Tech Tip: Touch Typing Games

I decided to try the Ninja Cat Touch Typing Game. It was fun and definitely kept me entertained for awhile. I'm better at typing long words and I realized I don't have an exact reaction to where a letter is on the keyboard when it's just one letter. I don't type formally, like they teach you when you're younger. I was taught in a computer class where to place my fingers specifically, but I thought it was easier my way. I still believe that, and I'm pretty fast the way that I do it.

I did better on the game when it was a longer word. I also found it hard to focus with the moving targets, because I don't place my fingers correctly on the keys. My computer would not load the other typing games for some reason, so I only played the Ninja Cat one. I did play different levels though, and I enjoyed the more difficult ones the most.

Tech Tip: Blog Profile

I decided to keep my profile visible on my blogger profile. In my major and future career it's important to have an online presence, so I want this blog to be a part of that. I have a separate blog that is more centered around my interests and I have included a link to this blog on that site. I have thought about my online identity a lot, and I think connecting a class blog with my professional blog will be beneficial. A key ingredient for my online identity for the years to come would be to keep my blog as updated as possible. In today's world your online identity is very important and that's sometimes the first thing that people research about you, especially when applying for a job. Another key factor for my online identity is to always keep it professional. Social media is closely related to blogging, and I think it's important to keep both of them professional at all times.

Tech Tip: Twitter Follow

I chose to follow a few accounts, most of which were accounts associated with the university. I followed the Oklahoma Football account because they give updates on the team and they post promotional pictures and videos to hype up the fans. I also followed the OU Athletics account that gives updates on all the teams including basketball, volleyball, golf, baseball, and more. 

The most useful account that I followed was the OU Parking account. One of the worst things about OU is the lack of parking spots. This account tweets everyday, usually in the morning, to let students know about available parking spots. They notify where and how many spots are available. 

My major is public relations. I am involved in PRSSA which is the Public Relations Student Society of America. I followed this account on Twitter because I want to be involved in this organization. I'm hoping to keep up with them this way. 

Typing Test Tech Tip

I wanted to do a typing test for my tech tip this week because I wanted to see how fast and accurate my typing is. I feel that I type rather quickly without many errors and my test results reflected that. I type 78.2 words per minute and have an accuracy of 98.1%. I would like to type a bit faster, but I think if I did I would surely be less accurate.

I used the key hero.com website to test my typing. I did the test three times and my results were mostly consistent. I chose my best trial numbers to be the ones listed above. I sometimes still look at the keys when I type, so I hope to improve enough that I rarely have to. I notice that I mess up frequently when typing, but usually the autocorrect fixes it for me. The only time I've specifically worked on my typing skills was when I was in high school and one of my teachers had us practice typing in one of our computer classes. Autocorrect makes it harder to improve typing because the computer fixes the mistakes for you. I think typing is important because you use it daily when in school. Most people will use it after school also for a job at one point or another.

Tech Tip: Canvas Mobile App

 I like the fact that unlike D2L, Canvas has a mobile app. I've had the canvas app installed on my phone for most of the semester. I get notifications for messages, grades, announcements and more all throughout the day. I have an iPhone, and I constantly have it on me so I'm always up to date with my class feed. I receive instant notifications in class, at work and even just at home.

I have no complaints about the app. It's easy to install, and I haven't had any problems with it this whole semester using it. I use the app daily and it's very convenient, especially for times when I don't have my laptop and I just need a quick glance at a due date, message, etc.

Tech Tip: Blogger Template

I changed the design of my blog because I was ready for something new! My past design was just a simple template that I didn't mess around with much at all. This time, I selected a new color scheme and also came up with a new layout completely. I like this design better because it has a background, rather than just a solid color. All of the colors are a lot more my style because blue is my favorite color.

Tech Tip: Pinterest Board

When I did this specific tech tip, I knew how to do all of the steps. I have used Pinterest for many years and for many different reasons. Back in high school, I would make boards for all different sorts of things. I had boards for prom hair, wedding ideas, future house ideas, nail designs and many more. I have since reorganized my Pinterest, but it still has a variety of boards posted. My Pinterest board for this class is titled Myth Folklore Portfolio.