Learn 2.0

Click Here to Begin Learn 2.0!

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:55:00 +0000

Learn 2.0 was created by staff at Adult Learning Centres Grey Bruce Georgian. We developed these exercises to help you navigate and become comfortable with the internet while developing essential skills for learning, employment, and life.

Work your way through each lesson in order, beginning with the Getting Started lesson and Computer Skills Assessment. Listen, read, and watch the videos as you learn to create a blog, set up email, use social media tools, and more! After each lesson, return to the Learn 2.0 home page to move on to the next.

You will track your progress on a paper checklist provided by your instructor. Please direct any questions or comments about Learn 2.0 to Adult Learning Centres GBG at adult.learning@gmail.com.

Click here to download the Learn 2.0 checklist.

Lesson 1: Getting Started & Computer Skills Assessment

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:26:00 +0000

Computer Skills Assessment

Some of our students are brand new to computers. The following questionnaire will help you decide if you are ready to start Learn 2.0, or if you should complete a Computer Skills course first.

The Adult Learning Centre's Computer Skills course consists of four lessons to help you become comfortable using the mouse, web browsers, email, and search engines.

If you answer "No" to two or more of the following questions, ask your instructor to set up a time for you to attend a Computer Skills class or private lesson.

Have you used a computer with internet access in the last two years?
Do you have an email account?
Are you comfortable finding information (for school projects or personal use) online?
Do you understand the difference between a web browser (such as Internet Explorer) and a search engine like Google?
Are you able to use the mouse to navigate from webpage to webpage?

If you answered "No" to less than two questions, you are ready for Learn 2.0! Please scroll down the page to watch a video tour explaining how to use this 2.0 website.

How to Use the Learn 2.0 Website

Watch the video below for a tour and overview of the Learn 2.0 website.

Photo courtesy of Joseph Hatfield at Flickr.com.

Click on the form at the bottom of the page and fill it in.

Lesson 2: Using Gmail

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:28:00 +0000

Why Should You Use Gmail?

Gmail is an email account you can access from any computer with an internet connection. Watch the following video for more information on Gmail and why you should use it.

How to Set Up a Gmail Account

Please read all instructions before going to the Gmail sign in page

and creating your email account.

Double click on Internet Explorer to open a web browser.
Click in the address bar and type www.google.com/mail
When the Gmail sign in page appears, move your mouse pointer to the box in the lower right-hand corner and click on "Sign up for Gmail."
Fill out the fields on the registration page that appears next. Note: For your alternate email address, please use an email you will be able to check to retrieve your password in case it is lost.
Your login name: Use the first three letters of your first name, a period, then the first four letters of your last name. For example, an email address for John Smith would look like this:

joh.smit@gmail.com

If your first choice for your login name is already taken, try putting a 2 after your last name (joh.smit2@gmail.com).

After you create your login name and password, please give it to a staff member at your site, but do not give your password to anyone else. Make sure you write it down in case you forget.

Hint: When choosing a password, build one by:

using the first three letters of the website
adding a two-digit number known only to you
a keyword of four to five letters to use in all of your passwords
choose one of the letters in your keyword to capitalize

Your password as described above might look like this: gma22toAst

Using a combination of lower and uppercase letters and numbers helps you create a strong password. This technique will also

help you remember it.

Photo courtesy of Gubatron at Flickr.com

Read Gmail's Service Agreement and click "I Accept" to register your account.

Congratulations! Your Gmail account is set up and ready to go! Be sure to read the first emails the Gmail team sends to your inbox. There are lots of tips on how Gmail works and all of the cool things it does.

Before continuing to the next part of this lesson, Log into your gmail account and send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com.

Common Questions About Signing Up for a Gmail Account

1. Why can't I have that email address?

Gmail is a popular service and many people are using it, so many names are already in use by other Gmail members. Try another name, or use add numbers, a dash (-) or an underscore ( _ ).

2. Why do they need so much information to register?

Accurate information is important in case you forget your Gmail ID or password. They will confirm your identity using your birthday, postal code, and "Challenge Question and Answer" to make sure you are the one requesting your login information. Gmail can only send your ID or password to your alternate email address once they have confirmed that you are the account owner. This protects you against other people trying to gain access to your email account. If you have entered any of the registration information incorrectly, Gmail will not be able to remind you of your login or password.

