Learn the basics of using a Mac computer. Bring your lunch and your laptop to the Nebraska Union (room to be posted) from 12:00-1:00 PM.

Bring your lunch and join us at the Nebraska Union at 14th & R Streets (room to be posted) on Wednesday, November 25th from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm to learn about Skype. Skype (pronounced /ˈskaɪp/) is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service and, in some countries, to free-of-charge numbers, are free, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing.

Google Sites is a structured wiki that allows you to easily create rich web pages, collect all your information in one place, as well as control who can view and edit.

Learn more about Google site here.

Google Sites Job Aid -

Microblogging is a new form of blogging that enable users to inform or share thoughts and information via the social media on the Internet. “It fulfills a need for an even faster way of communication compared to regular blogging. By encouraging shorter post, it lowers users requirement of time and thought investment for content generation.”(Java Akshay, Tim Finin, Xiaodan Song, Bell Tseng, Why We Twitter: Understanding Microblogging Usage and Communities. August 12, 2007)

Children from ages 3 to 11 on social networks will grow 61%, adults 18 or over 49.5%, and teens 20.1% in the next five years. Social network users will also increase 44% to 115 million in 2013 from 79 million in 2008. The overall social networking population will grow 11% to 88.1 million in 2009.
Source:Online Media Daily

Microblogging in Education

Engagement is very important for students’ achievement. With microblogging, teachers and students can use social networks to ask questions, create discussions, and manage class information and announcement, and distance learning courses. In addition, microblogging helps promote active learning, increase classroom participation, and encourage faculty and student contact.

Microblogging in Business

Microblogging is also becoming popular in businesses. Microblogging serves as a human resources function in some organizations. Based on the latest Career Builder survey, 45% of employers are using social networking sites to reach potential job candidates.

In the area of marketing, microblogging also helps businesses to maintain customer relationship, manage brands, create sales, and conduct market research. According to the eMarketer Report, social networking in the United States is expected to reach $1.3 million in 2009. In addition, individuals can use microblogging services to manage projects, brainstorm ideas, and conduct analysis.

Plurkis a social journal with a horizontal timeline that allows users to send updates limited to 140 characters. It enables users to follow discussion and link responses to the original message. karma is used to measure the user activity level statistics. It is given to every user as they use the site. The purpose of karma trends is to encourage users to plurk. As your karma score increases, the more emoticons you would get. By inviting more friends and posting messages, users can reach certain karma levels that give them additional features such as the additional emoticons one can include in their posts.With its built-in features, Plurk users can:

• Link Plurk to other social networks such as Friendster, Facebook, Twitter, and Multiply.
• Share links, photos, and YouTube videos with other users.
• Create groups by segmenting friends list into cliques.
• Choose to plurk with 33 different language options.
• Create private Plurk.
• Utilize the list of qualifiers from the dropdown list.
• Customize Plurk page with free Plurk themes.
• Customize flash or html widget and embed it into blogs or websites.
• Find and invite friends via e-mail, links, and social networks.
• Plurk via instant messaging such as MSN, Google Chat, Yahoo, and Jabber.

UNL will be upgrading to Blackboard Learn (version 9) during the winter break. The new interface is more intuitive and provides for drag and drop editing. To learn more, visit http://www.itg.unl.edu/myunlupdate.

Social-networking sites are more popular than porn sites.Reuters, 9/16/2008
Social-networking sites are more popular than email. The Nielsen Company, 3/9/2009
It is estimated there are over 272 million people using social networking.

The old communication modelwas a monologue (i.e. Newspaper, Magazine, Billboard, Radio, and Television). The new communication modelis a dialogue. Advertisers have known for years that word of mouth works best. Only 14% of people trust advertisements whereas, 78% of people trust the recommendations of other consumers.

You must first build your website as the foundation. One goal to social networking is to get them back to your website. If you have a bad site, it won’t support your social networking efforts. Include ways for the to hyperlink to your social networking sites from your website. Include on all communication and printed materials as well.

There is an estimated 200+ million members on Facebook and more than half are 18–24 years old. Users between 35–54 years old logging in during the first half of 2009 grew 276%. Users in that age bracket double every two month. Dude, How’d I Do? by Bill Perry, ASTD T+D Magazine, July 2009

Facebook has three options: Profile, Group or Page. A Profile is personal and for an individual. You will need a Facebook profile to set up a group or page. Groups allow for listing of officers. You can communicate with your group via Facebook e-mail, but your group members must have a profile to join. Groups size is limited to 1,200. Groups tend to temporary and good for a time limit. A page can have an unlimited number of fans and can be read by anyone with or without a Facebook profile. Pages tend to be more permanent and show better on the wall of those who post to it. You can also track several analytics with a page.

Your main goal should be to encourage interaction. Utilize the discussion area and encourage members to post links, photos and video. Use events to promote your activities.

LinkedIn tends to be more professional and less personal. It’s main focus is to link people with each other in professional networks. Many groups can be found for alumni, employees or users of a product such as Microsoft Excel. Members of groups can post questions to the experts of the group, share news stories, even post job announcements.

The Nebraska Union and many departments are busy with NSE this month; therefore, a SWAP meet will not be held for June 2009. Please return for next month.

Composition

Rule of thirds

Cut the image into thirds, align key elements of the phograph along the lines or where they intersect. Some cameras have a feature that adds this grid to the screen for you.

Get close

Don’t be afraid to get closer to the subject. If you think you are too close, you are probably too far away.

Different angles

Shoot from completely different angles than straight ahead or from the side. Climb up on a chair or go down on a knee to get a different angle.

Free photo editing

• Picnik at http://www.picnik.com
• Pixlr at http://www.pixlr.com
• Photoshop Express at http://www.photoshopexpress.com
• Sumo Paint at http://www.sumopaint.com

Buying a digital camera

Features to worry about

• Lens-bigger is better
• Optical zoom, forget about digital zoom
• 6 MP for most is okay
• Size and ease of use
• media/connection
• Rechargeable batteries are better than disposable
• Image stabilization
• Warranty, not so much
• Tripod
• Flash/lights
• Best to stick to name brands like Canon, Nikon, Leica, Olympus, Pentax, or Sigma

You may have heard about podcasts, but just don’t know enough about what they are to check them out? Come to the Nebraska Union (room to be posted) on Wednesday, April 29 from 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm and Todd Jensen with IS New Media Center will explain.

My favorite adjective is “FREE.” In tough economic times, we often have to look for items that are just that, free. Here are some free online options for creating and sharing presentations, spreadsheets, and documents. There are also sites for storing and editing photos as well as meeting online.