E-Portfolio Cover Letter

Deidra Darst

12/11/07

 Throughout the fall semester of 2007 I have completed the Communication Disorders 315 course.  Evidence of my work has been maintained on this weblog.  By completing the course assignments I successfully completed the learner outcomes outlined in the course syllables.  I will attempt to answer the question, “What knowledge and skills have I acquired as a result of participating in this course?”  This semester’s assignments and projects have produced conceptual and technical developments within my academic knowledge base. 

Learner Outcomes:  Conceptual (C)

1.  …acquire knowledge of the various conceptions of literacy in the 21st century.

Completion of this course has led me to acquire knowledge of the various conceptions of literacy in the 21st century.  August 20, 2007 I wrote “reading, writing, and engaging in meaningful communications with others improves my literacy skills” (class prompt, 20 August).  The first week of class introduced me to the various types of literacy:  photo-visual skills, reproduction skills, branching skills, information skills and socio-emotional skills (Amichai-Hamburger & Eshet-Alkali, 2004).  “The knowledge obtained from this course, either through the course material or technological knowledge gained, will aid in molding me into a more competent, and literate, citizen” (week one).  Through numerous articles I have been introduced to, studied, and learned about the many conceptions of literacy in the 21st century.  Technological advances have led to a broadened definition of literacy in today’s world. 

2.  …acquire knowledge of what constitutes acceptable sources and resources within a profession and in the 21st century.

I completed an I-Search Paper about facilitating reading literacy skills in bilingual first graders.  Through this process I learned how to find credible, reliable, and valid sources of information.  It is important utilize credible sources, especially within one’s professional endeavors.  During week 7 Mrs. McComas required the class to evaluate the website betterdogfood.com.  This site, while appearing user-friendly, interesting, and legitimate, is not a credible source.  “I did not find the information to be very valuable.  I could not even determine what the site was really about!  The site is lacking in informative content, is disorganized and very confusing” (week 7).  To quote the well-known cliche “you can’t judge a book by its cover.”  Information cannot be judged based soley on appearances.  The sources must be credible, information must be complete and accurate, and reliable. 

3. …acquire knowledge of the professional issues relating to literacy within the ASHA Scope of Practice.

As a future speech-language pathologist I must understand issues relating to literacy within the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association’s Scope of Practice.  As the field of speech-language pathology grows to include such issues as swallowing, language, speech, fluency, hearing, and voice, literacy has been added to the repetoire of the practicing clinical professional.  “Issues of literacy are just one facet of the speech-language pathologist’s expanding scope of practice” (week 9). 

4.  …acquire knowledge of the forms of inquiry associated with evidence based practice.

Evidence based practice has been defined by a joint committee of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association as “an approach in which current, high-quality research evidence is integrated with practitioner expertise and client preferences and values into the process of making clinical decisions”  (ASHA Position Statement, 2005).  In order to effectively implement a strategy of evidence based practice, one must consult and study research findings.  Only by studying available information collected by other professionals and experts can one truly learn from other’s actions and studies.  With clinical experience also comes clinical expertise.  Finally, speech-language pathologists must take into consideration the values of the client in order to provide exemplory services to patrons.  The course assignments in this class have encouraged me to search for and interpret research materials made available to me. 

While learning the aforementioned concepts of literacy I have also improved specific technical skills. 

Learner Outcomes:  Technical (T)

1.  …prepare for and participate in class discussions and activities.

I have participated in face-to-face conversations as well as live web-chats this semester.  The first week of this semester our CD 315 class engaged in a face-to-face discussion regarding our thoughts and concerns about literacy.  During week 7 the entire class met via a virtual meeting.  We interviewed Katie McComas, a speech-language pathologist in Lexington, KY (and also the daughter of our professor, Mrs. McComas!).  “The virtual class meeting this week was a great experience.  I enjoyed being able to connect with my classmates, professor and guest speaker from the comfort of my home.  It was a very convenient way to have a class meeting” (week 7).  A week 8 assignment required small group discussions as well as a class discussion regarding copyright laws.  “We questioned the legality of particular actions, discussed the stringent copyright laws, and debated the reasoning behind copyright laws.  Overall, my group’s discussion was imformative, productive, and interesting” (week 8).  In order for these group interactions to be successful planning was a key component.  The first day of class required planning on Mrs. McComas’ part, organizing the course, determining her area of concentration, and facilitating our class discussion.  The virtual meetings required all participants to plan ahead.  I had to organize my thoughts and utilize time wisely. 