3. Why do I have to retype the password?

Retyping the password confirms that the password is correct and that it is typed as you wanted it to be. If you made a typing error while creating your password, you would not be able to access your account using the password you meant to enter.

4. Why do I have to type in the letters and numbers in the picture?

This is called a CAPTCHA. Typing in these letters and numbers helps Gmail verify that you are a real person, because people who send spam emails sometimes use computer programs to register large numbers of email addresses. You will see CAPTCHA boxes on other websites when they want to confirm your registration.

More Information on Gmail Features

Click here to watch a short video from Google explaining a few of the features of a Gmail account.

Congratulations! You have finished the lesson on GMail and can move on to iGoogle. Before you move on, click on the form below to fill it out. The form must be completed to enter the monthly draw!

Lesson 3: How to Use iGoogle

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:28:00 +0000

iGoogle is your personal homepage. You can add different gadgets to your iGoogle page to help you keep track of the things you are interested in on the internet.

Some gadgets also let you create To Do lists and track your goals. iGoogle is a great tool for learners because each time one of the webpages you follow is updated, the new information appears on your iGoogle page. You don't have to go searching for each new webpage to stay up-to-date.

Where to Find iGoogle

iGoogle and GMail are both free services offered by Google. You sign into both services using your GMail address and password.

Go to the Google homepage at http://www.google.com/ (ask your instructor if you need help opening a second browser window). In the top right corner, click the link to iGoogle. If you are already signed in to GMail, you are directed to your iGoogle page. Or, if you have not yet signed in, iGoogle will ask you to sign in to see your personalized page.

Ask your instructor to send you our Adult Learning Centre iGoogle homepage. This contains the gadgets you will use to track your goals and progress throughout your time at the ALC.

Why Use iGoogle?

Keeping track of all of the helpful and interesting information you find on the internet can be confusing. Your iGoogle page gives you a place to put some of this information.

It is important to note that when you visit your iGoogle page, you will just see small snippets of information from each webpage that you follow. However, you can click on the information you want to see and go to the full webpage.

Add a Learning Goal to Your iGoogle Page

Once your instructor shares the ALC iGoogle page with you, check your email and follow the link to see it. Note: if you do not receive the email within a few minutes, check your Spam inbox.

In the middle of your iGoogle page, you should see a box called "Countdown." Fill in the boxes to track your learning goal. For example, if you are writing your GED test on April 9, 2011, add "GED test" as the event name, followed by the end date for your learning goal. This exercise allows you to see how much closer you are to achieving your goal as you progress through the course.

Other Things You Can Do with iGoogle

iGoogle lets you keep track of information from the internet, but you can also add your own content, such as:

photos
goals
notes to yourself
lists of things to do or things you like
local weather
and much more!

Watch this 2-minute video to learn more about Google gadgets and how to add them to your iGoogle page:

Video courtesy of ExpertVillage at YouTube.com

Congratulations! Now that your iGoogle page is set up and you know how to add gadgets, you can move on to the next lesson, 7 1/2 Habits of Successful Learners. Before you do, be sure to click on the form at the bottom of the page and fill it in to enter the monthly draw! Click Home to return to the homepage.

Lesson 4: The 7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:29:00 +0000

Welcome! Learning is something we do our whole lives. Lifelong learning means that we, as adults, are still learning new skills in our communities every day. For many people, the internet can be a scary and strange place to explore on their own.

What Can the Internet Do for You?

We have developed the activities in Learn 2.0 to help you understand how the internet, or world wide web, can enrich our daily lives.

In this activity, you will get helpful advice from other lifelong learners. As we begin, let's review a few habits that may help you on your journey towards lifelong learning.

The 7 1/2 Habits Exercise

Plug headphones or speakers into your computer and have a pen and paper ready to take notes. As you watch and listen to the video below, write down the habit among the 7 1/2 that you find easiest for you, as well as the habit you find the most difficult.

You will use the blog you will create in lesson six to post your thoughts about lifelong learning. Click the picture below to get started, then return to Learn 2.0 for your next exercise.

Note: This activity is for listening only. You do not need to download any attachments.

