Wednesday, October 23, 2013


LJ3

In this learning module I learned about different types of search engines you can use to find different information you need. We also learned how to use databases to find specific information we are looking for. The database I found most useful is AcademicOne, which I can access through our online school library. Some search engines would be considered general-purpose search tools. Those would include: google.com, ask.com, dogpile.com, yahoo.com, bing.com, and many other general names that you know.



In general search engines, they will search for anything you type in the search bar. It will usually cut out words like and, or and simple basic words. If you want to search more specific words, search engines will usually have an advanced search section and you can type in only the words you are searching for. With databases it gives you keywords to type in. You can change what they call the Boolean Operator. When you have multiple keywords in a query, you can change the options to AND, OR, and NOT which will decide which words to incorporate in your search and which ones you do not need. It can help narrow down your search immensely.

For our Facebook discussion we learned about our digitalfoot print. We used different websites to try and search our names too see what we have put on the web that people can access. A lot of employers and businesses are using search websites to research their future employees to see if there digital footprint is clean. Your digital footprint can either make or break a deal with your dream job. It can destroy your reputation even if you did go to the best school. If they find pictures of you doing illegal things, most likely you've sunk your own ship and can kiss that amazing opportunity goodbye.  I suggested that someone creates some type of software that will track anyone who has access to your information or pictures so that way, if someone is using your information or pictures in a wrong way, you can somehow be able to delete the pictures.

Here's a little video on Digital Footprints



I learned that there are Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship. They are:

1. Digital Etiquette
2. Digital Communication
3. Digital Literacy
4. Digital Access
5. Digital Commerce
6. Digital Law
7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities
8. Digital Health & Wellness
9. Digital Security

I think that Digital Etiquette and Digital Security are probably the most important. You want to post on the web what you want and know other people, whom you may not know, to be able to see. If you're questioning your decision to post it, chances are you probably shouldn't. With Digital Security, you want to make sure that your information is going to stay safe, which actually ties in with Digital Etiquette because you really shouldn't be posting things that people are not going to want to see and probably will use it poorly against you.

Terminology:

Metasearch Engine- a special type of search tool that complies the search results from multiple search engines into a single search results list

Wiki- a web site that allows users to edit, update and add content

Open-ended search- seeks information on a broader scale using a simple keyword

Search Query- a question that defines the information you seek. It should include at least one keyword

Keyword- a specific word that describes that information

Monday, October 7, 2013

LM2

Learning Module 2 has actually been fairly useful for me. We learned a lot about Internet Security and the risks people put themselves in when they don''t know the facts of safe online shopping and safe internet usage. We learned about different types of viruses your computer can get without you knowing. You can get worms, trojans, viruses, spyware and malware on your computer. You should always keep your internet browsers up to date. It'll keep the chances of getting a viruses pretty low because most internet browsers keep up to date on their internet protection.

When using the internet, one of the first things you should look for is that the web address has https at the beginning, it means it's a secure connection. When receiving emails from major places like discover card or anything where you have to provide personal information such as your social security number or a bank account number, always check the email address it is being sent from. Most places would never require you to email you back the personal information. If their asking for that type of information in a email, it probably is a hacker trying to get your information.

Here's a little video about Internet Security:




I also learned about Internet Protocol or IP. It figures out how each data packet is to be sent form one point to another. It makes sure it travels in the most efficient path. Another interesting thing about IP address is that it's the number form of a domain name. They created domain names so you don't have to remember a bunch of random numbers. But you can look up a IP address by just supplying a domain name and vice versa.

I actually enjoyed doing the discussion on Facebook about the vision of students today. It showed a lot about how students see the schooling system today. About how we take classes we don't need to be taking, also about how students think that schools should upgrade to using electronics and social media for classes. Students seem to want to work harder when they're using things they are familiar with and like.  When I was doing D4 discussion I came across a article saying Microsoft is hiring hackers to help protect their programs from being hacked. It makes sense because the hackers would know exactly what they are looking for to fix a program.

I really do feel like I put the time needed in for this lesson. I learned so much about Internet Security that I didn't know before. I will be using that knowledge in my future with anything that I do online and I will be watching for suspicious things to see if my computer is being hacked. I look forward to our next topic!


Wordle: Internet Security

Terminology:

Cookies- info sent form a web server to a browser. It gets stored in a text file on a person's computer and is retrieved by a web server at a later time
Malware- a malicious software that get's into a computer and files without a user's consent
Spyware- a type of malware that installs itself on a user's computer without consent or knowledge
Worm- software that replicates itself through a computer network in order to spread
Virus- a program that can replicate itself by attaching itself to other programs

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

When I first started this class, I figured it was going to be easy. I thought I was a pro at using the internet. Turns out I was wrong. There are so many things that I still don't know. All the apps and different tools available is unbelievable. One tool I learned how to use was Google Docs. I didn't even know it existed until I started this class. You have access to a powerpoint app, which we actually used for a presentation and it was pretty easy and basic to use. One thing I found interesting is that the domain name system gives alphabetical names to IP addresses. It's actually quite useful because nobody is going to remember a long IP address with random numbers. So giving the numbers a name helps with remembering the address.

It's always interesting to learn new facts about something I've become so familiar with.  The internet became publicly available in 1990. The first web browser made available was Mosaic created by Marc Andreessen. Tim Berners Lee invented the web in 1989 and wrote the first web server (httpd). I also learned that the internet was originally just used by the government in the 1960's used for specific mission critical work.

There really is still so much out there that I have yet to discover and many things that I still can learn how to do. I'm looking forward to being able to use all the apps that we learn this semester and hopefully they will help me in my future and career. Check out the video below and it will fill you in on more important facts about the internet history!




I think I really did put enough effort into Learning Module 1. There are still things I would like to learn more about in upcoming classes. I look forward to continuing on with everything!

Enjoy! :-)

Terminology:

Host- a computer connected directly to the internet
ARPANET- the first network of computers
ARPA- Advanced Research Projects Agency- part of the Us Department of defense that did scientific research into info tech
C2C- Consumers doing business with other consumers