2.  …develop strategies for effectively planning and completing independent work (meeting both the letter and spirit of the work, not just the letter of work) in a timely manner.

Most of the course assignments required me to work independently in order to produce a final product.  In each weekly memo I stated my plans and intentions to create exemplory work in a timely manner.  “ My personal goals in regard to CD 315 this week were to convey the knowledge I gained by completing the weekly assignments with thoughtful consideration.   And, as always, I wanted to complete my assignments before the due date” (week 8).  While my goal is always to achieve the best grade possible, I also strive to complete projects to the best of my abilities.  This requires strategic planning, contemplation about the given assignment, and effectivetime management skills.   

3. …use practical thinking (solve problems and make decisions), critical thinking (analysis and evaluation), and creative thinking (imagining and creating) to complete an inquiry project focused on a disciplinary issue relating to literacy.

     a.  Question:  Students will formulate researchable and practical questions.

     b.  Collection:  Students will gather informaiton and resources relevant to their question.

     c.  Selection:  Students will critically analyze and evaluate information and resouces for validity.

     d.  Reflection:  Students will reflect on appropriate resources.

     e.  Connection:  Students will make connections between resources (text-to-text).

     f.  Publication:  Students will publish the results of their research in a multimedia form.

The outline above describes the measures taken to complete my I-Search Paper and Microsoft Movie Maker presentation.  In week 9 I began utilizing my problem solving skills to make decisions about my research topic.  I had to consider what I found interesting, important, and pertinent to the field of speech-language pathology.  During the formulation of my question I had to formulate “researchable and practical questions.”  This process led me to my foundation and essential questions that can be found within my I-Search Paper.  I then set out to gather credible sources in which to reference my research.  I then analyzed and evaluated the sources that I collected.  Through this process I verified the validity of my sources and reflected upon them.  This process allowed me to make connections amongst all of my resources to find similarities and differences.  I publish my I-Search Paper on my weblog, and then created a multimedia presentation to showcase my work on a visual and audible format.  The Movie Maker project, which can be accessed through my weblog, required imagination and creativity.  I had to visualize a presentation of my project and make it a reality. 

4. …demonstrate enhanced communication skills and strategies, using the discourse of the discipline, in both oral and written formats.

 The first class meeting I wrote about the importance of intentional communication in improving my literacy skills.  Now that I have a broader definition of the term “literacy” I understand the wide array of modes of communication and interaction.  During week 2 I wrote “I was surprised to learn that the Internet was so small in its infancy. I cannot remember a time of a “limited Internet” in my years as a user.”  The Internet is such a great way to communicate, whether through email, RSS feeds, weblogs, wikis, or search engines.  I have communicated orally via live class meetings, through narration of my Movie Maker presentation, and through interactions with classmates.  Written work is readily present here on my weblog. 

5. …participate and collaborate, synchronously and asynchronously, in online professional communities.

Throughout the semester I registered for numerous profession email lists in order to receive information pertinent to my research project.  I had little success collaborating via online professional communities in this manner.  However, I did have great success interacting with those users of the flickr.com community.  While searching for pictures to use for my multimedia presentation I asked for permission to use pictures (all the while abiding by creative commons laws).  Many individuals were very forthright with their images, and several even offered their advice and expertise concerning my project.  I was surprised at their willingness to help a stranger; it proved to me that some people truly do wish to help others in need. 

6. …demonstrate self-confident interdependence in multiple digital spaces and with multiple forms of media. 

The particular skill and self-confidence mentioned in this final learner outcome is one that required me to become more comfortable navigating through cyberspace.  “I have also learned that I might have to seek information on my own and that everything I will ever need to know will not necessary be spoon-fed to me in college (as I used to think!)  As a citizen it is important for me to know and understand the things going on around me” (week 11 memo).  I must be confident in my abilities to work “in multiple digital spaces and with multiple forms of media.”  When I encountered problems I was prepared to ask for assistance.  I often consulted my professor and classmates in order to overcome obstacles throughout the semester.  I believe that I have developed self-confidence in the realm of the digital world, and this is evidenced by my work presented on this weblog. 

