Windows Movie Maker and Google Groups

This week's focus is on the tools that are available on the Internet, specifically Google. We learnt about how to make better searches by using AND, OR and NOT which I feel is really useful, especially now when we're doing some form of research almost everyday for our different communication modules. For this week's post, we're required to do 2 things: 1. Make a movie on Windows Movie Make and 2. discuss one of Google's online tools.

I've decided to concentrate on Google Groups as the tool of interest. Although Google Groups was introduced to us near the beginning of the semester, I think it's worth mentioning again. Basically, Google Groups is an online tool where members of the group are able to have discussions, upload files and share ideas, information and etc. It has become useful especially for me and my group of project mates because since then, we have been using it rather often. For one of our communication modules, we've uploaded articles of interest, made announcements and put up our relegated work for our final group project. Clicking this link here will provide further information on the birth of Google Group. Anyway, I foresee further use of this particular tool just because it makes things so convenient. For example, instead emailing everyone an article, we can just put the article in the group and send out a notice mail. Easy-peasy!

Our second mini-assignment this week is to make a video from Windows Movie Maker. I've got to admit that I've fiddled with this software before on a boring, rainy day. It was easy and rather fun actually. However, it is rather limited compared to other, more sophisticated software like Adobe Premiere Pro (which I just love love love). Nevertheless, one can make a passable video or video montage from it and below is my amateur attempt at a tribute for the people who made my life in uni more colourful. I spent easily 3-4 hours on it and did not find it a torture at all. I just wished I could customize it even more. Oh well, it was one of the more fun assignments that I had to do for this module. So enjoy! And comments are welcomed!

Multiple Intelligences

This week, I'm most interested in the concept of multiple intelligences. Previously, there was only IQ tests and after that, EQ tests. However, Dr Howard Gardner felt that it was still too limited and came up with multiple intelligences in 1983. He felt that someone could be good at one thing (e.g. maths) but not as good at another (e.g language). So it's inappropriate to say he's not smart just because he's not proficient at one particular area. Classrooms focus on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences which means that children who are more musically-inclined get labeled as learning-disabled. If adopted by education systems around the world, we can expect a recolutionary change in how classes are conducted. Streaming (already controversial in its own right) may become more and more defunct. As mentioned in class, they are:

	Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"):
	Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")
	Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")
	Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")
	Musical intelligence ("music smart")
	Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")
	Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")
	Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

In picture form:

Here's a short vid of an interview with Dr. Howard Gardner:


References
http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm

E-Commerce

Moving on to the more profitable side of the Internet, we look at e-commerce. There are many reasons that people turn to the Internet to buy and sell but I shall concentrate on convenience as the main reason why buyers go online.

As a consumer, my personal preference is that of convenience. I'd like everything to be at my fingertips and things to be ready snap!snap!snap! fast. Although I don't purchase stuff online (due to the lack of a credit card mostly), I do surf around and look at the variety of products available online. This include websites like Ebay, personal blogs and major retailers. They display all the available products online and we click to buy them. Images and description are provided making it easier for customers to make decisions.

Besides, the convenience of viewing and purchasing, there is also the convenience that the Internet is available 24/7. If you're busy during the day, you can shop online at night and the same services is provided. You can still click to view and purchase. You don't have to wait for someone to be awake in your timezone in order to buy stuff online. Even holidays won't be prove to be an obstacle if retail therapy is what you need.

Finally, all you need is a computer with an Internet connection to buy stuff online. In Singapore, most households already have computers with Internet connection and so shopping online is not a problem. However, in many countries nowadays, even if most househols don't have a computer, there are cyber cafes which provide Internet connection.

So hey, reach out for the nearest computer and start shopping online! In moderation, of course. Goodbye for now!