30 Clicks: Paperless Solutions

Reducing paper is about more than print costs and sustainability. There are also the issues of flexibility, accessibility, and accountability. This Cannell Library 30 Clicks session addresses print handling, PDF document format, and Microsoft Office review tools, and addresses pros, cons, and challenges of going paperless. Click here to download the handout from the Paperless Solutions session.

Email Etiquette II: Accessibility Emphasis

What is accessibility?

Accessibile are designed to be effective in communicating to all users. While accessibility has applied primarily to people with disabilities, it has also expanded to include mobile device and software compaitibility. In short, keep your audience in mind!

Why Email?

It’s an important question! In general, email correspondence is used best for the following:

• Quick Q & A
• “FYI” information
• Negotiating complex schedules
• Sending digital documents quickly

To maximize these strengths, the sender should keep the following tips in mind:

Be readable

• 14-point font size is the new standard
• Use high contrast color between text and background. Avoid using images as background, as images increase the size of the message.
• Use clear, standard fonts: Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, Cambria

Be simple

• Underlined text is discouraged due to its similarity to a hyperlink. Using color for emphasis is also discouraged for the same reason.
• If you must attach a PDF or embed an image, put key information into the body of the text.
• Use italics for emphasis. Bold is typically reserved for headings. Bold italics is acceptable, but rarely necessary.  ALL CAPS READS LIKE SHOUTING.

Be clear

• Write to the proper language level of your audience.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs with clear topic and focus.
• Anticipate your response, and try to avoid extended exchanges.
• Be cautious of humor and sarcasm, which is often lost in the translation to text and particularly to screen reader.

Links

• How People with Disabilities Use the Web – Details web-specific interaction experiences for a variety of disabilities
• Readability index calculator: determines general readability level and score for inputted text.
• Plain English Campaign: An organization devoted to making public information readable
• Think Before You SEND: the web extension of Schipley and Schwalbe’s Send: Why People Email So Badly
• WebAIM – A comprehensive resource of web accessibility information

Prepared for the 2010 Northwest eLearning conference. For general email Etiquette Tips, Click here for the original Email Etiquette post.

Is PowerPoint dangerous?

The solution to the war in Iraq.

Does this chart mean anything to you? PowerPoint has been scrutinized nearly as long as it’s been utilized. One author proposes that the problem isn’t the program itself, but with the learning philosophy.

This New York Times article proposes that the fundamental flaw with PowerPoint is not that it’s boring (which it often is), linear (when minds aren’t), or static (by design). The problem is that PowerPoint encourages complex topics–such as military strategy–to be stripped of meaning and relegated to “dumb dumb bullets.” While bullet points can be effective in creating a foundation or providing an outline, it is the responsibility of the learners to create meaning.

Windows 7 – Toolbars galore!

Turn a folder into a toolbar for quick access.

The new taskbar in Window 7 can do a lot of things, and it has a built-in link to open Windows Explorer and browse folders on your hard drive. Within the taskbar are toolbars which enhance the functionality of your Windows taskbar.What if you wish to create a toolbar to a specific folder on your PC?

You already have the option to create toolbars for common PC locations. Right-click on the taskbar and hover over the “Toolbars” command to open a list of possible toolbar options. Some standard options include an address bar which enables web navigation from the toolbar or links or desktop buttons which create easy access to the internet links or desktop shortcuts respectively.

You are not limited to these shortcuts, and you may create a dedicated toolbar to any folder on your hard drive. Right-click the taskbar, expand the Toolbars option, and select New Toolbar…” You may now browse to any folder on your hard drive or even network share drive you wish to access via toolbar. You can create as many toolbars as you wish, and you can choose to show or hide toolbars by right-clicking the taskbar, expanding the Toolbars option, and selecting or deselecting toolbars you have created or used in the past.

Save clicks, use toolbars!

Engaging the Gamers

The rise of video games since the early ‘80s has had a profound and deep impact upon the generation who grew up with them. In his book Gadgets, Games, and Gizmos for Learning, Karl Kapp investigates the “gamer generation” and in the process illustrates some key considerations for the workplace regarding the motivation, management, and training of gamers. He also highlights important differences in workplace values between the pre- and post-gaming generations.

Kapp is far from the only one to investigate the powerful role that videogames and games in general play in learning and development. Behavioral Psychologist Christopher J. Ferguson states in his article Put Video Games to Good Use that while an investigation into the link between violent games and violent behavior has been inconclusive, games unquestionably “provide a more engaging platform in which learning may occur.” He goes on to clarify:

The belief that video games foster aggression was based on the assumption that games imbue elementary changes in a person’s motivation and personality. These are fairly major changes; they require the player to essentially become a different person after playing. For games to function as educational tools, they require no such radical change. A player who succeeds at a serious game (or an educationally loaded commercial game) remains the same person after playing; he merely knows more than he did before.