A12.4: Participation Memo

Deidra Darst

11/11/07

Aims and Objectives:

 My personal goals with regard to this course were to help my classmates Megan and Kelli by proofreading and commenting on their I-Search drafts, completing a bit more research on my own topic, and to tweak my I-Search paper.  I needed to spend alot of time on my own paper because my draft was far from where I want my final version to be on the due date!  I went out of town this weekend, and knew that I could not spend any time working on my paper on Friday or Saturday.  I have an Aural Rehabilitation exam this coming Thursday, and I need to devote much of my time in the coming week to studying for it. 

Declarative Knowledge:

I learned about socio-emotional literacy this week.  I found a few articles discussing this type of digital literacy, and considered its implications in today’s educational curricula.  My study into this topic also showed me that sociology and psychology have found their way into literally every facet of my life!  I also learned more about bilingualism and reading skills during the completion of my I-Search Paper.  I found that learning to read is a daunting task for young children, and bilingual children have an even greater challenge ahead of them.  The more research I do on this topic, the more I realize that I don’t know much it!

Procedural Knowledge:

On Monday night we had a class meeting in a computer lab on campus.  We watched two Movie Maker presentations.  Afterwards, we looked at the program and talked about how it works.  I fiddled with the program for a few minutes, and while this did not really teach me how to use it, I did learn the basics of it.  I learned that by clicking and dragging pictures I can add visual components to my presentation.  I also learned how to add transitions from one “slide” to another.  Movie Maker is a fairly straightforward program that our class has affectionately dubbed “a jacked-up PowerPoint.” 

Conditional Knowledge:

The knowledge and skills that I gained this week will undoubtedly be helpful in the coming weeks of this course.  I will be using my knowledge about bilingualism and reading skills will aid me in writing my I-Search paper.  My prodedural knowledge about Movie Maker will come into play when I begin to summarize my I-Search paper in a 150-300 word, 3-5 minute-long presentation as a requirement for this course.  In completing this project, I have gained knowledge that could one day aid me in clinical situations.  I have learned a great deal about the bilingual population and of their particular hardships when it comes to reading.  As I have stated in numerous participation memos this semester, this information has added to my “well-roundedness.”  I am learning about the world around me, issues concerning other populations, and becoming a well-informed citizen. 

 

A11.3: Week 11 Participation Memo

 

Deidra Darst
11/4/07

Aims and Objectives: 
My personal goal with regard to this week of CD 315 was to complete a draft of my I-Search Paper.  I set out to do most of my work during the weekend .  I set out to do this because I had a CD424 Diagnostics test on Thursday and knew that it would consume most of my time during the week.  I wanted to devote several hours to working on my draft of the paper, so I thought that the weekend would be a good time to do that.  I am actually writing some of this memo on Friday night so I can spend the rest of my ‘designated CD315 time’ working on my research and the I-Search Paper. 

Declarative Knowledge: 

I learned more about branching literacy skills, which in turn, taught me something about my own digital literacy skills.  I learned that branching literacy skills are necessary for one to successfully navigate the non-linear worlds such as the World Wide Web.  I learned that my abilities could improve in this particular area.  I often have difficulty staying oriented during my research endeavors within the digital realm.  I also learned more about my research topic, facilitating reading skills in the second language of bilingual first grade students.  I found several websites and journal articles that presented interesting studies conducted with this population. 

Procedural Knowledge:  

I learned how to complete an I-Search Paper.  While I had been given the instructions several weeks ago, I did not really look at them until this week.  Besides, the best way to learn how to do something is to do it!  The process is as follows:  introduce your research question, provide the information you obtained during the research process, answer the question based on the information you found, and cite the sources you referenced. 

Conditional Knowledge:
The knowledge I gained this week has been quite helpful in the completion of my project for CD315.  I could also utilize this knowledge if I am ever asked to complete an I-Search paper again.  I also learned that I need to improve my branching literacy skills; by doing so, I could make my life much easier.  This week’s assignments have benefitted me as a student.  I am in the process of learning how to complete a research project in a new way.  By learning how to do something in a different manner I am forced to think and act outside of my “comfort zone,” which ultimately makes me a better learner.  As a pre-professional I have found this project beneficial.  I have learned more about a population that often requires the services of a speech-language pathologist.  I have also learned that I might have to seek information on my own and that everything I will ever need to know will not necessary be spoon-fed to me in college (as I used to think!)  As a citizen it is important for me to know and understand the things going on around me.  Bilingualism is an important issue in this country, and I think eveyone would benefit from learning about it. 

