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10 Digital Skills to Know Before You Go

St. Edward Hall, SLU Campus, FL

As readers of this blog know, the content is provided to help you along your journey at Saint Leo University. Whether it is information regarding a particular subject, writing skills, or just tidbits of general interest, we want you use the information to succeed in academics and beyond. 

So with graduation ceremonies concluded, summer session underway, and preparations for the fall semester being made, it is time to think about additional tools and skills to help you succeed, either as a student or a recent graduate.

Most Saint Leo University students are fairly tech-savvy, but with today's dependence on technology, particularly in the employment sector, there are several key skills you should know before you start sending out your résumé. 

For example, Mat Patronzio at Mashable.com suggests that you "Don't Leave College Without These 10 Digital Skills" (May 6, 2013). He gives a brief overview of why you need these 10 digital skills: setting up a Wi-Fi network, backing up to the Cloud, basic photo editing, basic video editing, Google Drive and Microsoft Office, HTML and basic coding, setting up a website and domain, converting file formats, online banking, and branding yourself. 

If you look at the list and feel overwhelmed, have no fear! There are plenty of online tutorials to show how to develop these skills and many can be found on Youtube. Of course, you can simply fool around with some products, such as Adobe Element for basic editing skills, to acquire the suggested skill set. 

As always, feel free to contact us here at the Daniel Cannon Memorial Library with your questions. We are here to assist you. Happy Exploring!

-Aimee Graham, Online Librarian-

--Sandra Hawes (ed.)

Web Apps, Sites, and Programs To Personalize Your Internet Experience

Dr. Jeff D. Borden, Chief Academic Officer of eCollege, presented "Personalization: How Far Can/Should/Will We Go?" on the main campus for Faculty Development Day, Jan. 5, 2012.

He mentioned many Internet sites and applications for personalizing online educational experiences.

Here are some of my favorites from Dr. Borden's presentation:

• Wordle: Use this site to create colorful "word clouds" from text you provide.
• Done in Sixty Seconds: You will find several examples of movies "done" in 60 seconds on YouTube.com, but this company, also known as DISS, can produce one for you. Check the site for pricing. (Students beware! This isn't free.)
• EnterZon: Sponsored by the Office of Chinese Language Council International and Michigan State University, use this multi-player interactive game to learn Chinese language and culture. Registration required.
• The Mixxer: Hosted by Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, uses Skype to connect language learners from around the globe. Post a blog entry and have a native speaker correct it or make comments. Find a language learning partner and share your skills as a native speaker. Teachers can set up special groups for their own students. Free.
• Sophia: Parents, teachers, and students are invited to register and join this free online learning community. Their motto is "Teach what you know. learn what you don't." User-generated content is already organized into "packets" to get you started.
• Edistorm: Sign up for a 30-day free trial or choose a subscription option, then use this site to collaborate with others at a distance, online using laptops, mobile devices, or SmartBoards. You can post virtual sticky notes, edit them, make comments, vote, and then export results in various formats. 
• Crocodoc: Once the brainstorming is done and you are working on a project, use this free, online site to view documents, PDFs or images, edit and mark them up, make comments, and share or embed them. 
• InnoCentive: Businesses and organizations post real-life problems on the site, individuals can sign up as "solvers," and the power of crowdsourcing ultimately leads to solutions that improve the world and pay out cash prizes of $5000 and up for the winning solution.  
• But wait, there are more! Check out Quirky, HistoryPin, HeadMagnet, SCVNGR, and YNAB. Most are free, some require a fee. Caveat emptor!  
  
  
   

National STEM Video Game Challenge

The National STEM Video Game Challenge opened November 21. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The American Library Association is an "outreach partner" for this year's competition. 

Submit your original video game concepts and designs in four categories (middle school, high school, collegiate, and educator) through March 12.  

The site provides resources, such as Gamestar Mechanic, Scratch, Gamemaker, Kodu, and some open source materials. So, even if you have never written a line of computer code, you still can create a game based on your amazing game concept.