- Web 2.0: Cool Tools for Schools: SketchUp and Songza
- Sketchup.com allows you to draw 3-D pictures with ease. The tool is free, but can also be purchased. You can create almost anything imaginable using this tool. I would use it for interior design purposes. I would highly recommend it for design students or even middle school/high school students. The tool is easy to use and has elaborate design features. SketchUp is a very fun and creative tool.
- Songza.com is very cool site. It allows users to listen to all types of music for free. It is set up sort of like a phone app so it is easy to navigate. You can purchase a version of this tool or listen for free. This tool is perfect for almost any occasion where music is necessary. Every genre is listed to choose from, even music you can study to. The music loaded fast and did not pause during any time. I would definitely recommend people use it.
- Go to Web20: Picozu and Tracky
- Picozu.com is a picture editing tool. It is easy to navigate, but worked a little slow at times. It has all of the tools necessary to properly edit a photograph. It is also free, but a Chrome version can be purchased. It would be a good free tool for high school or college students. The tool is fairly basic and self-explanatory. All of the tools are labeled with pictures and captions. I will probably use this tool in the future to edit my own photographs.
- Tracky.com is a social communication website. It let me sign in with my Facebook information. When I entered the sights I noticed it was a lot like my Facebook. You can basically interact with friends and co-workers with this tool. There is a place to make a profile and post “tracks”. The tool seems like it would be a good accessory to have, but it almost exactly like Facebook, and I, just like most other people, already have a Facebook. I would recomment this to older people who want to stay in touch with each other, and avoid the drama of Facebook.
- EdTech Toolbox: Flipbook and StoryJumper
- Benettonplay.com has a tool named Flipbook. It is basically an online version of Paint that comes standard on most computers. You can draw a sequence of pictures, then save them to create a flipbook. This kind of tool could be used to entertain young children. It is very simple to use and free. You just pick a color, select your paint brush size, and draw. I didn’t notice any glitches except for a few second delay from the time I clicked to draw to when the color actually showed up.
- Storyjumper.com is a free online site that allows users to write children’s stories. You can choose your own colors and graphics to be as creative as you want. This website can be used for younger children who want to share their creativity. Teachers can use this to inspire their children to write and use their imaginations. I did not notice any glitches. It was easy to navigate and students can get their books published in hardback form.
- Web 2.0 for the Classroom: Skype and Prezi
- Skype.com is a well-renowned tool used by many people all over the world. Users can make video calls to people halfway around the world. You can try it for free or purchase it. I think this is a great tool, especially when you need to keep in touch with family and friends. Skype is almost like being able to see and hear someone in person. Many soldiers use it overseas to talk to their families. It is easy to use and affordable. I would recommend this online tool for anyone to use.
- Prezi.com is a an online slideshow maker. It can be used for many types of presentations. You can choose from a variety of templates or create your own. This tool is ideal for college students who need to make a presentation quick and easy. The site is easy to navigate and it does not have any glitches. Prezi can help a presenter seem creative without them having to work hard. It is a great site that can be used from middle school aged kids to adults in the business world. It accommodates all types of people and presentations.
-Discovery Education Web2012: Slideshare and Yugma
- Slideshare.com is a online tool used to share a slide publicly. The slides are pictures with writing or something meaningful or inspiring on them. You can share and like other peoples’ slides. I would relate this website to Pinterest. You can search different topics or view random slides. You can also post slides you have made. I would recommend this tool to someone who likes to share their opinions with other people. I would rate it a 6 against Pinterest, but what can I say, I am a Pinterest fan.
- Yugma.com is an online site that allows users to share desktop information and host meetings. You can try for free or purchase it. This tool is good for business conference calls and important meetings. It is fairly easy to use. It took me a minute to figure out some of the gadgets. You can also make presentations, Skype, and share desktop files with this tool. I do not think I would ever use this site, but it would be great for someone in the business world.
For spring break this year, some of my family and I attended Mud Nationals in Jacksonville, TX. We had a blast. It is basically a five day party. It starts on Wednesday of spring break and goes on until Sunday. Mud Nationals is a pretty big deal to my friends and family. It is just something we grew up doing, and we love it. Mud Nats is held at Mud Creek Offroad Park. The park is made up of about 4,100 acres of hills, creeks, and mud pits. There are various vendors that come to promote their products. They sell anywhere from top of the line side-by-sides to children's t-shirts. There are also food vendors, and they have some pretty delicious food. My boyfriend has been attending mud nationals every year for about 6 years now. It will definitely be a tradition for us to attend every year from now on.
We arrived at Mud Nats on Thursday. We had to go a day late, which made me even more ready to get there. After finding our friends and setting up our campers, we were ready to get muddy. Before I could get muddy though, I had to buy me a new pair of my very own Gator Waders. I had to keep warm somehow. The first night we headed straight for the sandpit. This is everyone's favorite place to be. There are tons of people ready to party and hangout! We met a couple of guys from central Arkansas. They took a liking to our Jell-O shots and our homemade apple pie beverage :). The second night there wasn't quite as fun. We were all still worn out from the night before. We watched the mud bog and dirt bike freestyle and relaxed. Us and all of our friends went on a big mud ride. Most of them ended up stuck, so half of the time I was sitting in my Wildcat watching and laughing. Saturday night is when all of the fun started. As we were heading to the sandpit, which was way later than we should have been going, some arrogant, disrespectful guy seen the chance to try and "holler" at two girls. Well too make a long story short, the guy ended up getting ran over by my boyfriends 32" silverbacks because he was too inebriated to move out of the way after harassing me and my cousin. Don't worry, he wasn't hurt physically, only his pride. After a two hour wait to get into the sandpit, we finally made it. It was our last night and we were ready to have fun. We ended up meeting a lot of nice people, some were even from Arkansas. I even met a guy from Sweden. So, I guess it's not just a southern thing. One of my friends went streaking across the sandpit in the freezing cold water. It was quite hilarious.
