Promoting Digital Citizenship (Reflection #12)

So week 12 has finally arrived; my last post for my ADED online course and my last program at Brock University, I am finally graduating! And with that being said I know for a fact that I will be using online tools that I have learned from taking this course along with a new perspective of the Internet and my role within it as a Digizen.

I can remember prior to this class I have searched my full name on Google and at the very least would see a direct link to my Facebook page or Twitter account, that was about it. Now my footprint and network have expanded; I now see links to my Scoop.it account, Linkedin, my blog, a more professional Twitter, and Pintrest. And behind Google Search, my PLE has evolved. Feedly is my daily newspaper, I love how simple and organized it is; from now on if I ever need someone to go over any work - I support GoogleDocs/Slides all the way. I really like how there is a history of alterations and who made them and that I can work from any computer because of its ability to store things online into a 'cloud'.

I have learned that to be a positive digital citizen you need to be aware of ones digital etiquette and consideration of other users, appropriate communication, your digital security and protection, and digital law. To go against these elements could mean the increase of Cyberbullying, stolen identity from a hacker,or even time in prison for copyright reasons. However if you are conscious of these elements not only do you leave a positive footprint that others can reflect upon but depending on your profession or knowledge that you are passionate about expressing you can open the doors to learning as an online citizen through communication and exploring.

Thanks to this course I also truly understand the importance of citing or referencing others work online, even if it's just a simple image or personal blog post. After going through the process of creating my own blog, slideshows or word bubbles, I would hate to think that somewhere, someone is using my work - and depending on the work it may not be correct. So not only would that person be stealing my piece, there is the chance of it being shared then misinterpreted. As a frequent Tumblr user I am always going to double check to make sure the images I use always has a source or reference, and that if I create and share something I will definitely refer back to Creative Commons or Fair Dealing.
Hopefully other online users will take notice and consider doing the same as well.

To all ADED classmates and Dave -
Fair well fellow Badgers, and I wish you all a warm and enjoyable summer!

Kylee C
Brock Badger est. 2010-2015

Dino. (March 19 2013). St. Patricks day Brock style. [Image]. http://www.brocku.ca/blogs/futurestudents/2013/03/19/st-patricks-day-brock-style/

More Synthesizing, Remixing, & Creating: Webcasting (Reflection #11)

I cannot believe it, Week 11 down and just one more to go! This week I explored various webcasting tools such as iTunes/Podcast, Soundcloud, Screenr, and Youtube. I have explored all those in the past so navigating through them was simple, however I had never heard of Screenr - which is essentially a screencaster. I thought in order to capture your computer screen on video you would have to download expensive special equipment, but thats not the case thanks to sites like Screenr and Jing. I think screencasters are an excellent tools to include to ones PLE, especially if you are not tech-savvy. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to rely on YouTube and screencastes to fix my computer, to understand how programs work, or even checking out walk-through's of videogames. Screencasts are great for teaching others whether it be for academic or entertainment purposes.

I feel asthough these creative knowledge tools (SoundCloud, Garageband, and Screenr) are different collaborative tools such as GoogleDocs or Evernote due to the fact that they are more intimate based tools. What I mean when I say intimate is that the creative knowledge is typically coming from a single producer. For example a lot of Podcast's have a single host who shares information they are passionate about or are experts in. Creative knowledge tools also tend to not have the same sharing abilities as collaborative tools.  With tools such as Evernote you are able to invite others to edit you work, you cannot do this with most creative tools, the host (or guests) must be present during the recording process.

Throughout this course I have been asked to create multiple web 2.0 tools, all in which have to do with sharing knowledge with the rest of the world wide web; Animoto, Blogger, Pintrest, Twitter, Bubbl.us, etc... By creating multiple pieces and sharing them publically online I have learned the true importance of having a 'clean' digital-footprint as a responsible digitalcitizen and also the fun in communicating with others that share the same interests online and learning from them. With that, I am happy to have had the chance to explore CreativeCommons lisencing, i'm somewhat of a private person so I am relieved to know that if in the future I publish work online I can create a free lisence to protect my work.

On my Feedly a mini article popped up sharing 197 Digital Learning Channels; TEDTalk's, Astronomy, Science, New Station's, or general knowledge videos. I felt that this article was rather relevant for this week's topic, Podcasts or sites like YouTube are advancing when it comes to sharing knowledge. Most universities have lectures posted online for free - what an advantage this generation has at learning more about the world. It's unbelievable: Teaching With Youtube.