 

A10.4: Week 10 Participation Memo

Aims and Objectives: 
My personal goal this week with regard to CD 315 was to locate and read research articles concerning bilingualism and its relation to learning to read in the second language.  I set out to read a few articles each day.  While reading the articles I wanted to highlight important points and make some notes about connections I was making with other sources.  I also wanted to see where my findings were leading me and find more sources if necessary.  I set out to do this because I wanted to get started on my project.  The draft of my paper is due in a couple of weeks, and I want to have enough background information in order to complete my project.

Declarative Knowledge: 

This week I learned alot about bilingual children in the United States.  About 5.5 million students in this country are considered English Language Learners (ELLs).  The research process is returning many teaching strategies that have been implemented to aid these students.  As I had previously assumed, much more research is needed in this area.  This population is often overlooked due a lack of funds or lack of teacher and adminstrative education in the area of bilingualism and second language learning.  I have learned that speech-language pathologists can have a great influence on the reading skills of these children.  From first-language maintenance, to family and teacher education, and to direct teaching strategies, the speech-language pathologist can truly facilitate reading skills in the second language of these children. 

Procedural Knowledge:  

As far as procedural knowledge goes, I did not really learn how to do anything this week.  I have been practicing (and hopefully improving!) my researching skills. 

Conditional Knowledge:

The knowledge I am gaining during the completion of this CD 315 project could possibly aid me in my future career as a speech-language pathologist.  If I ever have the opportunity to work with bilingual children, I can call upon the knowledge that I learned my senior year of undergrad! 

As a student and pre-professional, the information is obviously important in that it is preparing me to work with this population.  However, I am able to make a connection between the research process and my particular mindset.  Honestly, prior to beginning research on this topic, I thought, “I will just read enough articles to complete the minimum requirement for the project.  I don’t really care if or what I learn from it.”  After reading some articles I have found this topic to be extremely interesting!  I am actually enjoying the research process, and I can say that this is a first for Yours Truly!  I can imagine myself possibly working with this population someday, and that excites me!  So, my “connection of material to me as a student” this week is this:  the research process can actually change one’s mindset, and you can learn interesting information!  As a citizen, I think it is important to stay educated and up-to-date on things happening in your world.  I believe that if everyone was educated about bilingualism in this country, this population would receive the attention that they need in order to thrive. 

A9.4: Week 9 Participation Memo

Deidra Darst

10/21/07

Aims and Objectives: 
My personal goal with regard to this week of CD 315 was to complete my assignments by Sunday.  I wanted to spend most of my Sunday afternoon finding research articles and working on my Object Box project for CD 424.  I set out to do this because I will have a very busy week ahead and want to get a good start on my CD 315 research project.   

Declarative Knowledge: 

This week I learned more about photo-visual literacy.  Aphek’s website about this type of literacy provided postive and negative views towards adapting educational curricula to meet the standards of technology.   I will spend the rest of my day researching my research question, and I hope to learn much about facilitating reading literacy skills in the second language of bilingual preschool children. 

Procedural Knowledge:  

This week I learned how to tweak my research question in order to have the best research results.  Mrs. McComas helped me narrow my question more than I had already done.  In order to do this, I had to think about what I wanted to learn from the completion of this project.  I considered my research question – “How can speech-language pathologists help to improve English literacy skills in bilingual children?”  Because ”English literacy” was too broad, I decided that I really wanted to understand how children learn to read in their second language.  I think that speech-language pathologists can help facilitate these literacy skills.  My current research question is “How can speech-language pathologists help facilitate the development of literacy skills necessary for reading in the second language of bilingual preschool children?” 

Conditional Knowledge:
The knowledge I gained this week is improving my research skills.  It is also aiding me in creating a more researchable question.  As a student I need to have knoweldge about photo-visual literacy skills because they constitute an important facet of my learning situations.  As a pre-professional, it has been brought to my attention the potential for learning that exists via photo-visual literacy skills.  I could one day use this knowledge to help facilitate learning for my future clients.  As a citizen, I can use photo-visual literacy to further increase my knowledge base. 