While games have neither the power to change behavior nor intrinsic educational value, they are unquestionably a powerful tool for creating engaged learning experiences. Whether it be through a question-and-answer quiz game, a 3D online virtual world, or a spirited, passionate discussion, learning and engagement go hand in hand.

Literature on the subject of video games and learning is available in the Clark College TLC Resource Library. For information on engaging the gamer generation in the classroom and workplace, check out Gadgets, Games, and Gizmos for Learning by Karl Kapp, who has extensive resources available at the book’s website, his blog, and his personal website. For an in-depth study on connections between video games and learning, consider What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee.

Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linder/427414599/

The Incredible Blog II: What the best bloggers know and do

So you’ve got a blog and you know generally what it does (if you don’t, review this earlier post), so how do you do it well? Consider these quick tips on bolstering your blog and your web presence in general.

If you’re the first to write about it, you’re the first authority

Newspapers fear bloggers and particularly social media like Twitter and Facebook it always gets there first. One blogger at Editor’s Weblog notes how social media blitzed the 2009 Hudson River emergency landing before traditional media even got their feet planted:

These traditional institutions breaking away from more conventional means, and embracing the social media revolution shows a resignation, willing or otherwise, to the fact that sites such as Twitter and Facebook are an integral part of the modern world.  Newspapers and news sites are constantly trying to use the sites popularity to their own benefit, with direct links and Facebook-ing journalists – but with the head start that Twitter had over the New York Times last Thursday, its seems they may have to try a little harder.

Even if you aren’t getting there first, you may be the first to make that connection, or the first to see something new. In fact, even if you aren’t the first ever to blog about something, you might be the first in your particular network. Let yourself become the local authority.

But once you’ve got the content, you gotta’ sell it…

Never underestimate the power of a good title (or tag)

Unless you’re a blog celebrity, many of your visitors will drop in by accident when a web search drops them onto your blog. The right tags and a clever title could make the difference between an appearance on page one of the search results and page 20. Consider not only what general words describe your content, but what specific words distinguish your content. This not only improves your search results, but forces you–the blogger–to evaluate what makes your content unique. A review/rant about Iron Man II is one thing. A review/poem about Iron Man II, makes for much more enticing bait.

Of course, if you’re going to use the bait strategy…

Put good food in the mousetrap

Some keywords that brought up a band's tour blog.

The front door isn’t the only way into your blog. A fresh, new update on your blog is great. Regular updates show you’re actively involved and generating new content, which gives your readers something to come back for. Always remember, however, your newest post isn’t necessarily your most important one. To a web search engine, old posts are just as much fair game as new posts. You may be surprised to realize that a casual mention of a rare book you found in your attic or a new business that just opened up down the street has suddenly doubled your traffic.

Of course, it isn’t all about you…

You can never have too many links

Ok, ok. You maybe you can, but there’s a point here.

Jorn Barger, who long held to the text-only version of the internet, became the first blogger when he created the first weblog, “Robot Wisdom,” as a means of sharing “links to articles about politics, culture, books and technology that he found interesting.” It both helped him find his way on the net (which was much smaller in 1997) and made him a resource for those who shared his interests. If your readers don’t love you for what you know, they may love who you know. If you’ve got something to say, but you think someone’s already said it better, send them there! That doesn’t mean you can’t offer a little praise and maybe add your two cents.

Of course, if you’re considering adding your two cents…

The comments area: your blog away from home.

Remember the Golden Rule

If you’ve slaved away at your post and have put it out there for the world to see, you know how exciting it can be to get visitors and particularly comments. Don’t expect something for nothing.  Blogs don’t intrinsically attract traffic. Be part of the living network. Visit other blogs and make comments, and be sure to leave the directions back to your blog. A good, thoughtful comment may give other visitors–or even the author of the blog–reason to come check out your blog.

This post was in support of a Clark College “30 Clicks” session (click here to download the handout). Sponsored by the Cannell Library, weekly “30 Clicks” sessions are a way for all members of the Clark Community to get together to explore new technologies, learn about information tools, and network with other interested Clarkers. Check out the schedule, come on out, and create a dialogue!

Protecting a Word Document

While the best way to secure a document is to save in Portable Document Format (PDF), you may still wish to protect part or all of a Microsoft Word 2007 document from unauthorized changes. Follow the directions below, or view the video walkthrough for a demonstration. For more options, consider viewing the Microsoft Office Online help article on protecting a document from unauthorized changes.

