The End is Nigh!

Well, now that Semester 1 is very nearly over (2 assignments to go!!), I've decided to start writing my blog again! I really enjoyed writing it for uni and now that class is over so I have a lot more freedom in what I can write about *HOORAY!*

So I handed in 2 assignments on Monday and now have 2 more to complete before I am finally granted freedom for 6 weeks!

So what am I going to do with myself during those 6 weeks? Well...I do have some rather exciting news on that front! *drum roll*

I'm going to EASTER ISLAND!

I'll only be there for 1 week but I know this will be the trip of a lifetime and I honestly can't believe I am about to embark on this epic adventure!  I am absolutely petrified to be traveling on my own to such a remote part of the world but I know I will never have a chance like this again and think Carpe Diem!!

Well, after that announcement I really must be getting back to my assignments, can't allow myself to get too distracted now can I? *too late*

Stay tuned for further updates on my Epic Easter Island Trip preparation!!

Adios amigos!!

That's All Folks!

Over the past 6 weeks I have really enjoyed learning about the world of web 2.0. This course has certainly made me step out of my comfort zone and explore aspects of the World Wide Web I have either never come across or had sworn I would have nothing to do with! (Not mentioning any names...*cough* Twitter *cough*)

I feel that I have achieved my initial learning goals for this part of the course in understanding Web 2.0 and (slowly) becoming more 'tech savvy.' I have also had my skepticism over certain websites, such as Twitter, challenged. I have learned that, if used wisely, Twitter can be a useful tool not only in my social life but also in my career as an archivist as it enables me to 'follow' fellow archivists from around the world and keep up to date in the world of archives

Most of the tasks proved to be extremely interesting and involved websites and tools that I will certainly be using in the future, such as social bookmarking sites like Diigo, which has allowed me to organise my bookmarks via the use of tags, and Mendeley, a tool which I know will be most valuable when trying to find resources for future assignments. Other sites, such as Flickr have revealed a place where I can realise my creativity and share my love of photography. The task involving Flickr has shown me how to claim ownership for my work on the internet and prevent my photographs from being used commercially. 

I did struggle a bit throughout these tasks. Trying to grasp certain aspects and terms about web 2.0 proved a little too much for me at times! The concept of Mashups still completely baffles me and no matter how hard I try, I still can't seem to understand them. Technology also failed me at times, particularly the Billion Graves app which caused my phone to freeze constantly! 

I also found  it quite difficult to gather the courage to post comments on the blogs of my class mates- something which, in hindsight, I should have done more of over the last 6 weeks. I did however learn to communicate via different means like Twitter and my group's Google Doc.

It has indeed been quite a journey for me- going from knowing next to nothing about web 2.0 to becoming a fully fledged web 2.0 convert! I do plan on continuing my blog and always look forward to updating it- something that I never thought I'd say before doing this course!

It is rather sad that this aspect of ISYS1166 is over, however  it has opened my eyes and inspired me to continue exploring all that web 2.0 has to offer!

 

Amaya

This week in ISYS1166 we looked into creating websites using web editing software called Amaya. I must admit, I found using Amaya so much easier than creating webpages via manual coding!

From what I have been doing so far I think that Amaya is a fantastic tool, cutting down the time it takes to create a website since you don't need to type out the codes yourself- simply add text, choose formatting options and Amaya will do the rest for you! Amaya also gives you the option of using a split screen so you can see the coding for yourself as you type away creating your fabulous new website!

In class, I am about halfway through the task of creating a fruit and vegetable website. I had a few difficulties adding a picture to my website, and even now it still doesn't look quite right, I will have to look into that during class next week! Linking  webpages to a single homepage has also proved to be extremely easy- something  I am absolutely delighted with! :)

I am thoroughly enjoying the experience of working with Amaya and look forward to our next class so I can explore this brilliant too some more!

It's a Mashup!

I had a look at Mashups this week and to be completely honest I must admit that simply could not understand their purpose. No matter how many times I look at them or reread the definition on the ISYS1166 CCC website it seems that the information just isn't sinking in! 

Despite my difficulty to grasp the concept of Mashups I did have a look at Programmable Web which proved to be quite an interesting website.

From Programmable Web I was able to gather that Mashups are websites that are composed using information from other websites. (please forgive my pathetically simple definition! I'm not even sure it makes sense!) 

Continuing with my travel theme from my Google Maps post, I found a groovy little Mashup that lists Bed and Breakfasts from around the UK. This will definitely come in handy when planning my epic UK dream holiday!

I also found another great Mashup about Japanese castles: 

 I absolutely loved this Mashup! It had so much specific information about every castle in Japan including pictures, videos, history and visiting information. It also brought back many fond memories of my time in Nagoya on exchange where I was lucky enough to visit the magnificent Nagoya Castle.