If you enjoy having a good time and getting muddy, I would definitely recommend you attend Mud Nationals 2015! It is an awesome environment, and there is tons of people to meet.
http://mudcreekoffroadpark.com/
http://gatorwaders.com/
I recently read an article that took me by surprise. The title was 5 Surprising Social Media Statistics for 2013. The first fact was that there is a huge number of people using only mobile Facebook. There are nearly one billion people in the world using Facebook, and 200 million of them have only logged into the mobile app. Social media apps are almost necessary for cellphone companies to sale phones. The second fun fact was that YouTube is more popular than cable. YouTube has become so popular, advertisers first show their adds online, then on television. The third surprising statistic is the some social networking sites are more sought after than others. Facebook users have by far surpassed any other social media sites. 95% of users log into Facebook everyday. Another thing that astonished me was the statistical ratings of children under ten on Facebook. Five million children are members. Companies realize this and use it for marketing. They think if they can win over someone with their brand while they are young, they will always prefer that brand. The fifth alarming statistic was how many people have Facebook internationally. The number of members internationally is three times the entire population of the United States. This is good though, because companies can expand all over the world. These statistics will change drastically in years to come. These are just the early stages of social media.
Another article I read was called Social Media Is Making You Stupid. Basically this article is talking about how easy it is to find answers to question without having to think about it. When asked a series of questions, people in groups with the influence of others answers could respond quickly and correctly to the answers. Individuals answering the questions would have to stop and think, getting the answers wrong before they answered them correctly. The author is trying to get a point across that all the time people spend playing games on their phones or checking what someone else is doing, could be spend reading or making yourself smarter. The researchers who wrote some of the statistics she was writing about stated, "increased connectivity may eventually make us stupid by making us smarter first". They could have not been more correct with this statement. At first we seem smart because we can copy someone else's intelligence, but in the long run, we really never learned the answer in the first place.
In my opinion, social media can be good or bad. I personally have Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I use almost all of these daily, and sometimes they take more time out of my life than they should. I use these apps to keep in touch with my friends and family I don't see on a regular basis. I like being updated on what is going on in their lives. Some of the bad that comes out of social media is that there is way too much time spent playing different apps when users could be doing something more productive. Also, there shouldn't be so much drama on these sites. It is kind of sad to see how much time people actually spend on some of these apps. The main thing that bothered me though was how many children have a Facebook. I wouldn't have even thought about social media when I was ten, and I am not saying that because I am "old". I'm only 23. Children need to get outside and play more instead of playing on the computer and talking to people they aren't supposed to be talking to. Social media can be a good thing if used in the correct way, but too many people abuse their privileges.
http://socialmediatoday.com/docmarkting/1818611/five-surprising-social-media-statistics-2013
http://time.com/9207/social-media-is-making-you-stupid/
Hey everyone! My name is Kelsey Richelle Word. I attend Henderson State University where I am pursuing a Family and Consumer Sciences degree with a specialization in Fashion Merchandising, and a minor in Psychology. I was raised my whole life in the tiny town of Bearden, AR, but I now live in Arkadelphia, AR. I turned 23 in January. Last October, I had a wonderful little boy named, Jett. He is my whole world. All of my motivation comes from him, and he doesn't even know it. He means more to me than I could have ever imagined. My family is what I live for. Jett's dad and I have been together for almost two years. His name is Jake. He is always there for me no matter what, and he will do anything to make sure his family is taken care of. My mom's name is Shirley Basinger, and she is absolutely beautiful. She is the reason for me being here today. My mom has taken care of me my entire life, and made sure I had whatever I wanted or needed. My dad's name is Scott Word, and my step-mom's name is Morgan. They have also been a huge part of my life. They gave me two amazing little brothers named Gunnar and Gannon. More times than not, they are a handful, but I love them more than anything. I also have a sister named, Alix. My sister and I have been side by side since the day she was born. We are only 14 months apart, so we are more like twins. Alix and I depended on each other a lot as we were growing up. We did everything together. She is now pregnant, and due to have me a nephew in August. I am beyond excited. I hope our sons can grow up as close as she and I did. It's nice to have someone you know is always there for you. We fight like crazy, but we love each other even more. My extended family is huge. With my mom and dads sides combined, I have 37 first cousins. I know each one of them very well, and I am so thankful for that. My dad's father, my papaw, is my hero. He has to be one of the strongest, selfless people I know. His grandkid's are his priority. He gives each and every one of us whatever we want, if it is reasonable :). I could literally talk all day about my family, but now I think I'll talk a little more about myself.
The thing I enjoy the most is spending time with my son. When I am not spending time with him, I am either cleaning or doing homework. 22 hours for one semester will leave you no spare time. When I do get free time, I like going out with my friends or being outdoors. My boyfriend and I have a side-by-side that we enjoy going mud riding in. I was raised a country girl so I enjoy fishing, hunting, and getting muddy. Even though I do those things, I still get my nails done and keep my hair and makeup looking decent. Another hobby I have is refurbishing old furniture. I love taking things that are old or worn out, and making them look beautiful. Most of the furniture in my house is a result of this. Well..I can't think of anything else to write at the moment, but feel free to comment!
