Access (Week 15)

Today we worked on our Access projects. We were introduced to many different aspects of the program and the way it works. We used this knowledge to create two different databases that could be used in the real world. The first database is an inventory list of books that we have purchased for the OAD program. The second was an inventory list of household items that we would want for insurance purposes. I found Access to be easy to use and fun to create. However, I have taken Access in the past and that is why I understood it. When I first took Access, I was very lost. This is the kind of program that once you use it a lot you begin to understand it more.

Podcasting (Week 14)

This week I worked on podcasting. I have never done any sort of podcasting before and it was very interesting to have a try at it. I found the device, itself, extremely easy to use and was comfortable with it. I feel that this would be a great tool to use in the office place, especially during meetings, conferences, and other events with a lot of information. It would be helpful to have if your boss likes to dictate to you so that you could reference whatever areas you could not get in shorthand. Plus, I like that these can be saved to the computer forever for reference at later dates. I was apprehensive at first to try the podcasting because it can be a bit uncomfortable hearing your own voice. However, I was truly pleased to learn something new today and hope I have the opportunity to podcast in the future.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking (Week 13)

Today I finished up my work with Dragon NaturallySpeaking. I composed my two memos that were required. I used the technology of Dragon to write, edit, and complete those memos. I really enjoyed working with this software and would be anxious to use it in the workplace in the future. It was very interesting to see how well the program worked and understood my voice. I was very impressed with how well it worked. I have used voice recognition software in the past and was very frustrated with the amount of time it took to fix all the mistakes that the software misinterpreted. However, with Dragon, very few mistakes were made. Next week I will start on podcasting which should present an interesting change and new challenge to learn.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking (Week 12)

Today I worked with Dragon Naturally Speaking, a voice recognition software program. I found it very interesting and easy to use. Today consisted of a lot of reading aloud and letting the software analyze my speech. I went through several tutorials in the book and worked with a lot of the different features the program offers. Next week I will continue working with Dragon Naturally Speaking and compose two memos to turn in. These memos will help describe what I've learned today and what my views are on this program. I look forward to continuing this work next week.

PALM/BLACKBERRY (Week 10)

Today we worked on our Palms and Blackberry's for the second week. Continuing to learn how to navigate and use our devices. I used a different Blackberry this week and was excited to learn that it was very simple to complete the tasks that were given to us. I like this week's Blackberry better than that of the previous week because of the size. It was more user-friendly and comfort fitted for the consumer. I find the Blackberry to be a little more accommodating as well because it incorporates the telephone with the PDA functions. Therefore, I feel that, for me, the Blackberry would be the tool that I would use.

PALM/BLACKBERRY (Week 9)

This week our group was responsible for the Palm assignments, however, I chose to experiment with the Blackberry. I have used a Palm before and was very familiar with how it works. I am currently thinking about purchasing a Blackberry and was excited to have the opportunity to see if I could work easily with it. I worked through the assignments in the books and walked through how to use the Blackberry. I found it to be very helpful and a useful tool. I find any device that can help me stay organized to be of great assistance. I am still contemplating purchasing one for myself in the very near future.

Adobe Acrobat 8 (Week 8)

Today we worked with Adobe Acrobat 8. I found this software interesting but I can't see using it often. I felt that it was good knowledge for me to aquire but it will not be a program I use a lot. A lot of the features that it offers can be done in other, simpler programs. One thing I found interesting was the measuring feature. I'm not sure exactly when I might use it, but it is a feature that I have not seen in other programs.

No School (Week 7)

We did not have class today due to the weather. We will continue our rotation next week.

Digital PC and Wacom (Week 6)

Today we worked on the PC Tablet and the Wacom. It was very interesting to learn about these tools and explore the ways they work. I found the PC Tablet to be extremely useful and interesting. I really liked the handwriting recognition feature of it because it allowed me to write directly on the computer. I can see how this would be very useful to professions such as doctors and expediters.

Digital Tools (Week 5)

Today we learned about all the digital tools that we will be working with througout this semester. We will get to explore the many uses for PDA's, digital cameras, PC Tablet, digital recorders for podcasting, and much more. I am anxious to begin learning about these tools and experimenting with the millions of possibilities they provide. Today we also learned about the rotation schedule and the way that it will work within our classroom. It should be interesting to be involved in a class where we are not all doing the same thing. Chances are that we will learn more from working in smaller groups and working together. Next week will bring new experiences as we begin our learning of all the digital tools.

Scanning (Week 4)

This week we learned everything we need to know about scanning. We learned the many different ways to scan from feeding it through the automated slot to placing it on the flatbed of the scanner. We also learned how to import those scanned documents into other applications such as Word and Excel. It was very interesting to find out how easy it was to bring these documents from the physical piece of paper to the electronic versions. My favorite part of this lesson was learning about PaperPort, which is an application that allows you to fill in a form from a scanned version. This application places fields into a scanned form for you to type into. I was very impressed with this and plan on using this in the future.

OneNote (Week 3)

Today in class we learned all about Microsoft OneNote. It was very interesting to learn that you can use it just as an electronic notebook. Placing words, documents, pictures, drawings, etc. anywhere on the page that you would like. By using OneNote, you can alleviate all of the other programs you use and keep all information in one place. The great thing about it is that it also will sync to other programs such as Outlook, Work, Excel, and more. I think that it will be very interesting learning more about OneNote and is definitely a program I will use in the future.

Corporate View (Week 2)

This week we learned many new ways to surf the Web and search for important information. We were introduced to the textbooks accompanying website that allows us to surf a simulated Intranet and research information from it. It was interesting to see the many different ways to surf the Web and retrieve information. Also, we took a group picture in class today that is posted on Mrs. Kuceyeski's blog. I feel that I now know some great tips for surfing the Web more efficiently and quickly.

Today we're learning to upload images to accompany our text on our blogs.

Zeek 2 Sneak Peek

This week we snuck into the lab and got a peek at the new features of the upcoming Zeek 2!

Wow! You're going to be amazed at all the cool stuff that they're packing into such a small device. From first glance, the new features include:

• Social networking
• One-touch phone home
• GPS mapping

Roz Cooper, the project manager, will be announcing the new device at this year's Technorama Expo on March 18th at a special company event.

Introduction to Class (Week 1)

Today was the first day of classes and we covered many topics. We read through the syllabus and explored all of the gadgets and technology that we will be using throughout the semester. We all became familiar with how the book works and that it may take time to learn the easy way to use it because of its formatting. Also, although we are all in the same class, we will be working on different pieces of technology and projects at different points in time due to the availability of the technology. I think that I will learn a lot this semester and be introduced to some technology that I've never used before and become better skilled at those I have.