Growing Up With Games

Growing up with games was always exciting, while i thought we were having free time, teachers were really testing our knowledge. Advergaming allows students to play virtually online fun but educational games. I remember in elementary school we played this game Oregon Trail where we were able to learn about U.S. History but actually interact and enjoy what we were learning. You would cross valleys and trails learning about different places while riding on a wagon collecting food and supplies with fellow friends. Not only did it help in history but also mathematics when it came to cost of goods. I found that using educational games in school, students were wanted to play and wanting to learn since they were involved. The history game I learned some information but nothing that I will recall of now but games that I played on computers related to math or spelling really helped me excel in my work. I assistant teach kindergarten and majority of the classes have reading or mathematics there students complete daily and it records their growth throughout the year.

In advertising, advergaming is a great tool to promote a product. For instance, if you go to McDonalds.com there is a person in a chicken suit that will do whatever you tell it to. If you typed in dance, then the chicken would dance. If you typed in sleep, the chicken would go to sleep. While some may thought it was all fun and games, throughout the whole game it was a ad to reel you in to go to McDonalds. Advertising can be sneaky but very affective! So by the use of advergaming it will be a great way to reach specific target markets.


This video is a great example of advergaming where young children are able to play online video games while learning how to write, read, spell, and use pronunciation. It is a very fun and has so many learning choices. Along with enhancing to next level by keeping track of your scores. Take a look!

Tech Tools: Webspiration and Gliffy

Webspiration and Gliffy are two very useful sites that allows you to design concept maps, flow charts, diagrams and even floor plans. You start with a single idea and expand that idea into multiple ideas while collaborating with your fellow peers and employees. Whether its for a marketing map, designing a video game, or just a plain simple idea mapping, it can do it all. The fun thing about these tech tools is they allow you to make them unique by adding color, fun text, and photos to the charts. The shapes are very helpful if you have and idea (grocery list) with lets say four categories (dinner food, beverages, snacks, toiletries) and then items connecting the four categories. The shapes will allow you to distinguish the differences amongst the idea, categories, and items by applying different shapes to each. I have found concept maps to be very useful and make a wonderful presentation. Using Webspiration and Gliffy on the web sharing your ideas with others whether they are in the same room or in another state these tools allow you to open your exact work onto another persons computer to build ideas together.

I can see myself certainly using Webspiration and Gliffy as tech tools in the advertising field. It is a great way to come up with an idea with an ad, for example an ad or marketing plan will be able to section of into how i can connect with the consumers, where to locate, find a pricing strategy. Allowing me and my co-workers to jot down some ideas and mix-and-match what would work best for our promotional efforts. Also, its a great way to finish my work outside of my office and in my home and still be able to collaborate with others. These concept maps will do great for presenting a new product into a market.

The video below was choosing do to the specified directions it gives on how to create a concept map using Webspiration. I know when i first designing concept maps i did not know to do everything and couldn't find where thing were located. This video will certainly have you fully prepared to build a concept map no matter what your usage is for.

Web Presence

When Professor Cameron first asked the class “Who has a professional web presence?” There were blank stares across the room and no hands were raised, but then she asked “Well how many of you have a Facebook?” Hands shot up in the air and she “Congratulations, you have a web presence.” A web presence is a collection of files starting with a home page targeting specific goals and concepts. It shares personal information about you or a market, the location, the history, accomplishments, portfolios, and more. Examples are Facebook and Myspace, which are web presences that allow you to interact with others. Just about everyone in the world has a web presence now-a-days and doesn’t even know it! You can easily find someone by typing in their name on a search and it will pull up information about you. That’s why it is very important to keep web presences professional because you never know who is looking. You may be applying for a job but the manager comes across your web presence, finds something unprofessional, and you loose that job opportunity. By setting your web presence on private you are able to limit the amount of people who can see it and keep it amongst people you know.

Using a web presence in Advertising is very essential because it allows you to share your accomplishments and samples of your works. I can also present advertisements on my web presence and get the word out to people on the product I am trying to promote. The internet reaches out to everyone and is a great way to promote you and your business.





The video above demonstrates how to create a powerful web presence. Its important for you to stand out in front of others, especially in the work force. This video i found great and very detailed explains the steps and the value of having a web presence. Explaining the differences among with social network you choice to share your web presence and the financial outcomes. It even states having a small business can be easily expanded by having a completed web presence about their business. You should find great tips and tools that will help you create or edit your web presence.

Virtual Schooling

The idea of having your whole education K-12 and/or college degree online and never once stepping foot into a classroom caused me to have a lot of concerns but came to realize how beneficial it can be. Virtual schooling allows students to gain in education while being anywhere, at any time, and any path, just like Janice Barweld from our in-class video. Highly educated teachers are assigned to students to teach them their online curriculum and have constant interaction with the students regularly through phone, e-mails, or video. There are two different types of virtual school: virtual school and virtual homeschooling. Virtual school although it is taught online, the students are still enrolled at a public school. Allowing them to be taught by an outside educator but having the fees as if it was a student that came to class at a public school. Virtual homeschooling tends to be a little more beneficial due to the fact that it involves free, public school at home programs. Students are provided with books, computers, science and art supplies free of charge. Being very beneficial for low income families or families who live on the road. However, I was very concerned on how students learned how to communicate with others if they were trapped in their own homes. But, I learned that virtual schools set up field trips and outgoings so all students and can have social interaction. Virtual schooling does have its pros and cons but having a diploma of completion is the same no matter how you achieve it!

