Taking Resources For Granted

        Blackboard is an incredible resource. You could put it past the majority of those who use it as it has not been used to its potential in any course that I have taken at the University of Montana. There are many ways that Blackboard could be used, in many disciplines, and by all students across campus that now represents wasted development and innovation.  As a leader in the field of educational cloud computing, Blackboard Inc. offers a fully integrated and multimedia approach to supplementing class time with online content. By utilizing more of the functionality of Blackboard Academic Suite, the University of Montana, and more specifically its School of Business Administration, could create value for students and faculty with a marginal impact on operating costs. 

       The University of Montana has implemented Blackboard across campus and it is available to every department on campus. The professors that choose to use the application mainly use it for file transfer and a grade book. The fact that a teacher can post documents and announcements to groups in a class directory as well as information pertaining to a specific student in the the user directory in a web based environment should be applauded. What an advance in the modern classroom especially for students who study fields that directly include technology. As a member of this group I can personally attest to the fact that being able to retrieve assignments and other content in practically any file extension allows students to use the technology to increase understanding of the topic as well as a famialiarity with the devices that dominate business as we know it. The students that are not directly involved in the use of technology gain exposure in organizational systems that have come to replace some trainings, paycheck applications, and mail systems in modern companies and agencies. There are functions that can be taken advantage of within Blackboard that many professors fail to utilize.

              Blackboard Academic Suite is an incredible tool in terms of functionality. The user interface features a "click and drag" interface and can be customized with gadgets and web feeds. Students who have been added to particular classes can view digital class materials and download files of many types. The familiar tabbing layout is easy to navigate to tabs that the host institution has chosen. Currently the tabs are set to a view of classes currently in progress, a Mansfield library splash page, and a "sandbox" or help section for new users to learn to interact with the web based environment. The default user interface is predictable and simple to manage. Navigation is also predictible and intuative. Blackboards product is very functional.

          The application allows collaboration amongst students and the professors and other stake holders in a forum format. All parties can  post comments and solutions to question posed by others as well as participate in a conversation in individual "threads". The use of the collaboration tools would surely increase if the effort were orchestrated by the professor of each class. Not only would individual students be able to help others but the technology that is revolutionizing communication would be encouraged to the managers of tomorrow. Implementing the use of these technologies in the classrooms of today will give students a leg up in terms of modern communication methods in the world today. In addition, collaborating is a natural human tendency and students collaborate in many other ways. The use of the Blackboard tool would encourage that collaboration in an environment that could be managed by faculty to filter inappropriate posts and direct converstion in a productive manner. The faculty members would also have a better feel for how the class it digesting current information and what previous content is still unclear.

                The use of web based supplemental learning tools has improved the quality of the class room experience. Taking the steps to fully integrate the available tools can create value for all users. The content management and modular interface make the environment tailored to the user and can have interactive tools embedded in the environment as well. It is web based and authenticated with University credentials so it can be accessed from any internet terminal. Taking full advantage of tools where student interaction is encouraged or required would round out the suite of tools in terms of functionality and value added to all users. 

, security, and collaboration.    

From angling to VB.net

The free tools that are available to the public over the Internet give people the ability to learn, create, and manage information with tools that offer more options and capabilities than ever before. Tools can be integrated with each other to and can be used to create sites where people can share view points, tips, and information related to anything they choose. Users also have the ability to collaborate with one another and manage content on sites created by companies or by an individual. I use the available tools all the time and have found that people tend to share ideas and tactics with one another in well though out and creative means. It is as if people find useful information online and so when they have something that they can share with the public, they spend time and effort creating a medium that is clear and informative. This is not always the case but often a user can find media that is concise and well prepared. 

Two main pursuits dominate my time; IT and fly fishing. Working in an IT setting and supporting end users creates a need for troubleshooting, collaboration with users and help desk staff, and access to data and software libraries. Many of the problems that end users at the AFD face, which in turn become my problems, require me to consult with others who have had similar problems in order to create a solution. In these situations, the Internet is my main resource. In fact, I only consult other resources about 5% of the time. Representing the majority, the Internet allows me to search for content that others have created in regards to the same or similar problems. Often pages can be found where professionals and others in the IT field discuss problems and solutions. A user can generally find extensive instructions on how to fix problems or how to best diagnose the cause of problems. 

There are many ways that an individual can share information and tactics with others. Individuals can post and respond to questions in a forum, post statements or responses in wikis, and create video or photos to post in a variety of ways to name a few. This variety allows users to find content in a number of forms and can refine searches to return content in the preferred genre. For example, when searching for information on configuring a domain controller and access points I would prefer a document with screen shots and text. When learning how to tie a certain pattern that would be effective for steel head, I prefer video. Because individuals learn differently, the ability to choose how the information will be presented increases the speed of learning and decreases losses in productivity relative to previous methods of gathering information. 

The Internet and the services that are offered within it have become an embedded resource that continues to be refined into an extremely powerful tool. The ability for users to create and manage content not only allows host companies to limit costs and increase profitability, but also cuts out the research and guess work involved in managing content that the public wants. For instance, a company that hosts a website about IT and solutions for problems within the discipline does not need to spend as much time and effort managing and updating content. Users come up with the problems that they encounter, post the problem, post discussions, and post solutions. And they create this content based on good ways to present the information. 

It is hard to imagine the world without the Internet at this point. Even if an individual were to blow the dust off of a card catalog and try to find information, that person would not be able to access even a small portion of the data available in digital form online. Transfer of information and best practices has never been faster or more efficient and the recipient of the benefits are the learner and the problem solver.  

Where I am coming from

                I was born in Atlanta Georgia on May 14^th, 1983 to Mike and Jan Murphy. She is an elementary school teacher and he, after a short retirement, has become a professor at a community college.  I had a great childhood and developed the skills that I would need to be an adult. I thought I was ready to be an adult when I turned eighteen and moved out of my parents’ house. I worked several jobs and learned about paying bills and self reliance. More importantly I learned that I wanted to move up a few rungs on the ladder and make a good life for myself.

                I decided to go to UM and study whatever seemed interesting and had potential for growth. I have a few friends that completed the IS program and they encouraged me to choose it as a subject of study. I followed their advice. As a junior, I began an internship at the Aeiral Fire Depot working for the US Forest Service as an IT specialist. I have found a true passion for IT as I am taking more technically oriented classes and working in the field everyday. There is a good mix of problem solving, personal interaction, travel, technical work, and outdoor work in the position. The internship ended and I was able to continue working for the Forest Service in a long term student position.

                This summer I will be going on my first fire assignments and will put my skills to use in the field and contribute to the cooperative effort of managing wildfires. There is a chance that my long term student position will become a permanent position upon or after my graduation in the winter of 2009. If a position does not become available I will sell my skills to any other agency in the state of Montana or the northern rockies region and work to protect humans from nature and vice versa in the place that I love.