1. Open the document you would like to protect.
2. From Microsoft Word 2007, click “Review” on the Office Ribbon.
3. Click the “Protect Document” button on the far right, and select “Restrict Formatting and Editing” from the drop-down menu. This will open a pane on the right side of the screen.
4. Click the box next to “Allow only this type of editing in the document,” which will enable you to specify (in the drop-down menu) what types of changes you will allow.
5. You may optionally select regions which will be “unprotected” from the restrictions. To do this, highlight these regions and select which users are allowed to freely edit this section (the default box is “Everyone”). This will create a greyed area in brackets around the text which is unrestricted.
6. To complete the protection of the document, click the box labeled Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.
7. You will be prompted to enter and verify a password. You must remember this password, as IT services will be unable to retrieve it for you once it is set. Click Ok when you are done.
8. When the document is protected, users will only be able to modify sections which you have specifically marked unrestricted. Any other changes will require the password.
9. Anytime a user attempts to edit a restricted document, the “Restrict Formatting and Editing” pane will appear informing the user that the document is protected. To unlock protection, click the Stop Protection button and enter the password.

What have you Googled today?

Much like the social networking comic strip, its a joke with a bit of meaning behind it. Ever since Google transitioned from a search engine to a verb, it’s fast becoming the go-to solution for pretty much anything that our memory can’t recall in less than five seconds. In many cases, a quick Google search turns up an answer faster than the help command (though often the Google result may be from the program vendor web site). What did Google do differently that allowed it to “revolutionize” how we search for information?

You got questions? Google has...suggestions.

Under the dashboard, Google search results are tied to user input and content. The more an item is linked to, the higher its rank. What this means to you the user, is that when you type in a few keywords related to your search, the top result will likely be where most people have either gone for an answer or to discuss the issue. Having a brain snag? Chances are you can Google the answer faster than you can remember it. Have a MS Office question? Consider typing a few words in Google related to your inquiry to see if anyone has sought the same–or at least similar–answers as you have.

Don’t be afraid to utilize web resources in your search for information. Whether you are faculty, staff, or a student, a willingness to engage, and even contribute to, the online community discourse is an integral part of building technology fluency.

Give a man a fish, and he knows where to go to get fish.
Teach a man to fish, and you destroy your market base. What’s wrong with you?

“The Class” demonstrates pitfalls of classroom tech.

Students at the University of Denver produced a parody of “The Office” to humorously depict some of the very real struggles faculty may run into when trying to “plug” tech directly into the classroom without regard to learning objectives. The lesson: always consider your learning outcomes first. Once you have those, only then can you decide which tools may best support these outcomes.

Email Etiquette

Email inefficiency can suck up the time email was designed to save, and more. While several email guides are available, the rules below represent the most commonly cited email guidelines and violations.

1. Avoid “Reply All”. Email should not substitute for a discussion board, and replies should be directed to the sender–not the group. “Reply All” should be avoided unless it is absolutely essential that everyone see and read your reply.
2. Be aware of accessibility. Use alt text if your message includes images, and consider including or linking to a text version of images which include text. Setting defaults to 14 will insure an accessible font size.
3. ALL CAPS IMPLIES YELLING. In the absence of inflection, joy can be mistaken for anger quite easily. Never send email angry.
4. Know when to call. Email is not designed for and should not be used for extended exchanges.  Consider switching to a phone call if more than four exchanges have happened with no end in sight.
5. Update Subject Lines. If you are changing the subject in a reply, be sure to change the subject line accordingly.
6. Follow the Email Golden Rule. Put yourself in the recipient’s shoes. Avoid sending something electronically that you would prefer to be told to you in person.
7. Be cautious of over-formatting. Color text as well as color background reduces readability. Underlined text can be confused for web links. Stick to simple formatting (bold or italics, not both) whenever possible.
8. Keep to business hours. Compose email on off-hours, but send it within business hours. Receiving email on off-hours can foster guilt.
9. Humor and emotion can get lost in text. In the absence of inflection and body language, clarity becomes essential. If you need a “smiley face” to explain yourself, consider avoiding the joke altogether. Also, don’t write emails when angry.
10. Respect the end of the exchange. If the information is all there, resist the urge to tack on one-word replies. Not only are they unnecessary, but they can be misconstrued as a prompt to re-open a closed conversation.

Further Reading (available in the TLC Resource Library):

• Business E-Mail: How to Make It Professional and Effective by Lisa A. Smith
• E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide: How to Write and manage E-Mail in the Workplace by Janis Fisher Chan
• How You Say It Matters: a Guide to Creating Professional and Accessible Publications by Robert Boy and Amy Cline
• Send: Why People Email So badly and How to Do It Better by David Shipley and Will Schawlbe
• Writing Effective E-Mail: Improving Your Electronic Communication by Nancy Flynn and Tom Flynn

Video Links

• Proper email etiquette with corporate comedian Greg Schwem
• Seven keys to effective email
• Tim Sanders: What Are the Biggest Email Mistakes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srrnMIskxTM