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Digital Storyboard Example (Why I Chose Music as a Career…)

Note: My illustrations were hand drawn, but feel free to use any pictures, digital illustrations, or videos to paint the picture of your story!

It all started in the 3rd grade when I decided that I wanted to play a musical instrument. At the time I didn't know what it was about the violin that spoke to me. It just did. So, I asked my parents to take lessons.

Twice a week and every Sunday I would have violin lessons. I did this consistently until the day I graduated high school. Things started off slow as usual, but the more I played the more I realized I enjoyed the instrument, and music in general. Things seemed to come naturally and I quickly exceeded the abilities of my peers. My mom said it was my “gift”, and never let me skip a lesson! Looking back I’m grateful for that.

Every summer until I graduated high school, I would attend Cazadero Music Camp. It was located along the Russian River up past Santa Rosa, CA. It was super fun being able to practice among the Redwoods. I also got a little taste of freedom as we would be away from our parents for two weeks. At the end of camp, we would hold a concert to show them what we learned.

I was lucky enough to be a part of a music program that my high school had for all four years of my attendance. This class was a big help for my musical ability because it wasn't just about playing an instrument. I also learned music theory and composition. I think it was these years of my life where the idea of music as a career started to form.

When I was 15 years old I asked my parents to buy me my first set of audio production equipment. I remember going down to Guitar Center and picking up an audio production starter kit. It included a Mac mini with built in software, a monitor, two speakers, and a microphone. I remember experimenting and trying to create my own music night after night. Sometimes my mom would have to force me to go to sleep. I was hooked. Throughout the years my production ability and lyricism have greatly improved.

After high school I enrolled as a biology student at San Francisco State University. Originally it was my plan that I would do my 4 years, go to medical school, and become a doctor. It had been a while since I had tried making any music. It wasn't until covid hit and I was sitting back at my parents place bored out of my mind that I decided to dust off my equipment. After that it was almost like I fell in love with music again. I found a whole new appreciation for my work and decided that I would rather spend my life doing this. After I graduate, I plan to get my certification in audio engineering. The goal is to work at a music studio and help other people bring their visions to life, while also perfecting my own craft.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of digital storyboards. What would you write about in yours?!

Check out the narrated version below!

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Future Technologies (Flying Cars???)

It's crazy how far technological advancements have come in the last century, even the last decade. It makes you wonder how much more we can achieve, and how fast we can do it. Before we look back to the future, let's take a look at how far we've come.

Some of the future technology predictions made in the 60s and 70s that came true include:

Personal Computers- In 1965, Intel's Gordon Moore predicted that the number of transistors on a microchip would double every year, leading to the development of personal computers.

Mobile Phones- In 1973, Motorola demonstrated the first handled mobile phone.

Video Conferencing- In 1964, AT&T demonstrated ta video phone prototype.

Internet- In 1969, the first message was sent over the ARPANET, which later became the internet.

GPS- In 1973, the first GPS satellite was launched.

These predictions have revolutionized the way we live and work, and have paved the way for further technological advancements. I personally can't imagine life without a cellphone or internet. So the rise of Web 2.0, practically everything we do involves the internet, or some sort of personal advice. So what are the predictions for the future?

The top 5 technology predictions for the future include:

Self-Driving cars- Autonomous vehicles that can transport passengers without a human driver. It's not quite flying cars but is arguably more groundbreaking.

Virtual Assistants- AI-powered assistants that can perform tasks and answer questions. We're already seeing this come to life in software like Apple's Siri or Google's Alexa.

Augmented reality- Digital overlays that enhance the real world.

Quantum computing- Computer systems that use quantum bits to perform calculations.

Wearable technology- Devices that can be worn on the body to track health and fitness.

We are already seeing some of these predictions come true, such as the development of self-driving cars and the rise of virtual assistants. However, there is still a lot of work to be done before these technologies become widely adopted. What do you think the technology of the future will look like?

Want to know more about future technology? Click the link below!

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Top 5 Assistive Technology Apps

Want to check out some of today's technology for yourself?

Here are some of the top assistive technology apps, their creators, and their functions:

Be My Eyes- Created by Be My Eyes. It connects visually impaired users with sighted volunteers to assist with everyday tasks.

Dragon Anywhere- Created by Nuance Communications. It's a speech recognition App that allows users to dictate documents and emails.

Voice Dream Reader- Created by Voice Dream LLC. It's a text-to-speech app that reads text aloud from a variety of sources.