Nice work! Send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you completed Activity 4. Also, don't forget to fill out the form at the bottom of the page to be able to enter the monthly draw. Now that you know these 7 1/2 Habits, you are ready to move to the next lesson and create your own blog with Blogger.

Lesson 5: Blogging with Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:30:00 +0000

This activity is devoted to blogs and blogging. "Blog" is the term coined to describe a web log, or online journal. There are many different applications or systems used to create blogs. Google - the same company that created Gmail - offers a system called Blogger. It is one of easiest blog applications to set up and use.

Once you have completed this lesson, send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Lesson 5. Don't forget to send your new blog's web address and password so we can check it out!

How to Set Up a Blog Using Blogger

This two-minute video explains how to set up your blog using Blogger. Remember, when you are asked to provide an email address for your new Blogger account, use your Gmail email address.

4 Steps to Creating a Blog

Now that you have watched the video, follow these four simple steps to create your own blog.

Step One

Type into the address bar: http://www.blogger.com/.

This is the Blogger home page. Click on the orange "Create a Blog" button.

Step Two

Follow the instructions and fill in the required information. Use the Gmail address and password you created in Learn 2.0 for your new Blogger account.

Don't forget to complete the CAPTCHA form at the bottom, then read and accept the terms of service before clicking the orange "Continue" arrow.

Step Three

It's time to name your new blog! Choose your title and give the blog an address. Click the "Check Availability" button to make sure no one else is using the address you want.

Once you have named your blog and filled in the CAPTCHA box, click the orange arrow to continue.

Step Four

Now look at the selection of blog templates and choose the layout for your new blog.

Click the radio button beside the name of the template you would like to use, then scroll to the bottom and click the orange arrow to continue.

IMPORTANT

Ask a staff member to help you change your privacy settings so only you and the Adult Learning Centre staff can view your blog. If you would like to use a blog for personal reasons, you may start a new one. This blog is used to keep track of your accomplishments, writing, and exercises in your program at the ALC.

Congratulations!

Your blog has been created! As you become more comfortable with blogging, you will be able to add journal entries or other writing, pictures, and more.

Blogging Exercise

Your first blogging exercise is to write a paragraph on your blog about the 7 1/2 Habits video you watched in Lesson 4.

Which habit is the most difficult for you? Which do you find the easiest? Go to "Posting," then "New Post" and write about it on your blog. When you are ready, hit "Publish Post" and your paragraph will appear on your blog.

Send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Lesson 5. Don't forget to send your new blog's web address and password so we can check it out! Click on the form at the bottom of the page and fill it in to be able to enter the monthly draw. Go Home and move on to the Facebook lesson.

Lesson 6: Facebook and Personal Computer Use

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:16:00 +0000

Adult Learning Centres Grey Bruce Georgian locations offer learners the opportunity to use classroom computers for personal business for up to 20 minutes per day.

Thank you for respecting the 20-minute rule. This allows us to continue offering online and computer-based courses as well as limited personal time.

What is Facebook?

Facebook is a website you can use to keep in touch with friends, family, and other contacts. You can send private messages, post messages everyone can see, add photos, chat with friends, and more. There are currently over 400 million people using Facebook.

Anything you add to Facebook - any pictures, messages, status updates, notes, or other content - is on the internet. If you wouldn't say it to your Grandmother or a potential employer in a job interview, don't say it on Facebook.

How To Set Up Your Facebook Account

Open another tab in your browser so you can watch the video in this tab and switch to the new tab to set up your Facebook account. Ask your instructor for assistance if you are not sure how to do this.

This video walks you through the steps to set up your Facebook account. If you already have an account, watch the video anyway... you might learn something new about:

finding friends from school
adding information to your profile
uploading pictures
joining a network
listing education and work experience

Remember to plug in earphones so you can hear the audio with the video.

Facebook Activity

1. Go to http://www.facebook.com/ and start an account. Have an instructor help you with your privacy settings to protect your personal information while you use the website. Invite friends to join you, if you know their email addresses.

2. Use the Search feature on Facebook to find groups or pages related to your learning goals. For example, you might find a group of adult learners, or a page about literacy or job searching.