 

A8.6 Week 8 Participation Memo

Deidra Darst

10/10/07

Aims and Objectives:

My personal goals in regard to CD 315 this week were to convey the knowledge I gained by completing the weekly assignments with thoughtful consideration.   And, as always, I wanted to complete my assignments before the due date.  I set out to complete at least two assignments in one sitting.  I started the assignments on Monday as soon as I saw that they were posted on the CD 315 website.  I hoped to complete all the work before the weekend.  I set out to do this because I plan on completing some work in my other classes this weekend, and wanted to make sure that I had plenty of time to concentrate on this course’s material.  Here I sit on Wednesday evening, completing my CD 315 week eight assignments.  Finished on Wednesday – I think this is a new record for me! 

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned about digital literacy again.  I reread the article Experiments in Digital Literacy and applied the concepts to my life.  I learned more about how the components of digital literacy are constants in my everyday activities.  I also learned about APA formatting this week.  I read about the word “prospectus” and learned about its application in research projects, such as in my literacy-related research for this course.  I learned more about copyright laws, infringement and fair use policies during Monday night’s small group discussion on TappedIn.org. 

Procedural Knowledge:

This week I learned to do several things.  First, I learned how to edit APA citations.  I skimmed through my research resources on my wordpress.com blog and located several formatting errors.  I referenced the APA Publication Manual to determine the correct formatting.  As I read through the book I realized that I had several other errors!  I know now that I need to look more carefully at APA citations because they are more complicated that I previously thought.  This week’s assignments required me to create a “project prospectus,” a statement of a prospected plan of action regarding my research project.  To create this prospectus, I revisited my essential question and foundation questions.  I evaluated the questions and formulated a “point” that I wished to make with my findings.  I then answered some questions about the process that led me to my questions.  This challenged me to decide what I really wanted to learn from my research.  I considered the information that I so far and decided what I have learned from these sources. 

Conditional Knowledge:

This week’s information has been beneficial to me as a student, as I can utilize the knowledge gained during the remainder of this course and for the duration of my academic career.  The most pertinent knowledge that I gained this week was from the small group discussion about copyright laws.  The copyright is a powerful and useful creation that should be taken seriously.  I, as a student, must respect the works of others.  Because I cannot use works created by others I am given the opportunity to create things for myself.  The copyright comes into action here as well because my works are protected by copyright laws as well. 

 As a pre-professional I feel abliged to abide by the ASHA Code of Ethics.  The Code of Ethics states that professionals must give credit where it is due.  I cannot claim to own something that has been created by another person.  This goes hand-in-hand with copyrighting laws.  I would not think about stealing from another person regardless because I abide by my own standards and morals, but nonetheless, I will one day be representing the profession of speech-language pathology and should do so in a professional and respectable manner.

 I think this week’s copyright discussion benefitted me as a citizen.  I think everyone should be knowledgeable about copyright laws and the like.  By understanding these laws I can remain a law-abiding citizen!  The article Experiments in Digital Literacy also “spoke” to me as a citizen.  In order to be digitally literate in today’s world, an individual must have many different skills.  The digitally literate individual must be a multi-faceted, multi-talented, and have multiple intelligences (as in Gardner’s hierarchy of multiple intelligences).  It takes many skills and abilities in order to thrive in a digital society. 

A7.7: Participation Memo

Deidra Darst
10/6/07

Aims and Objectives: 
My personal goals with regard to this week of CD 315 were to complete my assignments in an exemplory manner and in a timely fashion.  I set out to start my assignments about midweek and to do at least one assignment each day.  I set out to do this because I had a pretty heavy workload this week.  I had a diagnostics test Tuesday, observation hours to clock for therapeutics lab I, and I wanted to visit with my family on Wednesday evening.  I successfully completed everything on my “to-do” list for the seventh week of the fall semester of my senior year!  As I sit here late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, I am accomplishing another goal – completing my CD 315 week 7 assignments. 

Declarative Knowledge: 

I learned about several different topics through the completion of this week’s assignments.  First, I learned about “The Three “R”s of Inquiry” in an article by Raymond McInnis.  He wrote that students must master the arts of research, reading and writing in order to successfully complete tasks of inquiry.  I also learned how to evaluate sources from the Internet; I evaluated the site betterdogfood.com by completing a set of questions from Purdue University’s library’s website.  I learned even more about evaluating online sources from the article Evaluating Information Found on the Internet.  This week’s Library Searching II assignment taught me about manipulating keywords within various databases to find pertinent information regarding my research topic.  Through Monday’s virtual meeting I learned valuable information about working with adult patients within an acute care rehabilitation center.  I learned about patient history and patient expectations and how these will guide your clinical decisions.  By registering for a social bookmarking site via del.icio.us, I learned about the process of social bookmarking and how it can aid me in my everyday web-searching adventures. 

