StatPlanet

StatPlanet is an interactive world mapping tool that shows you statistics of many different things. Categories include Economy, Politics, Education, Drug and Crime rate, and many more. I decided to examine population growth further, which I found to be much higher in the African nations than any other place, outside of the small nation of Qatar on the Arabian Peninsula. This demonstrates that while many African nations are deprived, their populations are still growing at a very high rate, compounding already existing problems with food, water, and violence. I thought StatPlanet was a very useful tool, and I would definitely consider using it in the future as a resource for a project.

Bomomo

Bomomo is a free website that allows you to create an image in a paint like fashion. I found Bomomo to be both entertaining and enjoyable, as you have complete freedom to make the picture however you want to. It offers many different tools to customize the picture, which also come in many different colors and patterns. I thought this was a fun program to play around on.

Pixton

Pixton is a web 2.0 tool that allows you to make a comic strip. The template is very easy to navigate and allows you to customize your character, background, and what they say however you want to. I liked Pixton much better than Zooburst, as I felt that it was much more simple while still allowing plenty of customizable options to make the finished product your own. If I needed to construct an online comic I would definitely think about using Pixton.  

Blog Post

 Throughout the semester in Emerging Tech, I have learned several things. Besides all of the different web 2.0 tools that I have learned to use, I have learned to maneuver around different tools more effectively, which I view as a more important skill than learning how to operate programs that will become obsolete in a few years. My favorite tool thus far has been quizlet and precis, because I think they are the most useful. In the future I would like to learn more about emerging technologies and new industries.

Voki

Voki is a free web 2.0 tool that allows you to make talking characters. You can customize your character and change many different aspects of the character, such as the animal, the voice, the background, and what they say. Voki is a fun tool that anyone can use to make information more interactive and entertaining.

QR Code

QR code is the abbreviation for Quick Response code. QR codes are used as a hyperlink to a specific site, and they can be scanned in using an app on your smart phone. All types of businesses and people utilize the convenience of QR codes to market products or information. http://www.qrstuff.com/ is a website that allows anyone to make a QR code and print it or email it to link people to the desired location.

Timetoast

Timetoast is a website that allows you to make a comprehensive and interactive timeline online. I found it to be very easy to use, as you simply input the information into the format they provide and have a title, date, and extra space to explain the event if needed. Timetoast also allows you to add a picture and/or a link pertinent to the individual entry. I found the online format to be more effective than a written timeline, as you can scroll across the timeline and watch the events pop up opposed to being overwhelmed by every entry at once. Also, having it online makes it much easier to share with others. I would use an online timeline maker in the future given the opportunity.

Quizlet

Quizlet is a web 2.0 tool in which you create digital flash cards. Once you have created your set, you can choose to study your cards or play different games that also help in learning the terms. After practice, you have the option to test yourself and see how well you know the terms. I have used Quizlet a fair amount in high school and think it is a great option that transforms the traditionally mundane task of making flash cards into a fun way to study key terms and concepts.

Photo Editing

Photo editing is used to apply effects and options to pictures that normally do not have anything added. People often use photo editing on sites like instagram and facebook.

Picmonkey is very easy to operate, and it allows you to sift through a number of different effects that you can choose to apply to your picture to alter its appearance.

fotor.com  is another easy to operate photo editing site. It offers many of the same effects that picmonkey does, and is also laid out in a very logical way.

befunky  is another site much like picmonkey and fotor. It allows you to do many of the same things, and is also laid out in a way that is easy to operate.

pixlr.com is a photo editing site that is very popular. It is slightly more complex than the first three, and I found it to be more confusing than I needed for my simple photo edit purposes.

ipiccy  is much like the first three sites I listed. It is not difficult to operate and allows you to edit photos quickly. I like this site better than pixlr, and as much as fotor and befunky.

drpic is the last photo editing site that I used. I did not like it as much because it was also more confusing than others and it seemed choppier, also.

In conclusion, Picmonkey was my favorite photo editing site because it offered an easy and simple way to edit photos however I wanted to. I also liked fotor, befunky, and ipiccy. The only two that I would not use would be pixlr and drpic.

