How to create a blog?

A step by step guide to creating a blog*

1. In order to use blogger you should sign up for a google account.
2. On the blogger homepage click the create new blog button shown in the video.
3. On the next page you have to choose a name for the blog and also choose an available link for people to find your blog. When trying to find a URL you may have a problem with some of your first choices being unavailable, which I also had a problem with in the video.
4. After you have chosen all this, you have to choose a design for the site. Normally simple is the best to use, though if you're feeling adventurous there are some other good layouts.
5. Once this has been done you will be taken to the post page, where you can post your first thing.
6. Once this has been written and posted, click the VIEW BLOG option at the top of the screen and enjoy your brand new blog.
   
   A blog is a more interesting way to convey information to other people. With a blog you can share ideas and broadcast things, much like I have with this one. Whilst at college using a blog format to do a lot of your work in. Rather than having to hand in thousands of pieces of paper you can show the teacher your blog and they can mark it instead. Of course for subjects such as English this would not be such a good idea, but for computer based subjects (mainly IT, though may also be used in media effectively) this is a good way to hand things over to a teacher, plus in some cases you can get instant feedback on what you have done and learn how to improve to get to the next grade. 

*Sadly this method of creating a blog may be outdated, though unfortunately the account I have been using appears to be unable to update to the new form, so I can't give a perfect up-to-date account of how to create a blog.

Adding media and editing posts

Barriers of communication and how to overcome them!

There are many different barriers of effective communcation which can be seen in an ICT career. The first of these is the distance from which you are communcating with someone. This would have been a bigger problem in previous years before the invention of things such as Skype which can help us talk to people who are in other countries. Another thing that can help us comtact people that live far away is E-mail, as well as scanners which help us send documents across to other people.

The other barrier people may face with communication is language. Not being able to talk in the language of the people you are communicating with is a clear barrier. In order to combat this they now have many translator websites and translator apps which can help people say ledgible phrases.

Another barrier which may cause issues is disabilities. There are varying types and each one requires a different way in which to communicate with the person. One of the things that they may have to overcome is the communicating with the deaf, which would require learning certain things such as sign language in order to communicate successfully with someone.

Learning Styles

It is important to know the type of learnig style that people are for many different reasons. There are three different types of learner and everybody should work theirs out in order to benefit most in revision for upcoming exams etc.  It is also hepful to to now what type of learning style you are, in a job environement. This is normally when you are learning a new task as you will know for example that if you are a visual learner you will need to do the task, whereas if you are a kinestetic learner you will need to do the task. The three different types of learning style are Visual, Auditory or kinestetic and each one of these will require a different way of working in which to do the best you can. To find out which of these you are, you should take this quiz http://www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/extra/module1/2.shtml
For each different type of learning there are certain things you should try:

Visual-If you are a visual learner you should include lots of pitcures and diagrams, as well as using flow diagrams and mind maps for key topics in a subject.

Auditory- Auditory learners would benefit most from putting things to rhythm and rhyme, as well as discussing key points that you are on with a group. Another thing that Auditory learners will benefit from is reading aloud.

Kinesthetic- The final type of learning is kinestetic and people who learn with this style will benefit most from doing pratical demonstrations of things you are doing, as well as moving around when you are learning something.

The Principles of Communication

Within any work area communication is the key to success. Communication can be through many different mediums. These are written work (in presentations or E-mails, or verbal communication (with colleagues, in presentations, etc).

This presentation from Steve Jobs shows how body langauge and speaking clearly helps engage an audience.
Verbal Communication
There are many different things that can make people an effective verbal communicator, and below of some of the things you should consider every time:
1.      Speak clearly- This is one of the most important things to focus on when communicating as you need to make sure that everybody can hear and understand everything that you are saying. This is even more important when giving presentations as you need to convey an idea to everybody in the room rather than just one or two people. 
2.      Eye contact- Another important thing to focus when you are verbally communicating with people is eye contact
3.      Body Language- When you are talking to someone, body language is one of the key things that you need to focus on.  During a conversation you should keep your head up and arms not crossed. This gives people a good impression of you.
Written communication
There are many things that need to be considered when you are communicating using a written media style. 
1. Spelling- When typing an E-mail you need to mae sure that everything you have typed is spelt correctly.
2. Grammar- Getting the correct grammar is another of the things that needs to be focused on if you want to convey a sense of sophistication to the person you are writing to or for.
3. Correct font use/ Legible handwriting- One of the most important things to think about in any job, is the type of font that are using to write something. You want to make sure that you are using a formal type font such as Times New Roman or any of the other default, whilst staying away from sypes such as Coms sans MS.

How to be valued employee?

Within this video are a few attributes that are valued by future employers

There are many things that employers will be looking at when you apply for a job, and throughout this section I intend to tell you how to make yourself a valued employee. Below are some of the key aspects that people will look for when they are trying to find someone for a job.

• Punctuality- This is one of the key attributes that an employer will take into account about someone. Being punctual means that you are consistently on time to all manner of things, whether meetings or general work every day.  Being punctual also means that you complete all your work on time, which is key in the IT business as you need to have everything done on time.
• Teamwork- Another key attribute for any potential employee is your ability to work in a team. In an IT this may not seem as important, considering most people imagine the only thing that will interact with is a computer, but there are areas where teamwork is highly needed. In areas such as Game Design there are many different roles which need to be completed which would be too much for one person, so it is key to work in a team here.
• Communication- There are many different ways that you communicate in a work environment, such as through the written reports, or by verbal presentations etc. Speaking clearly when talking to other clients or colleagues is something that is important. When you are typing up a report or E-mail, you must be careful with grammar and spelling.
• Organisation- People who are organised will look better in the eyes of an employer, and it will help you keep on track of all the work set out for you.
• Technical skill- In a IT centred job you would be expected to have a good range of IT and the motivation to adapt to use more software that could possibly be more complicated.
• Hard working- People who do all the work they are meant to and more will be more valuable to the employer than others who do the bare minimum.