Communicating Online

This chapter provided a great review for the various ways of communicating with others on-line and I learned new terminology such as “e-mail client” which is software installed on a computer which is used to send/receive/create contacts/manage e-mail messages, etc.  E-mail is probably one of the most popular form for all of us in communicating with others on-line. 

One feature I plan to look into is pertaining to organizing my email messages to determine if my work email has the functionality to automatically have messages from a certain individual go to a folder for that particular individual.  I have certain instances where this would be very helpful in managing my messages.

At work, we use LotusNotes and I have two personal email accounts, one being my gmail account and the  

other is my yahoo account. Our employer’s internal controls policy prohibits staff from accessing web-based e-mail such as yahoo.com from our work desktops or laptops.

One of my favorite features in my work email is called “stationery” which allows me to create templates for emails I routinely send out to various groups of individuals.  I create the group which includes individuals who should receive the email.  This assists me in that I don’t have to add them to each email every time and the likelihood that I forget someone is eliminated. Also, because the language is the same except for who the email pertains to, it is a huge timesaver for me in typing the same language over and over again.

Another feature covered in this chapter related to signature block.  A few years ago, our IT Department directed us to include a standard signature block for all employees for every email message we sent out.  A few weeks ago, we were instructed to add a link to a Customer Service Survey (Survey Monkey) so we could find out what our customers, both internal and external, thought about the service they were provided. 

References:

Images retrieved from:
http://d2qpgu1b5rkvmc.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/oneclient2.png 

http://www.onedayonejob.com/jobs/surveymonkey/

Access to the Cloud

I’ve heard the term “Google Docs” many times but never had the experience of working with it.  Google Docs is a file storage utility which provides users with the ability to create and store files in the cloud so they can access their files through their email account from wherever they are so people don't have to physically carry all of their documents with them.

After reviewing various videos on what Google Docs is, its functionality and how it would benefit me and my work, I wanted to dig in and create my first document.  I located a very easy to follow tutorial through AnsonAlex.com which is a “blog intended to facilitate the process of information sharing”.  The tutorial got straight to the point in training how to use the various tools available in Google Docs and I especially liked the fact that he did not belabor on unnecessary information.  Here is the video tutorial:

Initially, I plan to use Google Docs as the newly appointed chairperson for Civic & Conversation  in my garden club.  My new responsibilities include creating a schedule for fellow club members to sign up to plant and tend after gardens in a nearby park and plant container gardens for a local organization.

Also, there are many benefits to my workplace in utilizing the function of sharing and accessing documents which can only be accessed by logging into our network and searching for the documents located on a common drive. 

Another idea is to use the forms function to create surveys following various training sessions or to survey customers pertaining to their satisfaction with the service we've provided.

References:
   
Alex, A.  2014. Google Docs and Google Drive Tutorial 2014 [Video}. Retrieved from: http://ansonalex.com/

Google Docs Images:
Retrieved from: http://www.edudemic.com/50-little-known-ways-google-docs-can-help-in-education/

Linked in

Linked in is known as the "world’s largest professional network".  A few weeks ago, I reacquainted myself with Linked in and contacted some of my business associates and other individuals I’ve met through ESC.  As with any type of networking website, I tend to limit my personal information and accept connections only from people I know because I am concerned about my personal information being out on the web.

The platform created for Linked in can be an awesome tool for people interested in staying connected to many people for future referrals and to promote themselves for employment opportunities.  I used it recently to connect with a couple of people I'd lost touch with but after we reconnected, we took our conversations off-line.

At this point, I don’t anticipate using Linked to seek out employment opportunities, however, should it become necessary, I know of it’s capabilities.

References:

http://spidercatmarketing.com/2014/03/02/how-to-use-linkedin-to-find-a-job-or-promote-your-business/

Mobile Devices in Business – full steam ahead

My personal experience with respect to this topic is that mobile devices are usually assigned by businesses to employees who conduct a substantial portion of their job while they are out of the office.  My employer has provided  members of the IT Department with mobile devices due to their work not allowing them to sit by their office phone all day.  Mobile devices allows others to contact them when they need assistance to resolve issues they've encountered with their work related electronic devices during work and non-work hours.

Advantages of mobile devices are increased productivity by allowing people the freedom to connect and communicate with other staff, customers and vendors whenever or wherever they happen to be. Increased functionality such as video conference has enhanced the use of mobile devices. Also, businesses save on expenses such as space and facilities because people don't need a traditional office to perform their job.  Some disadvantages of mobile devices continue to be poor internet connections, security issues, costs associated with providing or replacing employees devices.