Angresultadotcom. YouTube Logo. [Image].  http://media.photobucket.com/user/angresultadotcom/profile. 

Creative Commons Lisence

The Brock Badger by Kylee Clifford is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Synthesizing, Remixing, & Creating (Reflection #10)

In Week 10 of ADED 1P32 our primary focus was to understand Canada's Copyright Act, and how to cite images properly. Our project was to create a slideshow using copyright-friendly images found on various Web 2.0 tools such as Flickr, Creative Commons, and Advanced Google Search. These websites provide free copyright licenses for you to either share your work or use others for educational or reporting purposes.

 I noticed that with online tools such as Animoto with the combination of copyright-friendly images it can create not only educational pieces but more personal shows (be sure to properly reference each image!). Animoto is another online slideshow/movie generator so it is perfect for students creating presentations since they can access their project from any computer, an excellent PLE due to its portability. Students can work stress free knowing that their presentation is saved through the web and will not have to worry about where their USB key went. However, I would not use this tool for Collaborative work, unlike GoogleSlides or Evernote you cannot invite a partner via email to assist in the completion of the show. A group account would have to be created and there would be no history of who changed any content. By creating an image-based presentation I was able to practice citing images properly. I have always been a strong supporter of referencing other peoples work, especially images (since it is not something that is commonly done). Image based 2.0 websites such as Tumblr lack proper imagery citation, now that I know how to reference accurately this will be something that I always do - and hopefully other users will pick up the habit.

I came across an article on my Feedly titled Do Students Understand Plagiarism. At first I was shocked with the amount of students that were caught plagiarizing, but then it had me wondering out of the sum of students cheating, how many of them truly just did not know how to cite accurately. The article did not say, but I am aware of how often citation formats (APA, MLA) change, it makes me wonder if in some cases just a couple of students genuinely made an error. Let me know what you think :)

Dombers, Christopher. (9 June, 2011). The battle of copyright. [image]. http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:THE_BATTLE_OF_COPYRIGHT.jpg

My Animoto Slideshow

My slideshow in regards to Digital Citizenship and understanding Copyright rules was created on Animoto, an online tool which allows you to create videos or slideshows with the option of adding audio. By using Animoto I have learned the importance of leaving a positive Footprint as a Digital Citizen. Through my exploration of various Web 2.0 tools such as Creative Commons (which provides users with images that the creators have allowed others to use without direct permission, or in other words Fair Dealing). Using an image is fine as long as you make reference to it's creator. This demonstrates online netiquette by respecting the digital rights of other users; the creator allowed their image or textual content to be used for educational purposes or news reporting.
If the creator has placed a license on their work, in Canada under the Copyrights Act, it is said that you need permission of use or duplication of work.

Enclosed is my presentation:

Collective Knowledge Building (Reflection #9)

The primary focus of Week 9 was engaging conversation in blogs to gain more experience in collective knowledge building. I had never heard of VoiceThread until this week, while exploring the site I couldn't help but notice how it shares similar qualities to GoogleDocs/ Slides. The primary difference is that with VoiceThread you are able to leave audio,video, and text responses whereas with GoogleDocs/Slides only has the texting feature. To be honest, I don't see VoiceThread being a tool that I would add to my PLN unless it was necessary, since I don't not like being recorded online (It is a little out of my comfort zone so I wouldn't want that to effect my Digital Footprint) I would choose GoogleDocs as my PLN as I am more familiar with it.

What's good about VoiceThread having the ability to post audio/video responses is that it can create a more intimate setting when it comes to education and collaborative work. It can give you the chance to "meet up" with partners online to work on a presentation if for any reason there is a conflict. Another bonus is that VoiceThread has an app so you can send audio clips from your phone if you have to. This grants you the ability to access your collaborative work almost anywhere providing you with new knowledge gained from your partners in your VoiceThread.

This week I learned something about my own Technological Rights as a digital citizen. I am uncomfortable video recording myself and having the video online, I guess you could say I'm shy and am also sensitive about my Digital Footprint. So when we were asked to explore VoiceThread It was a relief to see that a recording response was not necessary, I enjoyed how my rights were respected. If I had to post a video response of myself it would be interesting to watch because I would not feel comfortable and would not be my true myself, in turn effecting my Digital Footprint negatively.