Proloquo2Go- Created by AssistiveWare. It's an alternative communication app for individuals with speech and language difficulties.

Seeing AI- Created by Microsoft. It's and app that uses artificial intelligence to describe the world to visually impaired individuals.

Have you or someone you know used these apps before? What was your/their experience? Let me know in the comments below.

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Assistive Technologies (Becoming An Accessible World)

Assistive technologies are devices, software, or equipment that help people with disabilities to perform tasks that they might otherwise have difficulty with. These technologies can include things like screen readers, speech recognition software, hearing aids, and wheelchair ramps. They are important because they help to promote independence, increase accessibility, and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. Assistive technologies can help people with disabilities to communicate, learn, work, and participate in social activities that they might not have been able to do otherwise. They can also help to reduce barriers to education, employment, and social inclusion, and promote greater equality and diversity in society.

One up and coming assistive technology is the use of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) to help people with disabilities to navigate and interact with the world around them. For example, VR/AR can be used to simulate real-world environments and situations, such as job interviews or public transportation, to help people with social anxiety or mobility impairments to practice and build confidence. VR/AR can also be used to create immersive training and rehabilitation programs for people with physical or cognitive disabilities.

My only personal experience with assistive technology is my use of glasses for nearsightedness. I can tell you first hand that my quality of life is majorly improved as I wouldn't be able to see without them. Hearing about other more complicated technologies like colorblind glasses and VR experience is truly amazing, and I can't begin to imagine how impactful those technologies are. What is your experience with Assistive Technologies?

Interested in learning more about Assistive Technologies? Check out the links below!

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Web 2.0 (Everything Digital!)

Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of the World Wide Web, which is characterized by the transition from static web pages to dynamic, interactive web applications. It includes social networking sites, blogs, wikis, video sharing sites, and other web-based applications that allow users to create and share content, collaborate, and interact with each other. Web 2.0 also emphasizes user-generated content, user-centered design, and the use of open standards and APIs to enable interoperability and data sharing.

Web 2.0 has brought about significant changes to the way people interact with the internet. Sone of the key changes include:

User-generated content: With Web 2.0, users are no longer passive consumers of content but active creators and contributors. They can create, share, and collaborate on content, such as blogs, videos and wikis.

Social networking: Web. 2.0 has enabled the rise of social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which allow users to connect, share, and communicate with each other in real-time.

Interactivity: Web 2.0 sites are more interactive and dynamic than their predecessors, with features such as AJAX, which allows for seamless and responsive user interfaces.

Openness and interoperability: Web 2.0 emphasizes the use of open standards and APIs to enable data sharing, collaboration, and interoperability between different applications and services.

Mobile computing: Web 2.0 has enabled the rise of mobile computing, with the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, and the development of mobile apps and responsive web design.

Currently the five most popular Web 2.0 sites are Facebook, Youtube, Wikipedia, Twitter, and LinkedIn. My personal favorites are Youtube, Instagram, and Snapchat. What are your favorite Web 2.0 sights?

Want to know more about Web 2.0? Check out the links below!

https://www.linkedin.com/

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Copyright and Fair Use (Protect Your Work!)

Copyright is a legal protection for creative works like photos, videos, art , and music. It gives the owner of the work the exclusive right to use, distribute, and profit from the work. Infringement happens when someone uses your work without permission, except for fair use.

Fair use is an exception to copyright that allows for limited use of copyrighted material without permission, such as for criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. However, fair use is determined on a case-by-case basis and depends on factors such as the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount used, and the effect on the potential market for the copyrighted work.

Copyright protects you from others using your creative work without your permission. This includes the right to make copies, distribute, perform, display, or create derivative works based on your work. It also gives you the right to profit from your work and control how it is used. If someone uses your work without permission, you have the right to take legal action against them for copyright infringement.

In my personal experience, I have used copyright when publishing my music. It has helped me keep control over my royalties and where my music is being used. What is your experience with copyright?

Want to learn more about copyright? Click the link below! Want to register your work for copyright? I've included a link for that too!

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Digital Literacy (Stay in the Loop!)

Digital literacies refer to the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to effectively navigate and participate in digital environments. This includes skills such as searching for information online, using social media, and evaluating online sources for credibility. It also includes an understanding of the social, cultural, and ethical implications of digital technologies. Digital literacies are becoming increasingly important in today's world, as more and more aspects of our lives are mediated by digital technologies.

Some examples of digital literacy skills include:

Basic computer skills, such as using a keyboard and mouse, and navigating different operating systems.

