- Posted by zachariahyoung on July 31, 2008
In this blog post, I will describe what Twitter is and how it can be used.
Twitter is classified as a micro-blogger. By using a micro-blogger application, you can stay in touch and keep up with friends no matter what you're doing. To create a micro-blog message, you type what is called a tweet. Several interfaces have been developed to create these tweets. Probably the most commonly used interface is provided by Twitter. This is just a simple profile page that includes your previous tweets and a message box to enter your tweets along with an update button. Another method for creating tweets is by using your cell phone. You can also receive tweets from other people via instant messaging, SMS, RSS, email or through an application such as Twitterrific or Facebook.
So what are some uses for Twitter? Twitter can be used for many purposes. The main way I use it is to keep people up to date with what I'm doing. For example, I may blog about a topic and send out a tweet letting everyone know there is a new blog post.
By using Twitter at conferences, a virtual micro-community can be created. This can be used to keep everyone up to date with events going on at the conference, as well as to share new knowledge during the event. I have also witnessed Twitter being used at a conference to inform everyone about dinner plans.
Twitter can also be used as a tracking device during travel. During a few trips I've taken to Texas, I have used Twitter to keep family and friends updated of my whereabouts. In addition, I can track people's whereabouts to meet up with them during the weekend.
Hopefully you have learned a little bit about what Twitter is and how it can be used. Hope to see you on Twitter soon.
- Posted by zachariahyoung on July 29, 2008
Moodle is a course management system that creates an organic learning environment. The organic aspect of this environment is created by learners and facilitators Moodle is an open source application written in PHP. This means that anyone who downloads and installs this application may modify the source code for their convenience. This organic learning environment is created using a learning theory called social constructionism. Now don't be afraid of the last two sentences, it took me several months to come to understand what this learning theory was all about. In this post I'll try to explain how the technologies within Moodle create this organic learning environment.
First let's explain what social constructionism really means. Social constructionism is a learning theory that requires the learner to construct knowledge as they are learning. An example of this would be a learner reading a document and then blogging about what they learned. The real power comes when several people read the same document and then blog about what each of them has learned. Then others can see what you have learned as well as what others have learned.
So how does Moodle create this organic learning environment? By using a technology called Web 2.0. Web 2.0 allows a user to update content on the Web without having a HTML editing program. Before Web 2.0, web pages were static and usually updated only by a webmaster. When an instructor creates a Moodle course, he or she has the option of adding activities. Some of the following activities can be included: assignment, chat, choice, feedback, forum, wiki and blogs. Each one of these activities can be used by a learner to provide constructed knowledge.
In closing, Moodle has been compared to a Swiss Army knife. By using an approach like Web 2.0, learners are able to construct and share knowledge within a social setting with other learners.
- Posted by zachariahyoung on July 29, 2008
I was quizzing someone the other day on the periodic table of elements. Somehow I stumbled over this website and thought I would share. This simple website has a video for each of the elements. Check it out!!!
http://periodicvideos.com/#
- Posted by zachariahyoung on July 24, 2008
Today in the mail I received a copy of Dragon Naturally Speaking. My hope is that I can create blog posts using speech recognition. The version of the software that I received was the preferred edition. In this blog post, I will outline a few of the key features that the software provides.
Since most people speak about 120 words per minute, Dragon Naturally Speaking will allow you to create blog posts three times faster. Most people can only type about 40 words per minute.
Another cool feature of Dragon is the ability to read text back. This is another way for people to proofread their work.
Lastly one of the key benefits that Dragon Naturally Speaking software claims is 99% accuracy. This is only if you speak clearly into the microphone. But I think it will help me with spelling difficult words.
- Posted by zachariahyoung on July 4, 2008
In this post, I want to outline the steps for announcing a Northwest Arkansas Dot Net User Group meeting. There are several steps involved and “flow” which needs to be followed. This blog post will include the two event formats, i.e., detailed format and short format. It will also include where the events should be published and how we announce the events to members.
- Contact the speaker and confirm that he or she will speak at the event. The speaker could be a INETA, regional or local speaker. After you have confirmed with the speaker the date and location. You will need to ask for the topic title, description and his/her bio. This information will be used in the two event formats.
- After you have gathered the information from the speaker, you can create the detailed event format. This format will be used on the user group site and in the email notification that goes out to everyone from CodeZone. It should include an introduction, title, description, presenter, swag, when, where, a link to NetMeeting session, add to calendar links create from spaces.live.com events and the link to RSVP on CodeZone. Click on this event in the user group site for an example.
The below could be used as the template. Just fill in the TBD.
