Reflections: Facebook Discussion and Blogging

Today, we started topics discussion on Facebook, one of the most popular social networking website. For this assignment, our tasks are to join DPA-EIR group on Facebook, which is founded by Ms Farida Noor, our lecturer and Nur Taqinah Kamsari, which is the creator of the group. On DPA-EIR group, Ms Farida started to posts a new topic, “Internet brings more bad influences to our youths than good influences. Do you agree? Why? Suggest one way you can use Internet for the benefits of youths today.” Most of the students in class had replied their own opinion regarding to the topic. Some agreed that internet does more bad than good, while some said that internet bring more disadvantages to youths. Other questions such as “Most of you agree that it depends on youths themselves to be influenced. As Internet is very pervasive in our lives today, what can be done if youths have been badly influenced and get affected adversely?” and “Can parental control be as effective as self-control in helping youths balance their usage of Internet and not let it run their lives?” .Different point of view was clearly pointed out  and explained through words. As a conclusion, I think started topic discussions on social networking sites is another new and fun way of e-learning, whereby students can make full use of internet facilities to chat and discuss topics.

From the blog activity, I think it is quite efficient and useful because through blogging, students can update the information and what they learnt in school on their personal blog. Meantime, blog can be acts as an online diary, students can update their status and daily activities on the blog.  Besides that, frequent posts and update on their learning activity in school can help to monitor the developments and track progress on their studies, therefore allow students to remember what they have learnt and apply them for future purposes.  

Reflections: Site Feeds and Wiki Collaborative Work

During the long weekend, I spent some time learning on how to site feed my friend’s blogs to my blogspot. The instructions provided on the worksheet was somehow applicable to old version of Blogger, but in the new version of Blogger, all these tasks has became easier. By simply clicking on the Edit Layout pages, users can just add a new widget and choose RSS to feed other websites or blogs. This function is useful especially if the users have more than one blog or wants to keep up-to-date with certain websites. In my cases, on my blogger homepage I will be notified whenever my friends’s blog has new entry.

Blog: My Friends RSS Site Feeds on the Right Bar

For the wiki wetpaint exercise, my research topic was The Trends and Developments of Genetically Modified Food. Therefore, I used Google as my default platform to search for the articles and information related. After the results was found, I read through the whole wiki articles first before I edit and insert the information I retrieved. 

Research 38: Trends and Developments of Genetically Modified Food

Information that I retrieved: Labeling of GM Foods

From this exercise, Wiki is a good platform for users to collaborate ideas and information in order to let readers know what is exactly GM foods and how does they develop. In the meantime, when we read through the whole wiki documents, we will learn more about the facts on the topic, which may not retrieved by us. So, it acts as a learning platform whereby users can learn new things and gain knowledge every time they browse through the whole articles because every time users can add new piece of infos that they found.

Reflections: SecondLife Virtual Shopping Spree

During the virtual shopping session in SecondLife, I visited MIA (Men In Action), a shops which sells action costumes and the designs are very daring and special. Some suits and clothes resembles clothes that some kind of warrior and superheroes of uniform. Although there are lot of costumes and clothes inside the shop, but most of them are quite expensive. Due to the facts that I just started this game a few days ago, so far I have not earn any money during the session in SecondLife, so mainly this trip was purely "window shopping".

Outside of the MIA. Different shop lots are available in MIA island.

Other shops that was available on MIA island.
 Walking around MIA island.

Ground Base: Some accessories and chains were
available in the shop for purchase. 

Walking towards first floor. ( LOL....The costume on the left
resembles the one from the movie character, Ghost Rider)

Browsing costumes on the first floor. ( Old school and
 classic design, hmmm.. will looks nice if I'm able to try them on!)

Walking around on second floor. (Not much design was
featured on third floor compared to first floor, different
 screenshots and views are available for each costume design)

Purchasing Screen. (The price of a costume costs about L$ 563)

Reflections: Google vs Google Scholar

Today, Ms Faridah teaches us how to perform searches in Google more effectively. For instance, shortlist all the keywords that is related to the research topic and then find out different variations of the keywords, e.g. trends may carry the same meaning with movements and directions. Then she introduces us to Boolean operators so the results will match as closed as what we wants. 

For the next activity, we perform the searches in Google and Google Scholar. Features and search results was then interpreted for comparison between two of them. I found that the Google is much general and there are lot of informations found related to the topic. The search functions offered by Google was quite impressive as well. About 306,000 results was retrieved by Google in less than 40 seconds. Whereby Google Scholar is much more relevant for educational purpose, with mostly articles and news. Although the speed was faster compare to Google search, but the results matched was only about 109,000. Not to say disappointing, because the results found is more relevant to this topic as it was a topic being discussed and debated quite a lot of times before and has become a general topic. In this situation, I think Google Scholar is more suitable compared to Google.

VS

Reflections: Internet Search Facilities 1

Today Ms Faridah gives us a list of research topic for us to choose. At first it was quite confusing what to do and after find out with the lecturer, then I know that each of us are supposed to select one topic and then use that topic for the research and final portfolio. Every students have to tell the lecturer their selected topics based on first come first served. Lol....I was slow when deciding the topic and end up choose the topic "Discuss the trend and developments of genetic modified food industry" . I think this topic is more suitable because I've read some articles related to GM food before and already have some basic knowledge of the topic during secondary school.

After the topic were chosen, then we started on research process. Mainly we use Google as our search engine for this research. The search results was then further categorized into 4 category, namely organizational website, blog, e-journal and discussion forum. Besides that, the categorized results was then further interpreted with their purpose/s. For example, DebateWise.org, this website mainly provide information and advocacy. This is because the website lets users to login and post their comments before the voting of the best comment regarding to the topic begins.This task was quite easy for me as I already have basic knowledge on website and internet facilities. So I think it's not a big trouble to me...haha.

Okay, that's all for today. Will talk about it more again.