3. Now visit your blog and write a short post about your experience setting up a Facebook account. Did you find a page or group related to your goals in this program? What are the benefits of connecting with other people with goals similar to yours? Remember to hit "Publish Post" when are finished to see the new post on your blog.

4. Send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Lesson 6.

Congratulations! You have started your Facebook account and are ready to connect with friends and family online. Click on the form at the bottom of the page and fill it in to enter the monthly draw. Return to the home page to start the lesson on Flickr, Picasa, and Picnik for photo sharing and editing.

Lesson 7: Flickr, Picasa and Picnik- Photo Sharing and Editing

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:20:00 +0000

Flickr, Picasa, and Picnik are all different types of photo programs.

Picasa

Picasa is an online photo album service by Google. This means you can access Picasa using the same login information as your GMail account and Blogger blog.

Visit http://www.picasa.com/. You have the option to either download Picasa to your computer, or access Picasa Web Albums. For this exercise, we will use web albums, but you can visit Picasa later and download the program to your home computer.

When you download and install Picasa, it automatically searches for all of the photos stored in your computer and sorts them into folders organized by name, date, or size. To create web albums, you simply upload the photos from your computer into the web album so you can access them from any computer with an internet connection.

Watch this video from Google to see how Picasa works and how you use it to organize photos and share them with friends.

Video courtesy of Google at YouTube.com.

Flickr

Flickr is another online photo album service. However, Flickr has some unique features that make it a good resource when you are doing school projects or blogging. In this activity, we will practice using a picture from the internet in a blog post.

Go to http://www.flickr.com/.
On the homepage, you should see a search bar. Type a word into the search box; use a word that helps describe your goals at the Adult Learning Centre, such as "achievement," or "learning."
Click search.
Near the top of the results page, beside the search bar, you will see, "Advanced Search." Click the link.
All the way down at the bottom of the Advanced Search page, there is a section called "Creative Commons." What this means is that some Flickr users share their photos with the public and allow you to use their photos on your personal webpage - IF you give them credit for the photo. The person who took and uploaded the picture owns the copyright for that picture. So, just as you can't copy someone else's writing, you can't use other people's pictures without giving them credit.
Click the checkbox to indicate that you want to search for pictures with a Creative Commons license. Any picture without this license cannot be used on your blog or other website.
Once Creative Commons is selected, click the search button again. Flickr will narrow down the results so that the only ones showing have the proper license.

Now you can browse through the photo results. Choose one that suits your learning plan and goals here at the Adult Learning Centre. Click on the picture to go from the search results page to the page for that picture. Just above the picture, there is a small picture of a magnifying glass that says, "All Sizes." Click all sizes. Then follow the instructions to download the picture and save it to the Desktop.

Name the picture using the photographer's name so you can remember who to credit when you use the photo. Keep the web browser window open on the photo page; you will need the web address for the next acitivity. You will use this picture in the next part of this exercise.

Picnik

Picnik is a photo editing program owned by Google. It is unique because you do not have to download the program on to your computer. Instead, you upload the picture to the website, do your photo editing, then download and save the new version to your computer.

Visit http://www.picnik.com/. Click Get Started Now. On the next page, click Upload a Photo. Find the saved photo in your desktop and upload the picture to Picnik.

Now try editing the photo. Crop the edges off, brighten the photo, or make it black & white. Once you are finished, save the new photo to the desktop again. This time, put a number "2" on the end of the file name so you can tell the original and edited pictures apart.

Adding a Photo to Your Blog Post

Now that you know how to use Flickr, Picasa, and Picnik, write a three to five paragraph blog post about photo organizing and editing. Try to answer these questions in your blog post:

Why is it important to remember the photographer's name when you are using photos from Flickr (or other websites) on your own webpage?
Do you think photo editing and organizing is an important skill for students?
Why is this photo representative of your learning or life goals?

Once you have finished writing your blog post, click the picture icon in the editing bar to upload your edited photo. Use the picture toolbar that appears under the embedded picture in Blogger to put it on the left, middle, or right of the page.

How to Use Other People's Photos Without Breaking the Law

Beneath the photo you added, type in:

"Photo courtesy of __________ at Flickr.com."