Procedural Knowledge:  

I learned to do several things this week.  First, I learned how to interact with my classmates within a virtual meeting place.  I created an account, downloaded the necessary software, logged into tappedin.org, and joined my classmates in a designated meeting place.  I learned how to communicate with everyone via text and emoting.  I learned how to evaluate information found on the Internet.  Purdue University and Johns Hopkins University provided useful tips and strategies to consider when evaluating online sources.  For example, it is important to learn about the author and his or her background, education and expertise regarding the topic at hand.  The information itself must be assessed – is it credible?  Biased?  Current?  Verifiable?  One should also question the reliability of online information and not take it at face value.  I also learned how to use the social bookmarking site del.icio.us.com .  I created an account and read the directions about bookmarking websites.  Now, whenever I visit a site I can simply click on my “tag” button at the top of my browser and the site will be saved on my del.icio.us account.   

Conditional Knowledge:
  This week’s assignments taught me how to critically analyze and evaluate online sources.  The Internet is a great resource when it comes to research, but I need to know when I can trust information.  The documents from Purdue University and Johns Hopkins University were very beneficial as they provided me with an outline to follow when evaluating online information.   

As a student I am constantly asked to find information and present my findings in a paper or presentation of some sort.  This week I learned how to gather information by completing the Library Search II assignment.  In the process of completing my Web Evaluation assignments I learned how to analyze the information that I find.  I have read many articles this semester and many allude to the same thing; finding information is easy in today’s technologically savvy world, but interpreting, evaluating, and affixing a value to that information requires skill and practice.   

As a pre-professional I can relate to Katie’s discussion with our class on Monday night.  She talked about many field-related things:  preparing for therapy, working with different types of patients, acquiring the necessary background information, and working interdependently with other professionals.  I know that I will one day be in her position and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing a “newbie’s” point-of-view.   

This may seem a bit off-topic, but I made another meaningful connection this week.  While I have always considered myself an empathetic individual, this week truly opened my eyes.  During our discussion with Katie about patient values and goals, I realized that I am quite selfish.  While I often know and understand other peoples’ points-of-view, I often regard mine as “right.”  When a speech-language pathologist is working with a client, both the SLP’s and the client’s values are considered.  However, it is ultimately the patient’s decision to be made.  If a client does not wish to partake in speech and language therapy, that is their decision to make and not mine.  I will have to work on relinquishing power and letting others determine what is right for them.  

A5.5: Week 5 Reflection

Deidra Darst
9/22/07

Aims and Objectives: 
My personal goals this week in regard to CD 315 were to finish all of the assignments to the best of my abilities and in a timely fashion.  I set out to begin my assignments Tuesday evening.  I had a couple of tests at the beginning of the week and wanted to focus on preparing for them.  I knew that I would still have enough time to successfully complete my assignments for this course, so I did not feel rushed, but I did feel as if I had to “play catch-up.”  I always try to manage my preparation and studies skills in a hierarchial fashion, almost on a “first come, first serve” basis. 

Declarative Knowledge: 

My learnings this week focused on social bookmarking, virtual meetings and virtual worlds.  I learned that, via the utilization of these tools, I can form deeper connections with users of the Read/Write Web.  Social bookmarking allows me to bookmark and “tag” frequently visited sites and access them from a site such as del.icio.us.  This is convenient for me because the bookmarks can be used from any computer unlike the “old” bookmarking system that saves the link on a specific computer.  These bookmarks can be set to “public,” allowing anyone to view them.  This enables other users to benefit from my searches and interesting, thus connecting me to other users, and connecting other users to my resources.  Virtual meetings allow people to connect to one another from various locations in real-time.  Simply by logging into the virtual meeting at the same time, users can communicate and connect despite large distances and different locations.  Lectures can be viewed in  real-time, questions can be asked and answered, and collaborative efforts can be successful.  College courses can be conducted via virtual meetings; this saves teachers and students the hassle of converging in one place without compromising the integrity of the class or the course material.  Virtual worlds create the opportunity for individuals to create and manipulate virtual worlds for avatars, or online-selves.  Virtual worlds operate on the same premise of computer games, but can offer less restrictive environments in which students can experiment and learn.   