So Spring is finally here! And do you know what that means? Spring allergies, and this season is going to be rough according to CBS Article: Sneeze, Wheeze, & Itch... Timing couldn't be better right? Especially with finals just around the corner, how inconvenient. So remember: wash your hands as often as you can, avoid touching your eyes, nose, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and be sure to stock up on nasal spray.

Technology Use Scenario #11

Mrs Smith believes she is savvy on the computer, shes been using them for 5 years and regularly in class. Mrs. Smith receives an anonymous email but opens it anyways. Once opened, an advertisement appeared for a free gift, but Mrs. Smith ignores and deletes the email. Days past and Mrs. Smith notices her Internet browser is running a lot slower than normal so she scans the computer with an anti virus program. Mrs. Smith soon finds out that her computer has a virus and determines that it came from the anonymous email she opened. 

It is surprising that someone who had worked with computers for five years would be uneducated about viruses and how they spread. Mrs. Smith did not use her email appropriately, in fact what she did was rather risky. Depending on how much Mrs. Smith relied on her computer, she could have a lot of private information stored on the hard drive which could easily be invaded by a virus. Mrs. Smith, or any computer/Internet user needs to understand the importance of knowing who does and does not have your email address and be familiar with your contacts. Just like adding a number to a cellphone you can add an email address to your online address book and then edit the contacts information accordingly.

One thing Mrs. Smith had done correctly was recognizing that her computer was not running normally so she ran an anti virus scan. If you are going to be using the Internet it is highly recommended that you download a reliable anti virus program, this protects all your personal and valuable information from hackers.  Take for example this article from Newyork Times, a group of Cybercrimminals were able to hack into the bank's software using a virus  (or malware) and steal $300 million dollars. Computer users need to understand that there are such things as viruses and Cybercrimminals and it is very possible for someone to hack into your computer and obtain your bank information. Be aware of anonymous emails, especially if they are offering you something for free. If you keep on receiving spam either block that address or report them.

VoiceThread

VoiceThread is a collaborative creating website and can be viewed as a helpful educational tool amongst students and teachers. What makes this tool so excellent for group work is it's communication system; you are able to leave comments on slides through posting comments via text, webcam, and voice clip. People invited to the thread are also able to make alterations and these changes are stored in it's history. VoiceThread is perfect to add to ones PLE, it gives you the chance to learn new perspectives by reading other users posts, this also creates a bit of a more intimate setting which can allow people to generate connections which could be useful when it comes to starting your career.

Even though VoiceThread is a handy tool, I do not think it would be a tool that I would add to my PLE. Seeing as though it is quite similar to GoogleDocs I cant help but prefer it over VoiceThread. It is just easier to navigate through and with VoiceThread it doesn't have that holistic aspect like GoogleDocs.

Here is what my class and I came up with through our exploration of VoiceThread:
https://voicethread.com/share/4264778/

Exploring Wiki (Reflection # 8)

During week 8 of ADED 1P32 we were asked to explore a new collaborative tool called Wiki. Wiki is great for creating and sharing content on the web. Wiki's are easy to edit, free, and you do not have to be tech savvy to navigate through. I know it is starting to sound like Blogspot or any other blogging site but they are both very different.  Blogs are more about sharing personal information, writing and multimedia. The comment section is at the bottom and they cannot be altered by another. Wiki on the other hand allows you to see comments/alterations from others that you have shared your page with, there's even a history of all alterations made.

Wiki's are a lot like Google Docs in regards to efficient collaborative work. You are able to see alterations and who they were made by. However unlike Wiki's Google Docs, if you have a gmail account it is a lot easier to work with Google Docs/Slides because of how intertwined and connected google is with other websites. This makes learning a lot easier since Google is connected with many useful sites (YouTube, Blogspot). I personally prefer GoogleDocs, it reminds me of Microsoft Word so it is simple to use and I feel the aesthetics are more appealing to the eye. The only time I would suggest creating a Wiki is if you go not have a Google account, besides that they are similar.

My diagram of Digital Rights & Responsibilities: 

In my Feedly I found an amazing article on the importance of embracing creativeness in schools. With this being an educational class I couldn't help but recall this article as it is so appropriate for today's post. The article explains how we need to change traditional teaching methods and start teaching children how to think outside the box. I feel like GoogleDocs/Slides would be an excellent tool for teachers introduce to the class, this will allow students to be able to generate ideas and see how their creative side progresses. If you're interested: It’s Time to Unleash Creativity in our Schools

Collaborative Learning (Reflection #7)

During Week 7 of ADED 1P32 I was introduced to GoogleDocs(Drive), the ultimate online collaborating tool, whether you are working independently or more importantly in groups. I have enjoyed this weeks tasks involving GoogleDocs, especially creating sample slide presentations and this is a tool I definitely plan on using outside of this course.