Being an advertising major I don’t find much use of virtual schooling for my field. Although, if I had to use virtual schooling for my field I would use it for a way to prepare myself for communication strategies, promotional, and leadership positions. Taking courses so I can advance in promotional ads, viewing steps on how to be the best and grasp the audience attention. Visually viewing ads and constantly communicating with people through the web will allow my social interactions grow professionally.

This Florida Virtual School provides students with an online education from grades K-12. Your able to contact highly trained teachers twenty-four seven and have classes regularly. It relates to this weeks assignment on virtual school because it is an actual Florida virtual school that students are able to attend, watch live, take online test,
and gain in education. I find this site great for parents you have jobs and are constantly having to travel but still what their children to have a proper education.

Animoto- Digital Storytelling

Animoto is a form of digital storytelling that has brought a whole new life to posting pictures. Hence how it got its quote “The End of Slideshows.” Animoto is a slideshow but in movement and not just flip the page movement, it can twist and turn, fade, everything. It is also very simple, all you do is choose your own personal photos stored on your computer, upload them, choose a song and Animoto does the rest. And what I mean by Animoto doing the rest is unlike PowerPoint where you have to sit there and listen how long it takes each slide to turn and will it be long enough for the audio I am playing. Animoto simply and automatically sets up your slideshow so the photos follow the song. If it is a long or short song no worries! All Animoto will do is either keep a picture up longer or have the pictures on a fast pace. All videos up to third seconds are free! Anything over that is a cheap monthly fee but having a site that practically throw your digital stories together for you fast and easy, you can’t beat that!

I can use Animoto in the advertising field by creating pictures and videos for upcoming events and it would be a great promotional tool. It will allow viewers to get a great outlook on what they will be experiencing if they attend our events.

I chose the video called “Animoto Promo” because it was one of the tools we used in class and even when class ended I wanted to do more. Animoto is able to document someone’s life experiences and feelings through the use of story and digital media. This video will help you get a glimpse on how you use Animoto.

Podcasting

Podcasting is digital media files that viewers subscribe to and are able to listen to through computers or downloaded on MP3s and Ipods. Digital media files can be audio or video which makes it possible for listeners to subscribe to their favorite radio station, individual, or certain topics. When creating a podcast who have to be aware of the sound quality and background noises when recording (also known as white noise). Tools you would use to make a podcast is a microphone, audio editing software, a website or houst upload your podcast, and an RSS feed. You are then able to record an audio file and edit the mistakes. Additional sounds and effects can then be added on to make your file even more attractable to viewers. In class, we learned about Garbage Band which is an audio program that allows you to upload your files to a blog. Garbage Band offers many great tools such as audio recording, virtual software instruments, editing, and music lessons!

Although i think podcasting is a great idea I personally don't believe it comes in great use for my field of advertising. TV advertisement I find as greater professional aspect that will make our consumers more interested in our products. However, if i were to focus on getting a brief message across on a blog or website I would apply to podcasting. Podcasting is a good way for getting the voice out there about our products we are trying to share information. Especially with it being easy and free I would apply it to very minor advertisements that I present.

At first when I heard about podcasting I was unclear on exactly how you use it. I found a great video called "How to Create a Podcast" on youtube that shows step by step how you would build your very own podcast. It explains to you what you need before getting started and what each button does. Take a look and I am sure you would want to try it out yourself!

Social Networking

Social networking is online tools that keep people connected from around the world. Social tools such as twitter, YouTube, and Facebook are being used by millions of people everywhere from elementary students to grandparent. You are able to connect with friends, promote a business, and share opinions on products with friends and family. Even help fight a cause or cure, such as making people aware of breast cancer month or a marathon for diabetes. In class and online we discussed whether social networks are viewed as positive or negative. While some see it as a negative I see these tools as a positive! I believe that these networks are a way for people to express themselves and get their word out to people. Having such a big world it’s hard to reach people but being able to have fan groups and events that link others is very useful and affective! Social networks are certainly a way to practice social skills because you still have to connect with people that are professionals through emails and videos, communicating to people one on one and being able to present a topic and hold that topic. Also, it is a great tool to get in touch with peers and classmates when needing to figure out a homework assignment or a restaurant to eat at. It is a much faster tool to look for ideas and opinions then any other resource! A great thing about these networks is you can connect with people ALL around the world and still keep in touch with sending pictures and emails for free. It is just the beginning of social tools and many more networks and applications will be revolutionized throughout these upcoming years.

Using tools such as Facebook and twitter are great tools I can use for advertising. By applying Facebook use while working in my field I can promote my advertisements and products by creating what Facebook calls a Facebook group or an event. How it works is by making for instance a Nike Show Ad Group and I am able to share this with my fellow friends. Who from their can share with their peers by just a click of a button. This is a quick way to get my product out their and noticed by thousands. Also, Twitter is a good for my field because I am able to view people’s opinions’ good or bad about our advertisements. Getting viewers perspectives only makes the advertisement even better because it will be what people want! Therefore, social networking applies greatly to advertisement although it may not be creating the ad, it is the eyes and voices that help our business to grow.

I choose a link that relates to our topic of discussion in class about the pros and cons of social networking. Take a look on this websites to find why social tools are believed to positive to some and negative to others. Once you are done reviewing the pros vs cons you can then decide are you for social networking or against?

Social Networking Pros and Cons