Name: MindMeister.com
Summary: MindMeister is an online brainstorming (mind mapping) emerging technology. Mind mapping can be used for any type of educational purpose, business purposes, and individual use such as scheduling and organization. MindMeister allows any individual to brainstorm and create a mind map online, but it also allows for collaboration between multiple people who use MindMeister. Students can use mind mapping for note-taking, research, interactive presentations, or for simple organization and academic planning. MindMeister.com claims that students who use mind mapping to study display greater memory retention than through the use of traditional study techniques. Click this video for the MindMeister tutorial below:
Personal Testimony: To begin using MindMeister, I first watched the tutorial video posted above. I signed up for the "basic" account, which is free. Signing up includes entering a username, password, and an email address. After signing up, I looked at the default "sample mind map" to see what it looks like. In order to learn how to format the mind mapping web, I clicked on the "Help" tab. In this section, there are instructions detailing how to format the page, how to add ideas (nodes), sub-topics (child nodes), and so-on. There are keypad shortcuts for most of the formatting options. Without the help section and the tutorial video, it could be pretty confusing to make a mind map for the first time. Once I found out how to use the basic options, I created my first mind map with the subject "Behavior Modification Program".
My First Mind Map:
Tips/Suggestions: When you sign up for a free account, you have a limited number of mind maps that you can create. Be careful about creating a new mind map and deleting it, because I do not know if that counts as one of your free mind maps. Learn about how to create all the categories and subcategories before diving into a brainstorming session. If you do not know how to format the mind map "web", it can slow down and hamper your "brainstorming flow". I believe that when you are researching or creating a project, the rhythm and flow of brainstorming is very important. This rhythm can be interrupted if you have to spend time figuring out how to organize your ideas. After all, the purpose of this emerging technology is to help organize your thoughts.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Emerging Technologies - Polldaddy.com
Name: Polldaddy.com
Summary: Polldaddy.com is a website people can use to create all kinds of surveys, polls, tests, or quizzes, very quickly and easily. Polldaddy.com claims to be a trusted survey provider for many Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, CBS, and IBM. Polldaddy.com can be used in education for pop quizzes and for gathering student feedback after exams. Polldaddy.com can also be used for event planning, gauging customer satisfaction, and obviously for advertising and market research.
Personal Testimony: To begin my exploration of this website, I had to create a free user id and password (you can also choose a $200/yr "pro" account, or a $899/yr "corporate" account, each having more and more options available). Signup was quick and easy; you are only required to type your name, a username, your email, and a password. I decided to create my own survey, titled "w200" that closes on April 11 at 8:00PM, has a limit of one response per computer, and a maximum quota of 1000 responses. I created a survey for anyone who has taken w200. I didn't include a section for names, as I wanted it to be anonymous. I included 2 multiple choice questions and 3 free-response questions. All are mandatory except for the suggestions/constructive criticism section. My survey is linked below
My Survey: w200 Survey
Tips, Suggestions, Etc: When you choose the free account, you are limited to a certain number of surveys /polls/quizzes you can do. So, choose carefully when you begin. Explore all of the options, formats, and styles you can use in a survey or quiz BEFORE posting the survey. This can be a very useful tool and it is extremely fast and easy to create. Try it out!
Summary: Polldaddy.com is a website people can use to create all kinds of surveys, polls, tests, or quizzes, very quickly and easily. Polldaddy.com claims to be a trusted survey provider for many Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, CBS, and IBM. Polldaddy.com can be used in education for pop quizzes and for gathering student feedback after exams. Polldaddy.com can also be used for event planning, gauging customer satisfaction, and obviously for advertising and market research.
Personal Testimony: To begin my exploration of this website, I had to create a free user id and password (you can also choose a $200/yr "pro" account, or a $899/yr "corporate" account, each having more and more options available). Signup was quick and easy; you are only required to type your name, a username, your email, and a password. I decided to create my own survey, titled "w200" that closes on April 11 at 8:00PM, has a limit of one response per computer, and a maximum quota of 1000 responses. I created a survey for anyone who has taken w200. I didn't include a section for names, as I wanted it to be anonymous. I included 2 multiple choice questions and 3 free-response questions. All are mandatory except for the suggestions/constructive criticism section. My survey is linked below
My Survey: w200 Survey
Tips, Suggestions, Etc: When you choose the free account, you are limited to a certain number of surveys /polls/quizzes you can do. So, choose carefully when you begin. Explore all of the options, formats, and styles you can use in a survey or quiz BEFORE posting the survey. This can be a very useful tool and it is extremely fast and easy to create. Try it out!
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