What makes GoogleDoc's so great is that it allows you to share your work with others just by creating a gmail account and inviting other gmail users to your work. This is another tool I wish I had known about in the beginning of my university career, it is excellent for peer reviewing; such as adding comments and suggestions where there can be improvement. I cant think about all the times where I have been assigned to a group and it was nearly close to impossible to meet up and work together due to schedule differences, with GoogleDocs you make offline work online work making it viewable at anytime to any group member.

I cant believe the amount of online tools that are so accessible ever since taking this course. So far I would have to say, the tools that I will definitely be keeping are GoogleDocs, Evernote, and Feedly. As for the others I'm not quite sure yet, I guess I'll use this chance with the Collaborative Assignment to explore them further.

With exams just around the corner and the snow beginning to melt its important to keep a healthy balance of focusing on your school work, but also on yourself. We had a pretty harsh Winter this year, I know I had a lot of friends struggle with seasonal depression, but luckily it looks like Spring is almost here. So if you are still shaking out of hibernation mode here are Five Things Happy People Do Before Getting Out Of Bed. Here are a few little life hacks to start your day on the right foot!

Introducing Evernote! (Reflection #6)

For the longest time in Apple's app homescreen I would see the little green elephant app Evernote, and it wasnt until this week did I really understand what the app was used for and why it was so popular. Evernote is an online 'cloud' that captures multiple forms of information, organizes and shares your notes, and allows you to search your notes by keywords, titles, or tags ('Introduction to Evernote'. Buffy Hamilton, Sept 2010).  I'm in love with it, I wish I knew about it in my earlier University years.

Before exploring Evernote I created an accont and an important quality that the website wanted you to know was how portable this tool is, all you need to do is make one account and you can access all of your saved documents in any device; whether it be via Internet Explorer, downloaded software for your Mac or PC, or even through mobile devices (apps). This is a students dream, I cant tell you how many times I have had a USB key fail on me, or a file document not open in an e-mail I sent to myself. All of your information is saved in a cloud. As long as you remember your login information you're safe.

This app gets even better... If you given a group assignment Evernote would be an excellent tool for group productivity. Sometimes its difficult to set up a time and location to meet up with your group, through Evernote you could create Notebooks filled with information in regards to your given assignment. You can then send an email to your group peers and communicate via Internet/Evernote Notebook, whether it be through your mobile device, tablet, or computer. Its the best tool for group work.

Evernote falls under the category of 'Education' for my PLE. Scholarly articles, images, journal articles, and blogs can be easily saved in your cloud, and can be refered to anywhere at any time. If you are running short of time, you can go to the 'search' option and enter keywords that relate to specific notebooks. Talk about conveniency.

Since my group assignment is about Digital Health and Wellness, here is an article that I found on my Feedly: The Advancement of Technology...This App says it can help ones health/well bein, but I am still skeptical. Im going to look into this more - tell me what you think!

Constructing My PLN (Reflection #5)

Finally! PLN that I am familiar with!

During week 5 the primary focus was on contructing your own PLN (Personal Learning Network) by creating an account on Twitter. A PLN is a group of people that share or collect information through the internet. I had fun this week expanding my PLN. I've already had an account on Twitter but it was nice to create one in which I can share or learn from. My other Twitter account is specifically meant for communicating with frineds so it was exciting to create an account with a sense of purpose.

This week we also were encouraged to explore blogs/twitter accounts of other ADED students and I could not believe the diversity, no one had a wrong answer just different perspectives in  regards to which PLN's worked well, and reasons why it is important to leavea positive digital footprint. In one blog that I had read, I really admired how the student recalled information from the assigned articles, it was like a quick and fun way to refresh my memory, and even strengthened my understanding of PLN's.

This week I really had to step outside my bubble, I'm a relatively introverted/shy person so to be encouraged to comment on other students blogs and add fellow classmates on Twitter was relatively intimidating - but I'm glad I did it. It helped me overcome my shy behaviour which in turn will prepare me to create a Linked In account.

I really enjoyed this week,  it took be a little longer to do because I had to overcome a personal trait but I'm glad I did it.