Another advantage of mobile devices is its ability to market a business’ products and services increasing its exposure by advertising to potential customers as people tend to look at their mobile devices more frequently.  This particular topic was discussed in a blog which was aimed at businesses having responsive websites which are designed to allow any type of device to access a company’s website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-long/why-your-business-needs-t_b_4267714.html 

According to the study Google conducted on smart phone useage at http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/creating-moments-that-matter.html, one of its findings was that a large percentage of consumers who search for a local business with their mobile device (Smart Phones) will either call or visit that business within a short period of time.  While I realize this was only one study, given the way people use their mobile devices today, surveys done by other companies would probably result in similar statistics.

Based on the information I read and what I've observed, it is apparent that the use of mobile devices in business is only going to increase as more and more businesses see the various benefits and utilize them. However, the idea of "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) kept appearing during my search so I wonder if this is going to be the next big shift of the employee versus the employer bearing the expense of the mobile devices.      

Reference:

Mobile Device Image retrieved from Richard Adhikari Technewsworld 8/22/2011:  http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mobile+devices&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=mobile+devices&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=A1ABCAE6B42326B2AEB0F85FE1BD2EB74389D090&selectedIndex=1

A Year in Review

While researching "search engines" and "searching the web", I ran across the following article from Forbes reviewing the top posts, tweets and search terms of 2013 which is located at  http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevecooper/2013/12/31/learning-from-the-top-posts-tweets-and-search-terms-of-2013/.

This article was interesting because it provided a glimpse into how we use social media to share milestones or events in our personal lives, learn about current events and what is important to the masses based on our web habits. 

References:

Gil, P. (2013). The 10 Best Search Engines for 2014 - Search Tools for the Everyperson. Ask.com.

2013 Image:  Retrieved from:   http://lifeinthetropics.org/2013-a-year-of-evolution-2/

Searching the Web

At the onset of this chapter, I thought it would be a review of the knowledge I acquired through my computer usage over the years.  Instead, I learned about new tools available to search for various information on the internet which I didn't already know about. It was interesting to find out that different types of searches I used on daily basis, actually have terms associated with them. Examples of these are open-ended searches which seek information a broad scale, or targeted searches which include specific information.

While reading through the text, I enjoy taking a break from just reading to learning hands-on from the book companion website. This component makes the learning experience more interactive and I believe this enhances my learning process. Especially informative was the exercises which illustrated how to add or remove a search engine to a QuickPick Menu.  I believe the other specialized searches covered at the end of the chapter will assist me greatly going forward.

One of the searches I use constantly because it is a huge time saver and assists me in locating a specific word or group of words on a current page, is the "Find Bar", or "control+F".  Not only do I use it on web pages but I also use it in searching my email, word processing and other programs available at work.

According to two recent articles found on the web, there are ten top search engines.  Both articles listed the same search 10 search engines and are located at: http://10best4u.com/10-best-search-engines-on-web-to-make-your-searches-easy/ and http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/navigatingthenet/tp/top_10_search_engines_for_beginners.htm.

An additional source which reinforced the learning from our textbook, and provided some new advice for additional tools was a recent article posted in Macworld located at:  http://www.macworld.com/article/2049392/ten-essential-tips-for-searching-the-web.html.

References:

Admin. (2013). 10 Best Search Engines on the Web to Make your Searches Easy. 10 Best Tech Stuffs 4 U and Search Engines Image.

Gil, P. (2013). The 10 Best Search Engines of 2014-Search tools for Every Person. Ask.com.

Kissell, J. (2013). Ten Essential Tips for Searching the Web.  Macworld.

To Tweet or not to Tweet ...

As mentioned below, a few years ago I had a Twitter account but because I didn’t really know how to use it and I wondered why people would want everyone to know where they are at all times, I stopped using it.  My new Twitter account can be found at: https://twitter.com/cdemma8.   

One of the videos posted in our Moodles classroom, assisted me in setting up my Twitter account and taught me the difference between tweeting and direct messaging. It also helped me understand why someone would create a list and how to do so. The link for this video is located at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE0uhifkIfs

While setting up my Twitter account, I created three lists, which are as follows:  “Favorite Restaurants”, “Education” and “Buffalo Architecture”.  The favorite restaurants was my first attempt at creating a list. My idea for this one was so I could get "tweeted" when new specialty dishes were being offered or when events were scheduled at my favorite restaurants.

The Education list includes both school and work related topics I am interested in learning more about and  individuals from those two circles. The Buffalo Architecture list pertains to another course I am taking this term.  It is my hope to use it to group together on-line resources as I begin to gather information for my research paper and presentation at the end of the term.
    
I still don’t completely understand how to use “hashtags” but I’m sure that will come with time, or I’ll just have to ask my kids to teach me ...

_______________________
References:

Twitter Image retrieved from: http://beeliked.com/social-media-buzz/5-awesome-twitter-competition-ideas/