Internet skills, such as searching for information online, using email, and using social media.

Media literacy skills, such as evaluating the credibility of online sources, and understanding how media messages are constructed.

Privacy and security skills, such as protecting personal information online, and identifying and avoiding scams and phishing attempts.

Creative skills, such as using digital tools to create and edit media, such s photos and videos.

Critical thinking skills, such as analyzing and evaluating information found online, and identifying bias and misinformation.

Communication skills, such as using digital tools to communicate with others, and collaborating on projects.

Digital literacy is useful in many different situations, such as:

In the workplace, where digital skills are often required to perform job duties effectively.

In education, where digital technologies are increasingly used for teaching and learning.

In personal life, where digital skills are necessary to communicate with others, access information, and participate in online communities.

In civic life, where digital technologies are used to engage with government and participate in political processes.

In health care, where digital technologies are used to manage patient data and provide remote care.

Over the last 3 years, the Covid-19 pandemic has let me experience first hand the importance of digital literacy skills. For example, I am a college student and we were not able to meet in person for our classes, nor hold in person office hours. I had to get comfortable with doing coursework completely from my personal device. I had to attend zoom meetings instead of class, and write emails instead of attending office hours. Although it was a new experience, my digital literacy skills allowed me to overcome any obstacles that came with this change in environment. How have your digital literacy skills helped you stay in the loop?

IMPORTANT NOTE: These skills are constantly evolving as new technologies emerge, so it is important to continue to develop and refine them over time.

Want to learn more about the importance of digital literacy? Click the link below!

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Community of Practice (Social Media and Networking)

The Community of Practice Model is an approach to learning and development that emphasizes the importance of social interaction and collaboration. It's important because it encourages people to work together to solve problems and share knowledge. This approach can lead to better outcomes and more effective learning experiences.

The key components of the Community of Practice Model are:

Domain- a shared area of interest or expertise

Community- a group of people who share that interest or expertise

Practice- the shared knowledge, skills. and experiences that the community develops over time

These components work together to create a collaborative learning environment where members can share ideas, learn from one another, and solve problems together.

I have been able to use the Community of Practice Model in various situations including the workplace and school. It is particularly effective for developing skills and knowledge in complex or rapidly changing fields, or for promoting innovation and creativity. Other examples of Communities of Practice include:

A group of doctors who share best practices and collaborate on research in their field.

A team of software developers who work together to develop new programming techniques and share knowledge about emerging technologies.

A group of hobbyists who share tips and techniques for a particular activity, such as gardening or woodworking.

Are you apart of a Community of Practice? What parts of the model do you agree and/or disagree with?

For more information, click the link below!

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Digital Storytelling (Get Your Story Out There!)

Digital storytelling is the use of digital tools to tell a story. It is significant because it allows people to share their stories and experiences with a wider audience. It can help someone have a voice by providing a platform for them to share their perspective and connect with others.

It's important to use digital storytelling in today's world because it allows us to connect with others and share our experiences in a way that is accessible and engaging. It can help us build empathy, understanding, and awareness of different perspectives and experiences. In my personal experience, I have used digital storytelling to market my music. For example, I will create an instagram post showing behind the scenes of the recording process, then for the caption I will explain my thought process and the meaning behind the song. Another example of digital storytelling would be a music video. The possible uses are endless! Are you organizing a philanthropy event? Take out a Facebook ad and let people know all the work that went into the event. Let them know who their contribution would be helping and how much of a difference past contributions have made. Are you an owner of a small business? Show people how much time and effort goes into running your establishment. Let them know why they should choose you over the Fortune 500. People will only place as much value on your cause as you do!

The great thing about digital storytelling is the accessibility. People can access it through various platforms such as social media, blogs, podcasts, and video sharing websites.

If you're interested in finding out more about digital storytelling I've linked a great book from Amazon below!

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Intro to Blogging

Blogging is a great way to express yourself and share your ideas with the world. In our personal lives, blogging can be a way to reflect on our experiences and share them with others. It can also be a way to connect with like-minded people and build a community around shared interests.

In our professional lives, blogging can be a way to establish ourselves as thought leaders in our field. By sharing our expertise and insights, we can build a reputation and attract new clients or job opportunities. Additionally, blogging can be a way to showcase our writing skills and demonstrate our ability to communicate effectively.

Overall, the benefits of blogging are numerous. It can help us grow personally and professionally, connect with others, and share our ideas with the world. How has blogging helped you in your personal and/or professional life?

If you're looking for more information on blogging, click the link below!