In the blank space, add the name of the Flickr user who owns the photo. Then select the whole sentence and, in your Blogger editing bar, click Link. Enter the web address in the hyperlink pop-up box. This creates a hyperlink back to the photo owner's page and ensures you are not violating copyright law.

Ask an instructor if you need help linking the photo credit to the page of the photo owner.

Once you have written your blog post and added a picture crediting the photographer, publish the post.

Send an email to adult.learning@gmail.com letting us know you have completed Lesson 7. Click on the form at the bottom of the page to fill it in and be able to enter the monthly draw.

Lesson 8: Gadgets

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:18:00 +0000

Gadgets are interactive applications you can add to your webpage, iGoogle page, or blog.

Google offers gadgets for webpages and iGoogle pages here:

Google Gadgets for Your Webpage

Click the link above to visit the Google Gadgets page and browse through the gadgets to see what kinds of things they can do.

Photo courtesy of Brian Sawyer at Flickr.com.

This is an example of a Google gadget:

Add a Gadget to Your Blog

Sign in to your Blogger account and click the "Design" tab at the top of the page. The design page lets you add new content, or drag and drop your existing gadgets to move them around the blog page.

Click "Add a Gadget." Depending on which blog template you chose, you will see a pop-up box with a variety of different gadgets. Explore the many gadgets Google offers and choose one to add to your blog. Here are some examples:

Followers - Displays the usernames of people who follow your blog.
HTML/Javascript - Allows you to add pieces of code you might have found on other websites.
Text - Write a short message that will always appear on the page, even when you move from post to post.
Poll - Add a survey to your blog.
Countdown - Start a countdown to your birthday, graduation day, or other meaningful event.

Once you have added the gadget, drag and drop it wherever you want it to appear on the page. Save your changes before logging out of Blogger.

What Have You Learned About Gadgets?

Write a short blog post about three different gadgets you found and how they add interesting content to your blog. Publish the post and send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Activity 8. Click on the form at the bottom of the page to fill it in and be able to enter the monthly draw.

Lesson 9: Social Bookmarking with Del.icio.us

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Social bookmarking is a way of saving webpages you want to come back to by "tagging" them, then sharing your lists with others.

It has become a popular thing to do because it helps people organize the many websites they visit. It also allows you to keep up with the things your friends or family are interested in.

What are Tags?

Tags are one-word descriptors you assign to your bookmarked pages to help you organize and remember them. Tags are like keywords, but you choose them, not the website creator.

You can assign as many tags to a bookmarked website as you would like. This is incredibly useful when a webpage you want to bookmark doesn't fit into just one category or folder; for example; a website about apprenticeships might fall under "school" but it would also fit in "job searching." Tagging allows you to categorize the page in different ways so it appears in both lists.

Tagging with Del.icio.us

Del.icio.us is a popular social bookmarking manager that allows you to bookmark a webpage and add your own tags to categorize all of your saved pages.

It is important to note that you are not actually saving the webpage itself, but the website address. Each time you use Del.icio.us to visit your tagged websites, they will be the most current version. If the website creator has added new content or updated the page, you will see these changes each time you visit.

Many people find the social networking aspect of Del.icio.us quite useful, as you can see how other users tag similar links and discover new websites on their lists that might be of interest to you. You can think of this as peering into another person's filing cabinet, but with this powerful bookmarking tool, each user's filing cabinet helps to build an expansive social network.

Activity: Create a Del.icio.us Account and Start Tagging

Visit http://www.delicious.com/. The most recent bookmarks are displayed on the homepage. You can also search for bookmarks on specific topics using the search bar at the top of the page. Take a few minutes to browse through the most recent bookmarks.

Click Join Now at the top right of the page to create your own account. You will need to create a Yahoo! email account to sign up for Delicious. Once you have registered and verified your account, start searching for interesting websites to tag!

Choose a topic related to your goals at the Adult Learning Centre and enter this into the Del.icio.us search bar. For example, you might search, "math" or "grammar."
Review the search results and choose at least three different webpages to tag.
Once you have tagged your bookmarks, create a blog post about the experience. Think about the following questions as you create your blog post: Can you see the potential for this tool for your personal learning plan? How would you use it? What type of information did you search for and why? How many results did you get in your search?