Photoshop

Photoshop is a windows application that allows you to edit and perform many different functions on pictures. It allows for much more than merely editing the color or texture of the picture, as you can also alter the entirety of the picture through cropping things in and out, duplicating parts of the picture, or emphasizing various aspects of a picture through different layering effects. I don't anticipate having to do a large amount of photo editing in the future, but Photoshop would be more than adequate in allowing me to alter a picture however I needed to. 

Zooburst

ZooBurst is a web 2.0 tool that allows you to create an interactive children's book over any topic. There are many different features that someone can use, so your story is entirely customizable. I find ZooBurst to be a unique option, as the format of a children's book allows you to communicate a topic as complicated as "Globalization" in an easy to understand format. I would consider using ZooBurst for a project in the future.

Glogster

Glogster is a Web 2.0 tool that allows you to create creative and interactive presentations on a topic. These presentations are created in a poster-like format in which you can add pictures, video, links, and text. Glogster is another good way to present information in a way more creative than the original format it is modeled off of - in this case a poster board, and I would consider using it for a visual presentation in the future.

Wordle & Tagxedo

Wordle is a Web 2.0 tool that allows you to construct a word cloud. The more times you type a specific word, such as "Globalization" in mine, the words will become bigger. This allows you to display key words relating to any topic that you decide to do. I think that Wordle is a good visual aid and would definitely be a good supplement when doing online projects.

Tagxedo is a Web 2.0 tool much like Worldle. It allows you to construct a similar world cloud. You can either type the words in manually, or search your topic and allow Tagxedo to come up with words for you. You can also link an article and Tagxedo will construct the image from words in that article. With Tagxedo you can also present the word cloud in unique ways, as they have many different templates and an option to customize a word, like my "G" above. 

Survey Response

I constructed my survey based on the idea of Globalization. Globalization refers to the increasing number of ties between different parts of the world, including economic, cultural, and political connections. Being interested in global affairs, it is a very fitting topic for me to research. I was also curious to see how many of my peers knew what globalization was, and how their knowledge or lack thereof related to their general interests in school and extracurricular activities. Through segmentation, I found some interesting patterns in my survey. Those who identified themselves as freshman generally reported having no or little interest in global affairs, but also that they could express educated political views in a conversation. These same people reported that they were generally interested in sports, and it was to be found that they had a fair understanding of globalization. There was no significant change in reported interest in global affairs between males and females. As the age of the reporter increased, the interest in global affairs generally increased, but the political efficacy showed no observable increase. Based on the results of the survey, it is reasonable to assume that students in high school have a decent understanding of what globalization is, but it is also fair to assume that they could not expand on the topic with much worthwhile dialogue. 

Bubbl.us

Bubbl.us is a website that allows you to map out ideas related to a specific topic in a web-like manner. The website is very user friendly, which is all the more encouraging to someone who isn't very tech savvy. I find the online mind mapping tool to be very useful because it allows you to organize information in a way that's easy to view and easy to understand, and also the online capability allows you to share it easily. I would definitely consider using bubbl.us in the future whenever I am brainstorming a topic.

Google Forms

Google Forms is a tool that can be used through the Google Drive. Google Forms allows you to design surveys about any topic that you want to, and you can ask questions pertaining to anything. Then, Forms will record your data and allow you to see it in an easy to view format. I think that Google Forms is a very useful tool for anyone needing to craft a survey, and I would consider using it myself in the future if needed.

Symbaloo

Symbaloo is a webpage that allows you to save your favorite sites and easily access them. You create an "app" for each of the different sites, which are then hyperlinked right to where you want to go. It is most useful when set as your homepage, as it allows you to access specific places without having to type in anything in the URL. I find Symbaloo to be both easy and practical and would consider using it in the future in my personal life.

Prezi

Prezi is an online website that allows you to present information in an interactive way, much like PowerPoint. The template on Prezi makes it relatively easy to use, and the online format automatically saves any changes you make, which is nice considering you don't have to worry about losing your project. I would use Prezi in the future as an alternative to PowerPoint.