Blogs Out Loud

 Hi Classmates,  I wanted to share this article with you all regarding the impact that social media has on our mental health. We are almost done with the semester and it’s important to remember how our online habits can affect our well-being, especially during stressful times.  https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05  - India Woods 

Hi Classmates, I decided to look into one of our tools for this week and I came across Discord. I am familiar with Discord because my partner uses it, but I’ve never used it on my own. After reviewing the Discord website, I decided to create one myself and discovered that it’s another great way to share knowledge through blogging and the Discord community. For example, one of the communities I joined was "Celebrating Black Community Leaders," where we highlight exceptional leaders who make contributions to social justice and education. What I enjoy most is being able to use emojis, share articles, and even join live voice chats where members could openly discuss and exchange ideas in real time. -India Woods

Hi Classmates, I hope everyone had a great weekend! I think we all should take up Dr. Dennen's word and take on an actual digital detox and try to walk away from the internet and our devices for more than 48 hours. To be honest, this may sound crazy but I don't know if I will be able to do it because my cellphone is a part of my everyday life. I use it for everything from checking emails, keeping up with work and staying connected with family and friends. The thought of stepping away even for a short time feels challenging but I know it could also be refreshing. I am going on a cruise next weekend which is the 4th of July so I may be able to make it happen but I STILL HAVE SCHOOL WORK :(((((.  -India Woods

Hi Classmates, I came across an article that I wanted to share with you all. I’m not sure if everyone in the course is a PhD student, but even if you’re not, I think this article could still be helpful as you navigate your graduate-level studies. What stuck out to me the most in the article is the section that highlights "Work Smart and Learn to Take Breaks" because sometimes I don't know how to step away and give myself time to recharge. Drowning yourself in school work 24-7 leads to burn out really quickly and can negatively impact both your mental health and overall performance.  This is a REMINDER TO TAKE YOUR BREAKS AND VACATIONS :) https://www.thesavvyscientist.com/tips-for-new-phd-students/ - India Woods

Hi Classmates, As I was reviewing Module 6 this week, I noticed that one of the tools are concept mapping. I explored concept mapping on Bubbl.us and found it to be very user-friendly. At first, I thought it was something you could only use for creating things like organizational charts, but I realized you can actually use it to organize your thoughts in a clear and structured way. I wasn’t familiar with this tool before, and I’m really glad our professor shared it with us. I can definitely see myself using it throughout my doctoral journey, especially to help me stay organized. For example, using Bubble.us, would be helpful to breakdown my dissertation topic.  - India Woods 

Hi Classmates, I hope everyone had a great weekend! On Saturday I participated in a 5K run. It was actually my first time doing a run like that. Just as we got started it began to rain, which made things a bit more challenging. The weather here in Tallahassee has been pretty bad lately, but I was glad I stuck with it and finished the race. I even received a badge for completing my first 5K! As I’ve mentioned in my previous blogs, running has really been such a stress reliever for me. I think everyone should check out the Nike Run Club app because they notify you about upcoming runs that you can participate in, both in town and virtually across the United States. - India Woods

Hi Classmates, In this blog, I wanted to talk about the topic for this week, which is intellectual property, privacy, and ethics. When I reflect on this topic, what immediately comes to mind is how important it is to respect the rights and ownership of creative work, especially in today’s digital age. In the reading " Ownership of Digital Course Artifacts: Who Can Access and Use Your Words, Images and Clicks?? ," what stuck out to me the most was the concern faculty have around ownership of the course materials they create. Faculty may assume their syllabi, lecture slides, or assignments are their own intellectual property, but institutions may claim ownership especially when they invest resources into course development. This creates tension, especially in online learning environments where course content can be easily reused or redistributed without the faculty member’s involvement.  In all honesty, you would think that educators would automatically retain ownership of the...

Hi Classmates, Last weekend, I had the chance to travel back home to Key West, and my fiancé and I went on a fishing trip, something he was really excited about. The waters in Key West are incredibly clear and full of a variety of fish, which makes it a perfect spot for fishing. We booked a charter boat excursion that included about 20 other people, and we had such an amazing time out on the water. It was actually my very first time fishing, and I didn’t know what to expect, but I ended up loving the entire experience. I even caught six yellowtail fish. However, I had to throw three of them back because they didn’t meet the size requirements. Even with that, I was proud of myself and surprised by how fun and relaxing the whole experience was.  - India Woods

Hi Classmates, I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable weekend! Last week, I became a member of a new online community. Previously, I was only active in Carnival Cruise online groups where I connected with fellow cruisers. Recently, I decided to branch out and joined the Nike Run Club community. It has been an exciting shift as I’m now engaging with people who share my interest in fitness and running. This new space has already motivated me to stay accountable to a more active lifestyle. In the online community, we share running tips, progress updates, and words of encouragement. There are also virtual challenges and group runs that keep everyone motivated and connected. It’s been inspiring to see how supportive and goal-driven the community is, and it’s helped me push myself more than I would have on my own. I wanted to share this because this class motivated me to join more online communities.  -India Woods

Hi Everyone, IT’S JUNE ALREADY???? Yayyy! Can you believe we’re almost halfway through the semester? Time is seriously flying. We’re officially in Week 4, and I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on how much I’ve been enjoying this class so far. Blogging has honestly been more fun than I expected! I’ve enjoyed having a space to share my thoughts and experiences, and it’s been interesting to read everyone else’s posts too. It feels like we’re building a little online community, which I really appreciate.  Having a Pinterest community that we can join for this class is really DOPE! I didn’t realize how creative and resourceful the pinterest platform could be until I started exploring it more. There’s so much inspiration from teaching tips to visual organization ideas and it’s made me want to dive deeper into using Pinterest for both personal and professional planning. - India Woods 

Hi Class, We are in Week 4, and one of the tools we’re exploring this week is Pinterest, which is highlighted as a form of social bookmarking. I’ll be honest, I don’t have a Pinterest account myself, but people are always telling me how helpful it is for organizing ideas, finding inspiration, and saving resources in a visual way. Currently, I am in the process of wedding planning, and after researching more about Pinterest, I realized that utilizing this app would be the perfect tool to gather ideas for themes and decor all in one place. After exploring the class pinboard, I felt motivated to create an account because I can see the value in having one central place to visually curate content, whether it’s for lesson ideas, professional resources, or even personal interests. It’s such a simple yet powerful way to stay organized and discover new perspectives over time. - India Woods 

 Hi Class,  I hope everyone had a great weekend! I wanted to share an article with you all regarding social media and our mental health. As many of you know, social media plays a huge role in our daily lives especially for those who often find it difficult to imagine life without it. While social media offers opportunities for connection and access to important information, it also comes with risks such as privacy concerns, negative impacts on sleep and emotional well-being. The article highlights how studies have shown that increased social media and smartphone use among individuals can be linked to higher levels of mental distress and self-harm. I encourage you to reflect on your own social media use as you read and think about ways to build a healthier relationship with these platforms. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10476631/ - India Woods