Congratulations! You have learned how to tag your favorite content and save bookmarks to Del.icio.us. Send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Activity 9 so we can check out your blog post. You are ready to move on to Activity 10. Click on the form at the bottom of the page to fill it out and be able to enter the monthly draw.

Lesson 10: Google Docs and Reader

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:19:00 +0000

Everyone has used Microsoft Word to create documents such as letters, resumes, recipes, etc. Now there is a way to do all the things you used to do in Microsoft Word (and more!), but online using your gmail sign in as part of the Google family.

Picture courtesy of Richard Masoner at Flickr.com.

The availability and use of online productivity web-based applications (such as Google Docs) have exploded over the past two years and for good reason! These applications give users the ability to create and share documents over the internet, without the need of installed desktop applications. This means you can access your documents from any computer with an internet connection, without having to save them to a disk or memory stick.

One large benefit to web-based applications it that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easily accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file. You can even use many of these tools, such as Google Docs to author and publish posts to your blog.

For this activity, participants are asked to take a look at the web-based word processing tool, Google Docs. Create a simple document and then document your discoveries in your blog. If you're up to the challenge, you might even export your document as an HTML file or publish it through to your blog.

To learn more about Google Docs, complete this online tutorial (put your mouse over the text and click to open a new window with the Google Docs tutorial).

Google Docs - Activity #1

Go to Google Docs and sign in using your Gmail login. Select "Documents" from the top menu bar.
Explore the site and create a few test documents. You could rewrite your resume, or write a letter to a friend.
Try out a few of the different features, then go to your blog and write a blog post about the experience.

Google Reader

Google Reader is another web service that allows you to organize the many websites and blogs you enjoy. The Reader tracks new content on the blogs and news services you follow and shows it all on one convenient page.

This is a great tool for students who want to keep up to date with their school's website, news articles relevant to their courses, etc.

To see how Google Reader works, complete the following activity.

Google Reader - Activity #2

Click here to open a new window with a quick tour of Google Reader.
Read each page and click "Next" until the only option left is to try it out.
When you click "Try It Out," Google automatically directs you to your own Google Reader page. Have a look around the page; it looks very much like your GMail or iGoogle page, with the same menu at the top. You will use the same GMail address and account for the Reader as you use for Blogger, GMail, iGoogle, and Google Docs, because they are all owned by the same company.
Explore the page, then write a blog post about the experience. In your blog post, tell us how you plan on using Google Docs and Google Reader to improve your learning experience, or how you could use it in the workplace.
Send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Activities 1, 2 & 3 on Google Docs and Reader and published a post about it to your blog. Click on the form below and fill it out to be eligible to enter the monthly draw.

Lesson 11: YouTube

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:50:00 +0000

YouTube is an online video hosting website that also acts as a search engine for videos. As a YouTube user, you can search for and watch other people's videos, upload your own videos, or even embed videos in your blog for people to watch on your personal webpage.

Visit http://www.youtube.com/ and browse through the top videos on the homepage. Try typing the name of your favorite singer or TV show in the search bar to see what videos come up. You could find anything from 1970s TV commercials, to children's programs, to educational material and more on YouTube.

Photo courtesy of TopGold at Flickr.com.

YouTube is like any other search engine; there are a lot of good results, but some useless ones, as well! Take a few minutes to explore YouTube and see for yourself what the site has to offer.

YouTube Activity

Create a YouTube account. You will use your GMail email address and password to create your own YouTube account, allowing you to bookmark your favorite videos, leave comments, and rate video clips.

In the top right corner of the homepage, click "Create Account."
Fill in the requested information and visit your GMail account to confirm your YouTube registration.
Once you are registered and signed in to YouTube, use the YouTube search box to find a video about setting personal goals.
Watch a few of the videos in the results list and choose a Favorite. To bookmark it as a Favorite, click the "Add to" button just below the video and select "Favorites." (See the picture below if you cannot find the "Add to" button.) Now, each time you visit YouTube, you can easily find this video in your Favorites.

Copy and paste the web address of your goal-setting video into an email to adult.learning@gmail.com and let us know you have completed Activity 11.