Procedural Knowledge:  

Chapter 6 of Richardson’s text taught me how to create and search a social bookmarking webpage like del.icio.us.  To find a specific topic on this social bookmarking site, simple type the following address:  http://del.icio.us/tag/yourtaghere (Richardson, 2006).  This will direct you to others’ sites who have used this specific tag word to label one of their links.  You can also see what others are subscribing to via RSS feeds by using the following address:  http://del.icio.us/rss/tag/yourtopichere.  I learned how to create a blogline.com account and link it to my wordpress.com blog via the blogroll function.  First, I created my blogline account by registering on the site.  I then clicked on my Account link, then Blog Settings in order to set my blog to “public.”  I also created a user name on this page.  Next, I clicked on the Share link in the lower-lefthand corner.  Here I found the address for my public blogline feeds which I copied to my clipboard.  To create a link from my wordpress blog to bloglines, I had to login to my wordpress.com blog.  From there I accessed my Dashboard where I found the Blogrolls subheading.  I clicked on Add Link where I created a link to my public feeds from bloglines.com by pasting the address I copied earlier.  I had previously updated my widgets on my wordpress sidebar, so I had to change it again so my Blogroll link would be visible. 

Conditional Knowledge:
This week’s assignments provided information that can be utilized to make my online life a little easier.  I can use social bookmarking to keep track of my favorite (and beneficial) sites.  Not only can I access them, but so can anyone else who is interested.  I can take part in virtual meetings when my professors wish to make “class time” “home time” or library time.”  I could use a virtual world to practice clinical skills that I need experience with prior to becoming a certified speech-language pathologist.  I find this week’s information very beneficial as a college student.  Next week this class will be conducted via a virtual meetings, so I will undoubtedly call upon my knowledge of virtual meetings.  As a student I find myself in constant search of new information.  All of these technologies can aid me in finding and organizing information that I find on the World Wide Web.  I am willing to try anything that will make my life easier, more organized and less stressful!  As a pre-professional I must be aware of all opportunities available to me.  I need to understand how, when, why and where such technologies can be implemented to improve my existence and the life of my colleagues and clients.  Social bookmarking, virtual meetings and virtual worlds are just some facets to the information literacy movement.  I must be knowledgeable of each in order to be a productive and literate citizen. 

Richardson, W. (2006).  The social web: Learning together.  In J. Barbakow, E. Meidenbauer, J. Ward (Eds.), Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

A4.8: Week 4 Reflection

Deidra Darst
9/13/07

Aims and Objectives:

For the fourth week of CD 315, my personal goals were to complete each assignment to the best of my abilities. I began the week early Monday morning, checking the class website to see if the assignment sheet was posted; I wanted to get started as soon as possible. When I saw the workload that lay before me, I thought, “Wow, you better get to work!” I spent a lot of time in the library this week, so I decided to work on the assignments during that time. I hoped to get my CD315 work finished by Friday because I plan to take a test this weekend for my online course. I also have an aural rehabilitation test Tuesday, and I wanted plenty of time to study for it. To add to my chaotic weekend, I walk dogs at a local animal shelter on Saturdays, and I do not want to miss out on doing that. The Herd has a game against New Hampshire this weekend, and I would love to be there to cheer them on to victory! I might be busy this week, but I think that is a good thing. To quote Henry David Thoreau, “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” I hope that a bit of truth exists in those words.

Declarative Knowledge:

This week’s assignments have offered insight into Wikipedia, RSS and search engines. I learned about the workings of Wikipedia and how it can provide the most up-to-date information on a variety of topics. Wikipedia is useful to novices and experts alike. Real Simple Syndication (RSS) allows Web surfers to subscribe to feeds of personal interest. The RSS aggregator receives information when sites are updated, relieving surfers of visiting numerous sites on a daily basis. Search engines are often used by Internet users to “surf” the Web. Ironically, search engines do not surf the Web; they search databases from numerous servers. It is often necessary to utilize several search engines per query. Some sites can be located by one particular search engine, so users should not rely soley on one search engine.

Procedural Knowledge:

Chapter 5 of Richardson’s text taught me how to subscribe to sites via RSS. First, an aggregator must be set up; the World Wide Web offers several different aggregators. With the aggregator in place, the user can subscribe to any number of RSS feeds. The aggregator will receive updates, and the user can access all of the feeds in the same Internet space. I also learned how to filter and adjust my search queries in order to obtain different results on several search engines. Word order and differing word combinations will result in different “hits.”