Until then....
I posted this link on my Twitter account but I cant help but repost it. With this being a Digital based class, this article is a gentle reminder to balance both the Digital world and the actual world...It also made me giggle. From Feedly 11 Pictures That Compare Life Today With How It Used To Be

Curating the Web (Reflection #4)

This week was quite the challenge for me, i was introduced to Bookmarking/Clouds and Content Curation - two tools designed to assist you with your academic needs (or knowledge of personal interests). A Cloud is an online 'bookmarking' site that you must make an account for, that way you can customize, save and store important sites to an online database which allows you access to your saved pages anywhere. You can customize your marked page by adding comments or 'sticky notes' to expand on findings. With this ability to customize important information students or researchers are able to refer back to their bookmarked sites and view the comments made on the sites importance. This makes things like citation or quoting on essays much more effective.

Content Curation is an online tool which filters topics of your choosing and presents you with the most up to date content, the tool i chose in particular was Scoop It. It is similar to Diigo because of the ability of adding comments to articles however, it has more social networking aspects such as linking your content curator to your own Twitter or Facebook account. I can definitely see myself using Scoop It as a tool to contribute to my knowledge, especially in regards to my career path. I like that I am able to see professionals comment on certain topics, it expands my point of view allowing me to see a new perspective. Being the 'Philosophy Truth Seeker' that I am, I love learning about other peoples experiences, beliefs, and culture through the ability to communicate with others, Scoop It is excellent for that.

As I was exploring Scoop It I couldn't help but copy links that I had found and moved them over to my Feeder - each week I continue to learn more about the internet and how its constantly evolving. I already had accounts like Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook but being introduced to web tools such as Feedly and Scoop It I feel like I'm on my way to creating a more career-academic digital footprint rather than with just the basic social media sites. I like that with this new digital foot-print that I am leaving will be extremely beneficial to myself as it opens up the gates to networking than the door to connections (extremely beneficial at this point in my life as by this April I need to decide whether or not I will be moving, if I do move I am going to have to start networking from scratch - not always easy, but always fun to do).

So! If you're a student and havent made an account on Diigo or Scoop It -  Check them out when you have time to kill.

PS. Just saw on my Feedly: I dont know about anybody else but i've been dying to put on my skates this winter. On Family Day St. Catharines (Seymour-Hannah) will be having a free skating for the Brock Community. For more info  CLICK HERE!

Putting the Internet to Work For You (Reflection #3)

  During week 3 of ADED 1P32 I learned about what an RSS was and created an account on Feedly! I never really understood what an RSS was until this class, I would come across its icon  but I never knew what it meant - its essentially a program that helps keep you up to date with your favourite informative websites or blogs, Feedly is one of the many RSS's out there.  I subscribed to a Brock University Student Blog site and absolutely love it. I was surprised with the creativity of most articles, and as a student at Brock the advise and humour within the articles was extremely relatable. My favourite post was about exam preparation, an excellent read for students who are looking for new ways to get ready to write those final exams. I struggle with time management and a fellow Badger's blog post gave me useful tips.

    After exploring Feedly it made me realize how important it is to leave a positive digital footprint. Feedly has access to any personal but public blogs, so its important to be mindful of what you post.  Feedly would be categorized as Academic and Communication under my PLE. My Feedly has multiple categories in which i follow various sites/blogs (e.g. Philosophy, News, Astronomy, etc...)

Im looking forward to exploring more blogs and sites in my Feedly, I love that it is iPad friendly - I can be up to date with the latest posts so easily. Im spreading the word - I even told my roommate about Feebly and she intends on making an account too!

My Experience With RSS Feeds

For this weeks assignment I learned about RSS, or Feedly. I have never heard of this method to gain information through the web and was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to explore. An RSS is  essentially a hosting site for presenting favourite blogs and web sites. Its similar to facebook in the sense that you 'like pages' of interest and current articles from that page are posted into your facebook feed, along with posts from the people you personally follow. Feedly is a type of RSS and is the one I chose to work with.

In the process of creating an account on Feedly you are encouraged to explore topics of interest, so besides the pages I had to add for this weeks assignment, I followed a bunch of Philosophy and Spiritual sites. A post that spoke out to me in particular was from Spirit, Science, and Metaphysics (which is an excellent combination to come across since it incorporates my two main interests) titled, "Nigerian Man Turns A VW Beetle Into A Solar And Wind Powered Car"  which can be found here. I love how I was able to find sites through Feedly not just for educational purposes but for entertainment as well. Its inspiring to see society make positive progress in regards to the environment. Im looking forward to using my account on Feedly.