 The final Mashup I looked at briefly was called 'Place My Past,' a genealogy and historical Mashup that allows users to create their family tree and then search the world map for historical events linked to their family, or create one of their own. 

Unfortunately, despite the Mashup claiming to be free, in order to use the map tool I was constantly prompted to pay $50 subscription to the website so and therefore I gave up my genealogy pursuit!

I enjoyed looking at all these Mashups but, as stated above, I am having great difficulty comprehending them and feel extremely limited and inadequate when  trying to define them. I hope that in the future I will be able to understand Mashups and learn to use them in my career as an archivist.

< HTML >

Last week in ISYS1166 we tried our hand at creating webpages manually using HTML coding. 

This book actually exists. Seriously.

Thankfully, I had done a bit of HTML coding way back when I was in year 8 (2004...ahhh it seems so long ago!!). I remember creating a website about Snoopy! Returning to the present, I was a bit hazy at first but the basics eventually started coming back to me.  I really enjoyed creating 'My first HTML document' as I found it rather easy, the only thing I noticed is my tendency to forget to close my tags!

I found the second HTML document to be quite daunting at first, seeing that it was two pages long! But I eventually go the hang of it! 

I know we're not meant to be worrying too much about how our websites look aesthetically but I do love to add a bit of colour to make things pretty :) I can tell even now that remembering the codes for different colours will be a struggle for me as well as remembering all the tags. It's honestly like learning a new language all over again!

 It's also very important to make sure the tags are not only spelt correctly but also are in the correct order and to always remember to close them properly.

In the meantime, I think in order to gain better understanding of HTML I'll have to dig out my old notes from year 8 and also do a bit of online research to help me find ways to learn and retain the language of HTML codes.

X Marks The Spot!

Google Maps

Never before had I realised you could create your own maps simply by logging into Google and clicking 'My Maps.' I found this tool a little difficult to use at first due to my confusion regarding the use of layers. I was eventually able to resolve this issue through trial and error and was on my way to designing my dream holiday!

I thoroughly enjoyed creating my map and must admit that I got a little carried away, spending ages planning my ideal holiday to the UK rather than completing my assignment for INTE2489...Whoops!

 My dream holiday involves arriving in London and then traveling to some of the most mysterious and intriguing places in the UK. First stop is Glastonbury, home to Glastonbury Abbey and Glastonbury Tor where those infamous Ley Lines intersect. 

Then onwards to Stonehenge and Avebury Stone Circle and with a little luck I may run into a crop circle or two along the way! 

I would then journey into Wales, staying in Cardiff before heading up to the North Wales town of Conwy check out the castle and to soak in the history...

...before visiting the nearby small village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!!
 

From Wales I would travel to the beautiful Scottish city of Edinburgh before heading up to do some Nessie spotting at Loch Ness!

Last on my 'to-do list' is a trip up to the Orkney Islands to see the archaeological site Skara Brae and to check out the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness!

The discovery of this fantastic tool will certainly be useful in the future, if not very distracting!!

Return of the good ol' fashioned bookmark...

During week 4, my group explored different social bookmarking websites. Social bookmarking is a completely new concept to me and so looking at online tools such as Diigo, Delicious and Mendeley has been an interesting experience.

Diigo 

I had never even heard of Diigo prior to this exercise but upon discovering it, I have found it to be a handy website, allowing you to bookmark different webpages and save them in one safe place. 

Thanks to my group members I was able to export all my browser bookmarks/favourites so that they are all accessible via the Diigo website. This tool will be particularly useful when using multiple computers/devices. 

Diigo also allows users to organise bookmarks using metadata- particularly via tags. Using tags enabled me to arrange all my bookmarks according to subject. This has been particularly helpful when sorting through my RMIT bookmarks.

Alas, upon trying to log back into Diigo a week after setting up my account, I realised that I have forgotten my password and the particular email I used to set up my account. I will now need to backtrack and try to find my password or else I will have to create a new account and start all over again!!

Mendeley

As a group, we also explored the social bookmarking app, Mendeley. Mendeley is a fantastic little app! Not only does it allow you to export your references from Endnote as well as other sites but it also enables you to find scholarly articles regarding the topic you are researching. It is as simple as right clicking a particular reference and then clicking 'related documents.'

What I am having trouble understanding is whether or not Mendeley could be used to replace Endnote for referencing. Mendeley certainly is much simpler to use than Endnote and I would definitely recommend it to those who are unfamiliar with Endnote. Knowing this, I will need to explore Mendeley a bit more before I could comfortably say that it could potentially replace Endnote.

Despite the ease of use of bookmarking tools such as Diigo and Mendeley, due to privacy issues I still find myself rather weary about storing such information on the internet.