Conditional Knowledge:

My newly gained knowledge in these various areas will be beneficial as I complete my research this semester. I know that I need to work more diligently in my attempts to find information through search engines. As I search for information relevant to my research question, I can find sites that contain an RSS link. Through the RSS feed I can have updated information sent directly to me, which will allot more time for other research tasks.  My life as a student is made easier with the use of these technologies. So much information is available through the World Wide Web that I need all the assistance I can get from the various Web tools.  As a pre-professional, I think that RSS is an extremely useful tool. As a speech-language pathologist I will need to stay abreast of the latest information, theories and technologies. RSS feeds from professional sites and blogs will keep me connected to the latest information on a variety of field-related topics.  While I find this week’s information helpful as a student and pre-professional, it is also beneficial as a citizen. Regardless of profession or interest, these Web tools can aid anyone in their information gathering through the Internet.

A3.6: Week 3 Reflection

Deidra Darst
9/6/07

Aims and Objectives:  My personal goal with regard to CD 315 this week was to successfully complete each assignment on time.  I set out to complete at least two assignments each night in order to finish everything in a timely fashion.  I knew from the beginning of the week that I wanted to attended the Marshall/WVU football Saturday morning, so I needed to finish my assignments prior to September 8th.  Due to family illnesses and the untimely death of a young man from my hometown, my plans were thrown off kilter on Monday.   I feel as if I have struggled to keep on task this week, but I still plan to finish everything before Saturday morning.  To quote Mr. Newt Gingrich, “perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”  This has just been “one of those weeks,” but I am going to make it through!

Declarative Knowledge:  This week’s assignments taught me about wikis, collaborative editing and essential questions.  I learned that wikis, web pages that anyone can edit, are more reliable than I had previously thought.  Many people edit and monitor these sites which decreases the number of incorrect and inappropriate posts.  I was also introduced to collaborative editing tools, which allow multiple users to simultaneously edit a single document.  This tools is very effective at the workplace and educational settings.  Richardson’s text explained the wiki in even greater detail.  In chapter four of his text I learned that many K-12 teachers are utilizing wikis in their classrooms.  By completing my reflection assignments, I learned about developing a research question and how to implement essential questions into the research process.  Selecting a research question, analyzing it and modifying it will simplify the process of developing a research question.  Conducting research is made more interesting and productive when essential questions are posed prior to the research process. Real life situations are considered as a basis for research, which draws the interest of the researcher, ultimately leading to a more thorough investigation and analysis of the gathered information.

Procedural Knowledge:  I learned how to create a page for our class wiki.  I used my Web browser to navigate to the class wiki site.  I created a new page by clicking “create new page,” created an account and logged in to the system.  I named my page “Deidra Darst” as instructed, selected the proper template and clicked “create new page.”  This will allow me to work collaboratively with my classmates.  I also learned how to go about developing a research question.  I can use an eight-step series of questions to guide the developmental process.

Conditional Knowledge:
The knowledge and skills that I acquired this week will be most useful throughout the remainder of the semester.  I will call upon my knowledge and understanding of wikis and other collaborative editing programs during the completion of my CD 315 projects.  I can use these skills to efficaciously complete the objectives for this course.

I can connect this week’s materials and assignments with my life as a student at Marshall University.  Group work has been prevalent in most of my collegiate-level courses.  Collaborative work was difficult in classes in which I was unfamiliar with my group mates.  I realize how much easier our lives could have been if only we had used a wiki or collaborative editing program.  We could have simultaneously contributing to our projects from the comforts of our own homes rather than meeting at the library late at night because that was the only time everyone could meet.

As a pre-professional, I must adopt these forms of technology into my daily life.  The more I know about and understand wikis, collaborative editing tools and research techniques, the more capable I will be as a speech-language pathologist.  I need to use any and all resources available to me in order to abide by ASHA’s Code of Ethics.  The Code of Ethics states that clinicians must provide services to the best of their abilities, and this means using any and all available technologies.

As a citizen, this week’s material has connections to my life.  I realized that so many technologies exist that I am unfamiliar with at this time.  I need to have extensive knowledge and skills concerning technology in order to be a productive citizen.  By increasing my digital literacy skills, I can reach my full potential as a contributor to society.