Learning in Digital Context (Reflection #2)

  This weeks topic was about focusing on PLE's (Personal Learning Environment); why someone would want one, how to create and expand on your PLE. In one of the articles that was assigned, titled; A Networked Student i couldnt help but find similarities between myself and the student. Although as a University Philosophy student my learning environment is similar to Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a teaching method which involves assisting teachers by controlling the management of educational courses for students. Prior to taking ADED 1P32 i did not realize i already had a PLE - that it was a real educational method.

  Typically after a Philosophy lecture i would  complete the assigned readings then explore the internet to expand on what I have learned. I would view Sparknotes, an excellent tool to help one understand concepts within texts, i would also look up the philosopher on wikipedia just to gain some background information of them. I would also search the book or philosopher on youtube to hear opinions or recorded lectures on the subject. I obviously havent gone to the great lengths of the student in the article but i have been using PLE's for a few years before i really even knew what a PLE was.

  In this weeks lesson I gained my first experience in creating WordClouds. I have made web diagrams in the past for presentations so it was not difficult to create one for explaining my PLE. WordCloud is a fun way to express ideas, objects, scenarios, etc... It would be fun to present this to the Hospice i volunteer at and maybe inspire patients to learn how to create their own WordClouds,writing  things down can be extremely therapeutic. Its fun, its easy, and is an excellent tool for expression.

In Regards To My Future PLE...

Personal: From 5-10 years from now I hope to encounter more PLE's, as i grow so will my PLE. For example, just recently my friend advised me to create a LinkedIn account. I feel like i need to gain just a little more work experience. With LinkedIn it will allow me to communicate with other Hospices, or Funeral Homes so that once im finished school i will have gained connections which could in turn may provide significant job opportunity.

Learning:  Once ive gained more experience I would like to create a LinkedIn account. It will expand my PLE through communication and gaining connections. Through communication with individuals who share an interest in Hospice or Funeral work they can provide pointers or tips. Also the completion of this program will expand my knowledge on PLEs and the Digital Environment.

Environment: My learning environment cant solely rely on the digital world. I would like to visit the library more and read books or librarians to gain more knowledge.

Enclosed are my PLE Web and WordCloud:

The Beginning (Reflection #1)

Hello fellow classmates of ADED 1p32, and Dave!

My name is Kylee C and like all of you i attend Brock University but major in Philosophy.
I have been asked countless times, "what could you do with a degree in Philosophy", well for starters it has opened up my eyes and my mind allowing me to be truly conscious of the world around me. I have developed through my 5 years as a Philosophy student the importance of understanding different cultures, ethics, metaphysics (the stuff beyond ordinary physics, various beliefs), phenomenology - why things are the way they are (through the exploration of Freud, Darwin, Heidegger) which involves not just 'theories' or 'arguments' but scientific evidence, and other ponderous realms within Philosophy.

With this degree it will grant me a greater chance of attending Mount Royals Funeral Directing Program (Calgary, Alberta) or potential work at a hospice as a spiritual advisor. ADED 1P32 will grant me the abilities to increase my knowledge of the digital world. The funeral directing program i intend on taking is all online, the article and quiz on Netiquette were extremely beneficial, they allowed me to take one step further in presenting myself through the web.

Also while currently volunteering at Niagara Hospice, i will be able to teach patients Netiquette and the  beauty of leaving a digital footprint before leaving us. This grants the patient to tell their story, reflect upon it, update if necessary (e.g. by creating a Google reader or alert account). By leaving a digital footprint you are never truly gone, and that is something i would like to share with hospice patients and their families, in a way it allows the family to still visit them through the digital world during times of need. At the Hospice i want to be able to teach the importance of leaving a positive footprint - not just for the benefits of their family, but also for themselves. They can share their life experiences and lessons which can potentially lead to the discovery of another person going through a similar life journey which may lead to a genuine bond. If the patient wishes to keep their footprint private i will also be able to provide the educational tools to do so. Djainslie, author of "Yes, you should have a digital footprint…and keep track of it" provided excellent tools to keep track of your footprint; it has taught me a number of ways to keep record of ones privacy, maybe a patient would like to express their personal work on blogger.com with a privacy lock over facebook or myspace.  

So far i truly am enjoying and benefiting from this program, i am looking forward to starting week 2.