FILL IN INTRO
Title: TBD
Description: TBD
Presenter: TBD
Swag: TBD
When:
Date
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM - Sign in; Free Food; Networking
6:30 PM - 6:45 PM - Intro and general group info
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM - Presentation
7:45 PM - 8:00 PM - Drawings for prizes
Where:
The Jones Center
922 East Emma Avenue
Springdale, AR 72764
Room 113
NetMeeting URL: TDB
Meeting ID: TDB
Entry Code: TDB
Add to your calendar TDB (created from spaces.live.com events)
Click here to RSVP on CodeZone!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The next format will be a shorter version of the above format. This will be what is sent to the community calendars, added to the description on code zone, and sent into MSDN Flash Newsletter. Most importantly this format will include a snipr link to details of the event on our user group site. This format should include Who, When, Where, Speaker Name, Title and the snipr link for more details and to RSVP. Below is a sample version that can be used.
The Northwest Arkansas Dot Net User Group will meet from 5:30 to 8:00 PM August 5 at Jones Center 922 East Emma Avenue Springdale, AR 72764 Room 113. Steve Walker will talk about "SharePoint Development: It’s all about the Features." This is a free event and RSVP is required . For more information, contact Zach Young at officers@nwadnug.org, or for more details and to RSVP go to http://snipr.com/2tw77.
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After the formats have been written up, you should start posting the event information on the user group site and CodeZone. Starting with the user group site first, you need to create an event in the calendar.
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Enter the Title name from full detail event format and prefix it with NWA DNUG.
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Enter the Start and End times.
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Importance is always set to HIGH.
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The Category will be User Group Meeting
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Next copy the TBD format above and fill in what you have completed. Different officers may complete each section. Also do not check Send Reminder or Allow Enrollment. We will send out reminders from CodeZone, which will provide an enrollment link to CodeZone. Since we receive swag from CodeZone based on attendance at our meetings, we track everything on CodeZone. Also CodeZone provides an online attendance form, which is really cool.
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The last part is including a link back to CodeZone for RSVP. In the next step, I explain the process of setting up an event on CodeZone. After you have created that event, you will need to come back and include the link back to this event in the user group site. One thing to remember is that since your are a co-leader you will not be able to click to the “Register for event” page. After the event is created on CodeZone it will include an event id. Write this down or copy if from the URL. The url for the “Register for event” page is the following http://www.codezone.com/UGEventView.CodezoneCom?EventID=????. With this URL, replace the question marks with your new event id from CodeZone. Then just make Click here to RSVP on CodeZone!!!!!!!!!!!! in the user group event point back to CodeZone so everyone can RSVP.
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Click the update button at the bottom to create the event. Next you should create a snipr url of this event. This will be included on the short version of the event format. Copy this URL for CodeZone event setup.
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Now open up CodeZone and create the event there. Sign-in and click on our user group. On the right side of the page you should see Add New Event. Below are the steps to follow.
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You can copy the same title from the user group site to Event Title on CodeZone.
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The URL will contain the snipr link back to the user group event. This will contain all the details of the event.
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Enter the start and end times.
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The the location information. The Jones Center 922 East Emma Avenue Springdale, AR 72764 Room 113
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For the description copy the short format event. This will also include the snipr link back to the user group site.
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Next pick the language and technology options.
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Go back and update the user group site with the link back to this event to RSVP.
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Double check that all links work.
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After you have published the event in both the user group site and code zone, mark your calendar because you will want to announce the event to the user group members and to the community calendar. You should start this process about three weeks out. Most of the papers will not take events without a two weeks’ notice. We also like to remind the members at this time as well. Following are the steps for the announcement.
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Double check with the speaker about speaking. Sometimes events are planned months ahead.
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Send emails to the community calendars. You can send one email using the short event format. Some allow you to post the event on their website. Refer back to my post on who to send the event to.
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Within CodeZone find the event and click on Notify Users. Select all members and move them to the right. In the message you should copy the detail event format into the message. Leave the “Please accept or decline the invitation.” statement. This allows the member to accept the event. Everything else can be removed if needed. You can send the notification to yourself to review.
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Next the short event format should be submitted to MSDN flash.
In closing, this may be a long list of steps but after doing it a couple of times it will be easy. You can always refer back to this post for help.
- Posted by zachariahyoung on July 4, 2008
One of my goals for the .Net User Group was to identify all the community calendars in Northwest Arkansas. My list started with a discussion with Cindy Ragan. She is an officer of AITP. We were talking about contacts that she knew and how to submit events to the papers.
So I started researching to see if I could find any more in the area. Below is the list of contacts I have found at this point. This list will be a working list. As I find more I will add to this list. If you know of any others, please submit a comment to this blog and I will include it.
Cindy suggested keeping it simple when sending in event information. You should state what, where and when. Also you should include the cost. Since most papers have limited spacing, I recommend including a snipr link to more details and RSVP. Below is a sample that could be used.
The Northwest Arkansas Dot Net User Group will meet from 5:30 to 8:00 PM August 5 at Jones Center 922 East Emma Avenue Springdale, AR 72764 Room 113. The topic will be "SharePoint Development: It’s all about the Features." This is a free event and RSVP is required . For more information, contact Zach Young at officers@nwadnug.org, or for more details and to RSVP go to http://snipr.com/2tw77.
