Week 14 - Using Games for Teaching & Learning

This week we learned about Second Life's use in education. By providing an educational classroom in 3-D, students can explore places they are learning about and immerse themselves in a true learning experience. I think this is a great way to get the students excited about what they are learning because technology is always fun.
Using games for teaching has evolved a lot since I was a kid. I remember having simple computer games at the lab to learn math and only spending little time in the computer lab. Students now, even at a young age, have constant access to the internet and computers and have many different games for learning a variety of subjects. I think its great that education is evolving and students are getting to learn and retain information using fun, educational games.

I think using games for learning has a chance to impact the advertising industry because if it becomes very popular, it can become a great advertising medium. For example, companies can use games on their web sites to attract people to their product (such as the Dr. Pepper game that was used as an example for class.) Coke is another great company that provides games to entertain its customers. In addition, games are being incorporated into online commercials to keep viewers entertained. For example, I watch shows on abc.go.com and during the commercials, online quizzes or games are given about the product. I think this is a trend that will keep growing as more people are doing things online (such as watching tv shows).

An outside source I found is funbrain.com. This web site is another great resource for kids to play while they learn. I remember using computer games such as MathBlaster when I was young, but these web sites are so interactive and offer a variety of arcade games,web books/comics, and even incorporates movie characters. I would definitely recommend this site to my little brother:)

Week 13 - Distance Education & Virtual Schooling

In class we watched videos about universities offering online degrees and K-12 virtual schools. The internet is changing the way we go to school. In my opinion, this is positively impacting education by providing opportunities to those who may not have access to good schools. For example, my high school only had about four AP classes available, while the school in the more affluent neighborhood about 35 miles away offered three times as many. This puts students at my school at a great disadvantage when applying for college, etc. However, programs such as Florida Virtual School make classes available to those who want to take them. Students can expand their curriculum by taking foreign language classes or higher level math classes even if their school doesn't offer them.
In addition, many college classes are also taught online. While at UF, all of the business classes and some math classes I have taken were available online. Students can watch lectures at their convenience, work at their own pace, and only have to show up on campus to take the exams. I think these classes, as well as online degree programs, make it easier for college students to obtain their degrees because they can work on their own time and can balance work and family life.

Online education is impacting the advertising industry by allowing more people the opportunity to obtain professional degrees. More people becoming qualified will impact competition in getting employment within the industry. On the other hand, these new degree programs are being heavily advertised (especially online) and creating more revenue opportunities in the field.

This video, created by a high school student, explains the benefits of Florida Virtual School. I think it's great to see how many students actually like the program and don't want to see it go.

Week 12 - Creating a Professional Web Presence

This week we learned about Google Sites and the importance of having a professional web presence. As a generation that grew up online, we all already have a general web profile on sites such as Myspace, Facebook or Twitter. However, not many students have somewhere to direct potential employees. By using Google Sites to create a professional web site, we will have the ability to present ourselves in a professional manner, easily display resume and portfolio work, as well as provide a little insight into our personal life.

As a graduating senior, this is very relevant to me because I am currently looking for a job and this is a great way to stand out and make a positive impression on potential employers. I think it is a great way to present all of my creative advertising and research projects for employers to see. Also, it is very easy to maintain and update. Being able to work and navigate easily online is very important in the advertising industry, and having your own web site is a great way to show employers that you are capable of that.

I have chosen LinkedIn as an outside resource because it is another way to create a professional online presence. LinkedIn allows you to create a profile, update experience and employment activity as well as connect with other professionals. People can recommend you and its a great way to network and stay connected with professionals you have worked with in the past.

Week 11 - Open Source Software

This week we learned about open source software and the advantages that it offers. Open source software is free and available to the general public. It can also be modified by users, which is why it is constantly changing and getting better. Gimp is a free program that offers features much like those of Photoshop. However, Photoshop is a very expensive program only available for purchase from the manufacturer. I think more people would use the free alternatives if they knew about them. I had never really heard about open source programs before this class and I think once it catches on, people will begin using them more, as well as continue to make them better.

Open source software can impact the advertising industry in the tools we use to create ads as well as the experience students get before they enter the industry. For example, as a student I didn't have much experience in Photoshop or InDesign, the standard programs of the industry, because I never had the money to purchase them. My first introduction to the programs was in my upper-level advertising classes, and could only access them in the labs. This led to me being very inexperienced and learning at the same time I was trying to create my projects. However, I feel that if I would have known about free programs such as Gimp, I could have downloaded them on my personal computer and became familiar with them before those classes. This could have led to me producing better quality work, and in turn having more experience once I graduate.

I decided to incorporate this video as an outside resource because it shows all of the features available on Gimp and a tutorial on how to use it. I hope that more people find out about these free programs and use them more.

Week 9 - Social Tools & Cloud Computing

Cloud computing utilizes distant servers for data storage and management, allowing the device to use smaller and more efficient chips that consume less energy than standard computers (www.financenewmexico.org/glossary.html.) Some examples about cloud computing that we learned about in class include GoogleDocs and the social networking site Delicious. Cloud computing is really cool because it allows you to store information on the internet, allowing you to have more space on your computer while at the same time making the information available on any computer. For example, Delicious allows you to save bookmarks on the site that can be accessed from any computer. This is really convenient especially for students because we use so many different computers in the lab and for our classes, but the site allows you to access them from anywhere and keep them organized all in one place.

Cloud computing is definetly something that can be applied to the advertising field because the industry is becoming more reliant on internet technology. For example, GoogleDocs is a cool way for agencies and clients, or people working as a team, to stay connected and keep documents organized rather than emailing one another back and forth. Also, because social tools are becoming very popular and many people spend most of thier time using them, advertisers are using them to promote products more and more.

An outside resource I found is this great web site that describes how cloud computing works. It gives an example of using cloud computing and a creative illustartion to help describe how it works.

Concept Map: Social Tools in Advertising

Click here for link to concept map on Webspiration

My Podcast

Sounds in presentations can be applied to almost any field. In advertising, sounds can be used to create examples to be used for future presentations. For example, sample radio ads can be tested out on programs like GarageBand to give the team an idea about things such as timing. Podcasts can also be created to keep a team on track by recording their ideas and perhaps be used to demonstrate progress to the client.

For my podcast I decided to use a scene from The Lion King. Mufasa has just rescued Simba and Nala from the elephant graveyard and teaches Simba a lesson about what it means to be brave. I think this is a cool way to introduce sound into a presentation.

Josie Podcast - Josie Almazan