Technology and My Learning Curve

Hmm... I am not sure that the title of this post is an accurate description of what I have been experiencing.  When you hear the word, "curve", you sort of think of an arc--something on the order of a rainbow.  Starting at the bottom, rising upwards while gently bending either to the right or to the left.  Hmm...ok.  Now I know.  I have not been on a "learning curve", because my path looks more like a 90 degree angle. One straight horizontal line, which makes a  sharp and sudden turn and becomes a vertical line. Yep--that's it.  No gently curving rainbow here!  By working my way through these assignments, I feel like I have been  launched in an upward direction and have traveled very far in a very short time period.  Sort of like a rocket or a marble in a slingshot.
  
Who woulda thunk that I now know: 
* how to conduct and record a synchronous small group meeting (via Adobe Connect) and send the URL to the professor, so she could watch it.
* how to develop a survey, administer it, collect the data, create a tabular or graphical report of the data, and display the tabular or graphical data in an online slide deck, then send the professor the URLs for the survey and the slide deck.  I can't take credit for all of that. The survey program did much for me, I just had to figure out how to get the program (Qualtrics) to do what I wanted it to do!  That took much studying.
* A new phrase: slide deck.  Heck, prior to 6/13/13, I don't think I had even heard the phrase "slide deck"! And now, I knows how to make one! :-)
* That Google is a very good friend of mine.  Do you all know about all the things Google has to offer? I was very surprised!
* Google  has a survey option, but I have not tried that yet. I don't know if it can do what Qualtrics can do.  
* Similar to Skype, Google has "Google Hangout".  If you need to record your Google Hangout meeting, use Jing. 
* Google has something called "Google Docs".  It's a document that is shared between two or more people. It eliminates the passing around of a document via email. You can write stuff down on a document, then share it with others.  They can write stuff down, too, and you all can see what each other has written.  Each person can write in a different color, so you know who has written what.   It's very handy.  Just be careful when setting it up.  The default line spacing is 1.5.  Weird.  Causes problems when you copy & paste it into a Word doc, then try to double space everything.  Then you really have some difficulties! (Yes, I am speaking from the voice of experience).
* You can also create a Google Doc that is "view only".  Only the owner can make changes.  Still cuts down on attachments on emails.   
* Google Docs has a spreadsheet option.  I used this option to develop a spreadsheet for an assignment.  Title:  "Must-try Restaurants of Central PA".  Categories included: name of restaurant, type of cuisine, location, website & phone number, and why I like the particular restaurant. By doing a Google Docs spreadsheet, my professor could see that I knew how to put information into an online spreadsheet. Once again, this reduces the emails with attachments.
* I  know much of the ins & outs of setting up a blog via Blogger, which is also connected to Google.  I tried to keep my blog "private", but that didn't work too well.  So, I made it public.
* Setting up a private blog is a challenge. Advice: If you want to make your blog private, tell your family and friends your blogger name before sending them a message via Blogger.   I sent email messages, via blogger, to family & friends.  Two family members trashed the emails because they didn't know who "Grad Student Grandma" was, as there was no clue to her (my) identity.
* It's easier to make your blog public.
* That Blogger has a great spam filter. A family member tried to "spam" me.  It didn't work.  :-)
* And Google has an online calendar that you can share with others.  Find it when you go to your gmail. 

I could go on with more stuff that I have learned, but I think I need some R & R.  I have been on quite an adventure.  And I am not finished yet, as this class is not over until August.  So, yeah, some R & R sounds nice.  Maybe I will pet a kitty.   Yeah, I'll grab Captain Hook.  He is always up for some attention.  Maybe not his photo being taken, but he usually enjoys some attention. 

Oh--and I learned that the laptop takes photos like this.  Whatcha think? Cool huh?   It's just a matter of hunting and pecking.  And, as Dr. Passmore said, (regarding using a computer), "You're not going to break anything".  He's correct.  You just gotta get in there and "figure it out".

   

Taking a break and enjoying family time

5/30/13
Hello again,
Here is my 2nd blog post.  This has been fun--just sort of free flowing writing, learning about blogs,  and laughing with my family about all of it.

This past weekend people all over our great nation celebrated Memorial Day, to honor all of our veterans for the sacrificing they have done.  There were many activities around Centre County to commemorate this holiday. It is a time when many families gather together and have a picnic. My son loves to cook, so he invited us and his in-laws over for lunch. Since I had been "chugging and plugging" (an expression from my friend Renee) on my schoolwork, I decided I deserved a break--so I went.  My husband, on the other hand, had a nasty cold, so he stayed home on the couch. :-(

As always, my son's food was amazing! :-) He grilled hamburgers and bison burgers.  He also grilled chicken that was prepared two different ways.  One batch of chicken was marinated overnight in a homemade barbeque sauce and the other was prepared with a rub.  I am not sure which chicken I got, but it was delicious! :-)  He also grilled some steaks that had a pile of salt on them as they were being grilled.  He had heard about this recipe and wanted to try it out.  We weren't sure how salty they would taste, but they were quite salty!  I am not sure if he will try this recipe again.

