible.

 

I chose this photo from http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1256856973/337/3015337.jpg because it clearly shows on the right what photo editing in photo shop can do to a photo of a person. They have basically performed plastic surgery over a computer. They gave this woman a completely different look and made her look 10 to 20 years younger and they even gave her a little bit of a haircut. If they were to publish this photo publically, then it would be a bold faced lie. The woman on the right is not even the same woman as the one on the left anymore. I chose this photo because it is a perfect example of just how untruthful photo shopping can be to the human eye. If we were to just see the photo on the left we would think that is how she originally looks, which is then once again not true. It goes along with blog perfectly because I claimed earlier in my post that photo editing can be deceiving and untruthful when magazines alter a person’s look just to make them look as if they are flawless and perfect.

 

Week 6

Sometimes technology and I do not get along at all, but there are also times in which it could be my best friend. This past year has been one of the worst years I could have possibly had with an experience with technology. You would think buying a new computer for college would be a good thing…wrong! The computer I am actually on right now is on its third hard drive in less than 6 months. After a huge battle with Geek Squad through Best Buy, Acer, and every other company we came in contact with, the computer is finally fixed, (for now).

For college, I bought an Acer Aspire R7 so I could get the feel of a tablet and a laptop for college. When you buy a brand new computer of course you’re not going to think so many problems could come out of it. It came with Windows 8 already on the computer, but shortly after using it a new update for Windows 8.1 come out on the market for us Windows 8 users to upgrade too. So, like every other computer update, I follow instructions and load it on to my computer. Biggest mistake ever! Instead of the “black screen of death” mine was purple and would not allow me to log on through the new Windows 8.1 to get to my home screen. My best friend’s brother works for Geek Squad and he was able behind Windows 8.1 and save all of my homework I had due that week including all my photos and other documents. I was so thankful but then again there went my computer for a good 2-3 weeks so it could be sent off to be fixed by Acer.

Next time around, it was not Windows 8.1 that screwed everything up, the motherboard in the computer went bad. Every time I unplugged my computer it would shut off and delete everything I was working on. Sometimes the screen would just cut off for a while then randomly come back on. It was a complete mess, but back to Geek Squad we went. After another 2-3 weeks of being shipped off to Acer, I finally had my computer back.

Third time is the charm don’t you think, but really now it’s fixed. After the hard drive once again went bad in this computer, we were done with dealing with Geek Squad. Acer received a call from us and was more than happy to help us out. Little did we know, Acer had no record of Best Buy ever sending them my computer to be fixed. They said that the Geek Squad may have said they were sending it back to Acer but just sent them place where they replaced it with a used hard drive. I was furious, but they apologized for all the trouble with the computer and extended my warranty for it. I was very pleased with their service but very disappointed in their quality of computer. I am using it for now, but hopefully will be upgrading to a Mac soon. I am just thankful that this computer actually works now with its brand new hard drive and hasn’t given me any trouble since. (Knock on wood!)

Week 4

Technology is constantly changing especially with input and output devices. I know this is a device that we are going to see in the near future, but this has happened so recently it has not become very well known at all yet. Most people have no idea Google has even released them yet. So for those of you that do not know, Google has very recently released not only the newest input and output device but also the newest pair of glasses. They are on the market but have not become a huge device that everyone has to have quite yet. In my previous CSC class, the professor introduced to us a video explaining to us all about the new glasses that gave a new face to vision and technology all in one. According to Google's website, the new Glass is going to allow people to “become and explorer.” “From moms to mountain climbers, Glass Explorers are the first to make, to tinker, to create, and to help shape the future of Glass.” Glass was created to be a help to everyone whether its pictures, video, information search, and even GPS navigation. The glasses come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Google wants to bring the satisfaction level to its highest among their customers. Starting at $1500.00, Google Glass can give you a computer in sight with minimal hand use. Since the device has voice control, it is as if you have a person doing everything for you without you lifting a finger. When you want the devices attention you can simply say “Glass” and tell the device to do something and it will do it. The models that are on the market now look just like normal glasses but have the computer device attached to the top corner of the right eye. I feel that a huge benefit to this is not having to take your eyes off the road to send a text message or having your GPS system right in sight. Although, I do think it could become a huge distraction for someone driving or even walking down the street using their device. Of course, Google tries to sell their customers with the idea of never missing a moment in life again all because you have everything you need technically right on your face. Even in school, when students are taking tests, they would probably have to take their glasses off cause they could cheat very easily, but then the student wouldn’t be able to see. I could see this device being more beneficial than anything though.