Congratulations! You have learned how to use YouTube to find and favorite videos. In the next lesson, you will learn to embed a video in your blog. Click on the form at the bottom of the page and fill it out to enter the monthly draw. Click Home to go back to the homepage and move on to Activity 12.

Lesson 12: Embed Videos

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:40:00 +0000

In our lesson on Flickr and other photo editing services, we learned the importance of crediting photographers for their work when you post one of their photos on your blog or elsewhere on the internet.

You can also post YouTube videos on your blog, personal website, or on your Facebook account. This is called "embedding" a video, and when done properly, the video links back to the creator's account on YouTube. This means you can use the video to show your friends and readers while still giving credit and linking back to the creator so you do not violate any copyright laws.

Photo courtesy of JodiGreen at Flickr.com.

What Does Embedding Mean?

All websites and webpages are created using different types of code called programming languages. Services like Google Blogger do the hard work for you by taking your instructions and turning them into the code necessary to design the blog. The most common programming language is HTML, or HyperText Markup Language. You don't have to learn this new language to embed videos because YouTube will give you the right piece of code to make the video appear and play on your own page.

We learned about gadgets earlier in Learn 2.0. Gadgets work by taking pieces of code and plugging them in to your blog. Embedding works in the same way. YouTube gives you a piece of code that already includes all of the instructions to show the video and link it back to the original YouTube page.

Video Embedding Activity

Go to http://www.youtube.com/ and sign in to your account using the login you created in Lesson 11.

In this activity, you are going to embed one of the videos you added to your YouTube favorites into your blog and write a short post about why it is meaningful to you.

Open your Favorites list by clicking on your username in the top right corner of the page and choosing "Favorites" from the dropdown menu.
Open a new tab in your web browser and sign in to your Blogger account. Create a new post.
On the YouTube video page, just below the video display, click on "Embed" to open the embedding menu. See the picture below for an example of what the embed menu should look like once it is open.
Click the checkbox to include a border and choose the colour of your border.
Copy the piece of HTML code from the YouTube page.
Go back to your new blog post. Click the "Edit HTML" tab at the top of the text box. Paste the piece of code into the HTML box. Then click "Compose" to go back to the regular blog posting view. You should see a shaded grey box; this is where the video will appear after you publish the post.
Below the video, write 2-3 paragraphs about the video and how it relates to your learning or employment goals.

Publish the blog post and view your blog to make sure the video is working properly. If it is not, ask your instructor to help you embed the video.

Send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Lesson 12. Click on the form at the bottom of the page and fill it out to be able to enter the monthly draw.

Lesson 13: Podcasts Using Audacity

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:21:00 +0000

The word podcast is used to refer to a non-musical audio or video broadcast distributed over the Internet. What differentiates a podcast from regular streaming audio/video is that postcast delivery is often done automatically through RSS.

"Podcast" was named the "2005 Word of the Year" by New Oxford American Dictionary. There’s a podcast out there for just about every interest area and the best part about this technology is that you don’t have to have an iPod or a MP3 player to access them. Since podcasts use the MP3 file format, a popular compressed format for audio files, you really just need a PC (or portal device) with headphones or a speaker.

Photo courtesy of Colleen AF Venable at Flickr.com.

iTunes, the free downloadable application created by Apple is the directory finding service most associated with podcasts, but if you don’t have iTunes installed there are still plenty of options.

For this activity, you are asked to take a look at some popular podcast directory tools. Do some exploring on your own and locate a podcast that is of interest to you. Podfeed.net is an excellent podcast site. You can also explore podcastdirectory.com. One last excellent site is cbc radio podcasts where you will find previous radio shows on almost every topic! Once found, you can easily pull the RSS feed into your Google reader account, so that when new casts become available, you’ll be automatically notified of their existence.

Podcasting Activity #1

1. There are many, many podcast directories out there. This is one of the most popular ones that, unlike iTunes, doesn't require a software download: Podcastalley.com.

2. Choose three different podcasts to listen to. At least ONE of the podcasts needs to relate to your goal at the ALC (Education, Employment, Personal).

3. Make a post in your blog about your experience. What did you choose to listen to and why? What did you learn from the various podcasts? Which one was your favorite and why?

Click on the form at the bottom of the page to fill it in and be eligible for the monthly draw.