The photo you see is of me, my son, and my grandchildren, with some of the yummy food he grilled.  Oh--and I can't forget--my grandson, who is following in his father's (cooking) footsteps, baked us some brownies for dessert.  I was thrilled when I walked into the kitchen and caught the aroma of chocolate!  "Do I smell chocolate", I asked?  My grandson replied, "Yes, you do Grandma.  I am baking brownies". "Yay!", I replied. And, of course, they were delicious, also. :-)

It was a great afternoon.  After helping clean up and receiving the usual hugs and kisses, it was time to go.   Fortunately, I was able to take with me: a plateful of food for Grandpa, a photo of my son, my grandchildren and me (saved on the laptop), and another fun family memory.

  

                      
                                                I am grateful for all of my blessings. :-)


 
     

Saturday, 5/25/13--This is the day I started my blog

Hello Blog Readers,
I think one of the hardest parts of a project is: getting started.  So, here I am, trying to get started on my first blog.  This seems weird to me.  Just to sit and write down my thoughts, my ideas, my activities, without any concern of APA format, grammar checks, etc. I almost feel like I don't know what to write about--which probably strikes you all as unusual--as you all know how much I like to talk! :-)
Maybe I will tell you why I am writing this blog.  I don't have enough activities in my life, so I have decided to write a blog. haha.  You see my Blogger name--Grad Student Grandma.  Hmm..so what does that name tell you?  I am a grad student-yes.  I am pursuing my master's degree.  Grad students are usually busy, right?  Well, I am plenty busy.  What else does the name indicate?  I am a Grandma.
That name, unto itself, does not indicate "busyness", but it does indicate my age and it does give a clue that I have a family.  So, yes, I have a family that I like to stay involved with. (grammar check--ending on a preposition--one of my pet peeves in academic writing)--but it sounds too formal in a blog to say: "So, yes, I have a family with whom I like to stay involved".  haha.  Anyway...put together the roles that I fill, and yes, I do stay busy. Probably too busy to keep up with a blog.  So, why am I writing a blog?  I am writing this blog because it is one of my assignments in a class I am taking for my degree.  The class has a cool name, "Working Close Apart".  Cool, huh? I will tell you more...

Here is the description of "Working Close Apart", taken from the course syllabus developed by
 Dr. David Passmore, Professor of Workforce Education and Development,  from PSU. While Dr. Passmore has taught the course in the past, this summer, it is being taught by Dr. Rose Baker.

Mission: Supporting Working Close While Apart

The purpose of this course to provide experience with testing and implementing web-based applications that promote collaboration and communication at work. In modern, globally–networked workplaces, collaboration and communication are occurring increasingly over distances as well as asynchronously. Use of web–based tools can ensure that work occurs close, while workers are apart.

Emphasis in this course is on networked collaboration and communication applications that are free–of–charge, or that allow trial over limited periods of time, and are not Penn State products (to promote generalizability). Some Penn State products are referenced, but that is because these are prominent in worldwide use of web-based applications that promote collaboration and cooperation.

So, now you know why I am writing a blog.  It's a task I must complete for this course. I am thankful that Dr. Passmore & Dr. Baker have provided me with the opportunity to take this class.  I am also thankful for my family who continue to support me and help me along the way.  And of course, I thank God every day for these opportunities and as he helps me with my coursework.  My son, Jonathan, showed me how to take a photo with the laptop and upload it where it needed to go.  I think I can do it again! :-) (I better--uploading a photo to my blog is part of this assignment!)  My daughter, Annalisa, started a blog last year, so she was able to give me some direction with this. And my husband is just very patient while I chug & plug away on my assignments.  He also took the photo  in this blog. And my grandchildren...well, they get to listen to the stories of their grandmother going to college.  I love what my grandson said when I told him that I was going to start taking college classes. He said, "Well, Grandma, since you are a teacher, and you are going to be taking classes, you will be able to teach yourself".  I love that line!  He had no idea how correct he was when he said that.  Much of my program is like that: self-directed learning. 
Here is a quote from Dr. David Passmore, (that ties to my grandson's words) regarding how to find and use "web-based applications that promote collaboration and cooperation":  "Figure it out!"
Thanks, Dr. Passmore. :-) 

So, off I go, trying to figure it out, while teaching myself, but also feeling grateful for the help I receive from my family, professors, friends and classmates. :-)