Week 10: Clear, Wireless Access

My college experience altogether was the first time I think I actually encountered wireless networks staying in the dorms. I knew people that could use the internet without having their laptops plugged in using an Ethernet or cable cord, but it was new to me. When I got to UF it excited me to be able to just take my laptop and use it in the library, class and now my apartment too. Wireless access points is what allows me to do this with its high-quality antennas that give off signals. To have access to the network though, the laptop has to have a built in wireless capability or wireless network card. Although using wireless networks can be very convenient,there is always the issue of losing your connection and in my opinion they can sometimes be slower than other connection methods. Also, location can help but hinder you because there are not always outlets to use for charging your laptop or other wireless device.

In the business world using wireless networks is very convenient just like it is for everyone else. Employees in an office have the opportunity to work throughout the building and they can also work outside of the job like at restaurants, airports or hotels. One of the best things that the wireless world does for businesses is gives the employees the opportunity to keep a well balanced life between work and personal time. It is great to be able to work outside of your normal working environment. For me, it opens the doors easier and more creative thinking. The Microsoft website provides an article to give seven tips to consider when getting ready to go wireless including how to purchase the right system and how to avoiding hackers.

Week: 9 Clear, Excel

This week's lectures were all about Excel. This is something that I have always wanted to perfect but it has still been a work in process for me. I learned a little along the way. However, the information that I learned this week was the most valuable information about the program that I have had in a while.

Excel is a spreadsheet that can be used to track data, create inventory lists or perform mathematical functions. The main aspects that I will concentrate on are the function capabilities that can be used at home or at work. Every function in Excel must begin with the equal sign. The link shows a list of the worksheet functions by category and a short description of each. This tells Excel that a function will be performed. After the equal sign, you can either add, subtract, multiply or divide. These are the basic mathematical functions that can be performed with Excel. Addition can be useful when needing to calculate dates and things along those lines. Some other very interesting piece of information I learned throughout this week's lectures was how to use pivot tables. This tool can make life so much easier because you can move quickly and easily through your work without any hard labor. A new pivot table can be created in just minutes unlike having to manually build a report by entering formulas and arranging columns from a sheet of data. It gives you the ability to create many different pivot tables and reports from the same sheet of data.

Learning to use Excel can be very beneficial in any type of business related career because it allows you to do anything that you need to do. You can use it for dates, calculations, scheduling, planning budgets and so forth. I really plan on learning more and more about the program because I'm sure going to need it.

Enjoy Spring Break fellow bloggers.

Week 7: Clear, Antivirus Programs

ch 8 pg 425

Being With the Ones I Love the Most

Launch your own SlideRocket presentation!

When I first found out about this project I was overwhelmed because I thought it would be fun and challenge my creative sound. However, a few days within it I realized that this was going to be a challenge. I ended up spending lots of my time trying to figure out which method to making the story was the best, and which was the most user friendly. I ended up using SlideRocket and not to my surprise it turned out to be fun, but a little challenging at times.

After I got started, I decided to tell the story of how things are when my family gets together. My family members are the most important people in my life and the people that made my freshman year in college not seem so bad. Between Orlando and Jacksonville I made some of the most unforgettable memories with my family. I kept from getting too home sick because my family always tried to get together at different times of the semester to keep me sane.

All of the pictures were taken by me so I was able to really retell the story just by looking at them.

I learned a lot from doing the project that I was unaware of at first. I learned how to use images and audio creatively to tell a story that anyone could understand and relate to. I also learned that this would be a very good tool to possess with getting within your career. You can create digital stories to connect employers to who you really are, and you can use them to relive events that took place within your actually work place.

Either way, digital story telling is a way to market yourself, your family, and your interest in a creative and credible way.

Please take a moment to do the short poll to tell me how you felt after watching my presentation. Feel free to elaborate on any feeling by leaving a comment below in my comment box.

My story made you...
	want to cry
	miss your family
	fall asleep
	no emotion
View Results

Free poll from Free Website Polls

Week 6: Clear, Typing and Pointing Risk

This week typing and pointing is a subject that really caught my attention. The information about how using typing and pointing devices could be a weakness was very interesting. When people think of keyboards like the QWERTY, mouse and interface or pointing devices like the multi button mouse, trackball and touch screen, health risk is not something fairly close in their train of thought. At least it wasn't in mine, until now.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments or nerves. Some symptoms of RSI include tightness and burning in the hands, wrist or fingertips, numbness in the hands, loss of strength in the hand, or pain in the upper back, shouldes, or neck. When people use bad hand posture or technique and excessive force on the keys and mouse, they are putting themselves at risk or becoming injured. To prevent this from happening, it is best to take breaks, eliminate unnecessary computer usage, and use correct posture like bending the wrist while typing or having yoir table, chair and keyboard all the same height.
This is important in the business world because it is a problem that has already been addressed. Ergonomics is used to incorporate a safe and efficient working environment for employers when it comes to design. Congress was even approached when it came to deciding if workers would be able to have programs to prevent RSI, but the programs were denied. Since employers have to make it their responsibility to prevent RSI, they should use the ergonomic devices that could help them.

Week 5: Clear, Touch Screens

Our world continues to change and technology seems to be one of the most influential elements in creating this aspect of making life easier with better advances in technology. One of the most popular innovations that have become increasingly used is the touch screen. As an input device, it allows users to enter data into a computer using their hands and fingers. These computers included desktops, smart phones, kiosk and the Microsoft Surface, which is a tabletop display. With my experience using a touch screen smart phone, it was not very exciting due to the slow response and continuous freezing. On the other hand, I do feel that in the future they will be able fix these problems.

Touch screens are very useful in the business world when it comes to forming or presenting information. Furthermore, this can be done on many of the input devices mentioned earlier including the desktop and smart phone, which means in or away from the office creating more convenience. Also very valuable of the touch screen is the fact that it is an easier screen for some people to use who are not very computer savvy. HERE is a link to web site that talks about why they use the virtual receptionist kiosk.

Week 4: Clear, Web-Based Training

Web-based training (WBT)is a topic that should be very clear to everyone involved in this course. As a computer-based training program, it is composed of different application software on the Web and Internet technology. It is used in business and in schools for teaching in a way that allows for active involvement. A part of this is called distance learning where the material is taught at one place, but is received in another. E-learning is the delivery of education through some type of electronic method that includes blogs, e-mails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Electronic learning makes distance learning easier for instructors to provide all materials and information needed. A major advantage of WBT is that it can save money by eliminating traveling and staying cost, it helps with time conflicts and doesn't constrict you to one location.
Web-based training is important in the business environment because as I earlier mentioned, it can be used in businesses and industries. Employees can get instructions for a project or be taught new skills at their own pace. With travel being a need in some jobs, this would help a lot because the employee would be able to stay on task and not fall behind by not being in the office.HERE is a web site that list some advantages and disadvantages of using WBT.