I find that this device would be great for people with disabilities. Think about it, someone who can’t even click a camera button due to the loss of limb can now just tell their glasses to take a picture for them. People with certain diseases that loss the function of their hands can now just tell the device what to do. From messaging, to pictures, to searching the internet all from your eye sight and mouth is completely incredible and can give many people the ability to use technology like this again. I am sure there are many tweaks and touchups to be made on this device to make it run smoother, so they will have a newer one out in no time.

http://www.google.com/glass/start/

 

Week 3

Targeted advertising is a smart thing for businesses to do in order to grab the attention of their potentially age appropriate customers. It’s not only age that they target, it’s your interests as well because depending on your search history, especially through an account that you have to log-in to. While standing over my dad’s shoulder this week watching him pick out a golf course online on a website that gave him all the best deals in our area, not only did they advertise the latest and “greatest” golf equipment to try to sell him into buying it, but they also advertised golf courses on the sides of the screen that were fairly close to the area we live in. They made the golf courses look like paradise in order to make you want to play there, but in reality these courses are less green and not as nice as what the picture plays them out to be. There are some that I find to be particularly funny because my mom jokes with me all the time about going to Christian Mingle to find a boyfriend because around here finding a good Christian man that is what I’m looking for in a man is really hard to find. So, while I’m on the internet looking for things, I’ll always see the eHarmony or Christian Mingle advertisement because it’s like they know I’m not with someone. I do believe it is smart that they advertise it to my age group and others that are older and still single because it gives them a chance to find someone without losing hope of never finding anyone to spend the rest of their life with.    

Pandora is something that most of us use. When you create an account you have to create an account, Pandora asks you to fill out some of your personal information such as your birthday and gender. Depending on those factors, it will arrange advertisements for you to come on during your music. I was talking with my sister-in-law about it and our advertisements were different. Since I am underage my advertisements did not consist of alcohol or anything like that. It was mostly shoes and other things pertaining to my age. Since she is almost eight years older than me her advertisements consisted of alcohol, condoms, and shoes. She does not drink and neither do I, so those advertisements were things that I thought were negative in trying to influence negatively upon the audience. I understand that they have to advertise their product but it is something I could care less to watch or hear about. Although, I think it is clever they are trying to target specific ages, I think Amazon does a good job at targeting you with things that you have bought in the past on the side of your screen while you are shopping. Things that you have previously looked at will sometimes show up on the side while you are shopping so it is convenient for you to go back to the item in case you want to look at it or possibly buy that one instead. It is convenient but also tempting to get you to buy their things. It’s pretty smart if you ask me.

Week 1 & 2

Part 1 – Biography

My name is Julia Icard and I am currently a sophomore at Lenoir-Rhyne majoring in nursing. Though I may be a nursing major my actual career goal is to be a midwife, but nursing is the first step. I commute every day to LR and it was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I really enjoy being able to live at home while I experience college. My sports career ended when I graduated high school. I was a cheerleader for ten years and was actually given the opportunity to be a back-up dancer on the MTV show Made. On the other hand my job is also located at home because I actually own my own business. Being crafty is something that comes very natural to me and after years of compliments and encouragement I finally turned it into a business. It includes everything from embroidery, monogramming, sewing projects, and other handmade crafts. Besides being creative, I love a good book, kayaking, fishing, and being surrounded by family and friends. Another reason that contributed to my choice of being a commuter is my love for my animals here at home. I really don’t know what I would do without coming home to them every day. Over the years I have learned why dogs are truly called “Man’s Best Friend.” I have 5 dogs, 2 cats, a sugar glider, a bird, and lots of other small animals. Yes, I know it sounds like a zoo, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. One of those dogs is a long-haired miniature dachshund, Marley, that lives inside with us and she is by my side every second of every day. Marley is most definitely my best friend and the best dog that anyone could ever ask for.
            I do have to say that I am actually pretty good when it comes to computers. I took several computer classes in high school and took CSC 115 during my freshman year here at LR. We did a lot of basic things for Microsoft Word, researching with Powersearch, and made a Prezi. When it comes to Excel, I know general things like adding functions into the rows and columns. There are plenty of things that I have never used in the program but would definitely like to know more about it. My goals for this course are to become more efficient with my computer skills in these particular areas. Computers are something that I use on a daily basis but knowing more would never hurt, especially in programs that I don’t use regularly only because I haven’t learned their basics or in depth uses.

Part 2 – Good or Bad?

Personally, I believe that computers make life better but then again they can sometimes complicate things due to their occasional malfunctions. When I was one, my dad’s brother moved to South Carolina and hasn’t been home since. No one knows really why they up and decided to move away but as a family, it killed us all. Although, thanks to Facebook, I now have contact with my cousins and I am able to see their pictures as well as share some of mine with them of all the things they are missing out on. Technology allowed me to reconnect with family that we had lost contact with for so many years. Another example of technology would also be Facebook allowing me to stay connected with my best friend who moved to Florida a long time ago. Now, we will never lose contact easily because social media is right in front of us all the time. Technology does have some big down sides sometimes considering I am on the third hard drive in my new laptop that is only a couple months old. Crazy right? I could be in the middle of a paper and all of a sudden, everything on my computer would be gone. The black screen of death would corrupt everything. When it comes to school, I use a computer every single day so when it crashed, there was no going back. So, in my opinion, I believe that computers have a huge impact on our lives. Whether they build us up or tear us down, they are always going to affect us. With our highly addictive devices right at hand, we as a society are being transformed into a technological world where technology is taking care of us all, whether it be good or bad.