Lesson 14: Maps

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:22:00 +0000

Google Maps Canada is an online service offered by Google. Just like Gmail and Blogger are powered by Google, so is Maps. You can use the same sign in name and password that you already use for your Gmail and Blog. You will find Maps listed on the left hand corner of the Google page.

Maps is a free software that helps you instantly find the location and address of where you want to go. It will give you directions from where you are to where you want to go. Explore Google Maps.

Picture courtesy of Brian Sawyer at Flickr.com.

Tip: To find businesses, type what you're looking for into the search box above. Examples:

Here are more sites to explore. Click on the name of each one to visit and explore the website.

Maps Activity

Open Google maps and plot the distance from your home to your Adult Learning Centre location. Create a new blog post and blog about how Google Maps would be useful to you in your everyday life. What functions of the map website were most useful to you? List the distance you found from your home to the ALC in the post. Then find 3 other schools in Grey and Bruce counties and list their addresses according to Google Maps.

Publish the blog post and send us an email at adult.learning@gmail.com to let us know you have completed Lesson 14. Click on the form at the bottom of the page to fill it out and be entered into the monthly draw.

Lesson 15: Essential Skills Training

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:22:00 +0000

Essential Skills are needed for work, learning, and life. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has identified nine essential skills as the foundation for continued learning and developing new skills:

Reading Text
Document Use
Numeracy
Writing
Oral Communication
Working with Others
Thinking Skills
Computer Use

Our goal is to help you develop these skills throughout your time of study with the Adult Learning Centre. You will continue developing these skills in future studies, the workplace, and in the tasks you complete each day in your everyday life!

Essential Skills Exercise One

Click here to visit "Understanding Essential Skills" at the HRDC website. This page contains links to the nine essential skills.

Click through to visit the description for THREE of the essential skills listed. After reading the description, write a blog post about your understanding of each of these three skills.

In the same blog post, identify which of these three skills you would most like to improve and how your life would benefit if you had mastered that skill.

Essential Skills Exercise Two

The HRDC Essential Skills website contains a search engine that allows you to enter the name of an occupation and see which skills are required to perform that job.

Click here to visit the "Search by Occupation" page.

Enter the word "firefighter" into the search box. The search engine will display results and ask you to select the job title you were looking for. Choose "firefighters."

Read the description of the role of a firefighter and the essential skills required to do this job. You will see that the job description identifies which skills are most important, as well as the level of each skill required.

Now go back to the "Search by Occupation" page and enter the title of THREE jobs you may be interested in learning more about.

Write a new blog post with three paragraphs: one about each job description you are interested in. In each paragraph, write about your understanding of, or experience with, the skills required to complete the job you are researching.

Send an email to adult.learning@gmail.com when you have completed both parts of this lesson. Click the form below to fill it out and be eligible for the monthly draw.

Photo courtesy of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

Contact Us

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:30:00 +0000

The Adult Learning Centre, a learner-centred programme, is based in the library and uses its resources to help adults achieve the reading, writing and numeracy skills they need to fully enjoy the community.

The Adult Learning Centre

The Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library

824 First Avenue West

Owen Sound, ON

N4K 4K4

(519)376-6623 Ext.300

learning@e-owensound.com

We offer ...

one to one tutoring
computer work
small group work
correspondence courses (I.L.C.)
English as a Second Language (E.S.L.)
materials for individual work

Helping adults with...

reading
writing
spelling
phonics
math
filling out forms
studying for a driver's license
G.E.D. preparation
general upgrading

Other services

information and referral
resource library
clear writing and design
family literacy initiatives
computer assisted learning

More information about the Adult Learning Centres in Grey, Bruce and the Georgian Triangle.

About Learn 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (MMillerCAP) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Learn 2.0 teaches internet skills using a variety of popular and useful Web 2.0 tools. Learning to use these tools online helps you navigate the internet and develop the skills you need to succeed in today's classroom or workplace.

This program was based on the wonderful work of Helene Blowers and her amazing 23 Things which has been used and adapted by hundreds of libraries, schools, businesses and non-profits around the world. Thank you Helene for your changing the world!

This Learn 2.0 blog is brought to you by Adult Learning Centres Grey Bruce Georgian of the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library.