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Earlier tonight, I went to the BostonCHI meeting, which was held at the Microsoft New England Research and Development (NERD) Center in Cambridge, Mass. Tonight’s topic was about moving from “eBooks to Learning Books,” and the talk was given by Dr. Boris Goldowsky and Lisa Spitz of the Center of Applied Technology (CAST). If the topic sounds interesting, I’d check out their video, when it is posted, from the BostonCHI video library.

Their talk got me thinking about a few other topics, including the use of technology in a classroom environment. Although it hasn’t been that long since I was in high school, the most we ever used technology to learn was if the teacher showed a YouTube video in class.

It’s a little different in college, when a large portion of students bring laptops to class. Many students use GoogleDocs, and now Google Wave, to collaborate on projects. And, particularly with computer science students, I’ve noticed an increasing use of Twitter. Students not only use hashtags of course names to ask classmates questions outside of class, but also during class to share links to websites and videos with more information. Some classes even have their own Twitter pages to share information about content and assignments. (Here’s a brief article on how Twitter is used among students.)  In one class, we’re even using a course wiki for notes, assignments, questions and comments about the lecture.

Tonight’s BostonCHI meeting demonstrated a great way to use technology to aid learning, whether through computers or eReaders. One of the coolest – and simplest – examples is using Google’s My Maps to plot the locations of characters in novels. They also showed this goofy video illustrating how textbooks just can’t compare to a Wikipedia page for interacting with material. These applications seemed useful, though most schools would not have the resources to let every student use a computer in class, so they would primarily be used for at-home assignments. And according to an article from FastCompany, teenagers don’t blog or use Twitter.

College students have taken it upon themselves to use technology to aid learning and collaboration, but in grade school, students need to rely on teachers to incorporate technology in the classroom. Without the money for computers, digital whiteboards, and other such hardware, however, it seems difficult to really enact a high-tech multimedia teaching philosophy.

The Google Reader team has been increasing the social features of the site, allowing users to share and like items from anywhere on the web, as well as post their comments about the content. Sharing only works with those members of your chat list who “follow” you, while liking an article seems to be knowledge that is shared with all users viewing the item through Google Reader.

Other sites have moved to more connections with strangers, including ChatRoulette, recently featured on FastCompany. ChatRoulette partners users randomly for video chat, for some strange results.

With the continuing popularity of Hulu, however, it’s surprising that TV-viewing hasn’t become a more social internet event. It seems like a logical next step to allow “viewing parties,” whether of friends or some number of strangers, to watch a show and chat while viewing. According to a recent study, TV watching has become significantly less social over the past decade, while another study shows that adolescents are using social networking sites as a positive supplement to personal interaction.

It seems that there’s a good market there for sites like Hulu to merge the popularity of social networking and “on-demand” television watching. Allowing users to watch a show in a chat room will also reduce the time viewers spend in full-screen mode, giving Hulu more time to expose viewers to ads. So far, it seems that a Facebook application will allow you to share comments about a video with your friends, but it isn’t real-time — comments will show up at a particular timestamp each time someone watches the video.

There, they had one of those images of letters that I’m supposed to be able to read, while a computer cannot. Unlike many of the images these days, this one was actually fairly readable – it was just some normal letters, really, on top of a grid pattern to fool a computer. But there was one problem.

The font they used was sans serif, and the letters were similar to those shown below:

Naturally, I typed in the letters I saw, assuming they were all lower case, as 6 out of 7 definitely were. And, unfortunately, I received in return an error message that my letters did not match, and I would have to try again – and fill out some portions of the registration form again, as well. If context isn’t enough to give a clue between the difference between a capital I (“i”) and a lowercase l (“L”), then they should use a different font!

Shortly after I started using the site, I found the bookmarklet, which was great. The bookmarklet lets you name, tag, and capture notes without ever leaving the page in question. I tag things with topics and categories, but also with actions, like “To Do,” “To Read,” or “To Apply.”

Recently, I found the bookmarklet for goo.gl, Google’s link shortener. Now, instead of going to Tiny URL or bit.ly, I can just click on the bookmarklet from the page I want to shorten, and I get a pop-up with my shortened link – again, without ever visiting another page.

The third bookmarklet, which I just found this morning, is used to share web content through Google Reader. Since many of the blogs I follow, such as Lifehacker and the Human Factors Blog, frequently post links to other blogs and websites, this makes it easier for me to directly share the original content, rather than sharing a list of links and using the notes to direct followers to the relevant link.

These bookmarklets make web browsing easier, and simplify the sharing process, whether it’s through Google Reader, Twitter, or some other source.

The process took me several tries and many errors before I finally had the latest version of WordPress up and running. I judged this by the fact that my home page appeared, instead of saying “server not found.” Success!

Except, I went online to check my portfolio today, and I find that the link takes me to a 404 Error page. Same with every other link on my site. The only page that worked was the domain.

After spending an hour trying everything I could think of to fix the problem (short of reverting to the old WordPress), and then searching the internet for others who have solved the problem in the past, I got no closer to the solution — but I found that reverting to a different theme did fix the issue. Until I can find a real solution to the problem, this theme will have to suffice.

I started the upgrade process by backing up my files. I didn’t use the process on the upgrade manager disc, and the backup was slow. I think it was an external hard drive issue. Whatever the case, it took me 4 hours to back up my files, and I started the actual upgrade much later than I wanted to.

The actual upgrade disc asked me if I wanted to check my compatibility online first. I’m not sure what the point of this would have been, as the first thing it did during the “install” process was give me a compatibility report.

This compatibility report informed me that iTunes and Photoshop Elements would be removed during the install process, and I should quit the process to uninstall these programs first. I ignored this warning, and both programs are still on my computer, and functioning perfectly. Go figure.

At one point, I thought I was going to have to give up, because the install seemed to be stuck 21% of the way through the 3rd of 5 tasks it had to complete, but an hour or two later it moved on. Not sure what the hang-up was there.

Overall the install itself was painless — it took a long time, but it was relatively easy and all my files and programs remained intact. Now, time to explore features!

1. Problem Steps Recorder

This program takes a screen shot every time you click, puts the images in an HTML file and allows you to add comments. I can’t really imagine using this program for the intended function, but I can imagine using it for many other things. This could be useful for developing prototypes, testing user interfaces, or even just creating a how-to document to show the grandparents what to do.

2. Snipping Tool

I know there have been many versions of this tool available for download on the internet, but it’s about time it was included. I probably take 10 screenshots a week, on average, and some of the programs I use don’t make it easy to crop images. This program will save me from needing to paste the image in PowerPoint or Word before saving it or copying it into another program.

3. Newly Improved Calculator

This doesn’t seem like a terribly exciting feature, but it is. In addition to basic and scientific modes, the Windows 7 Calculator includes modes for statistics and programming. I’m not too sure what the programmer mode is used for, but I frequently need to run statistics on small datasets.

4. Switching Between Displays

This is something that no operating system has really gotten right so far. Now, I don’t have my external monitor with me over break, so I haven’t actually had a chance to test this out yet, but just by pressing Win+P, it’s possible to scroll through the different options for using an external monitor. This is great for when I’m using my computer to give a presentation, watch a movie (with or without multitasking), or disconnecting so I can take my computer to class. I just hope this doesn’t take away my plug-and-play capability — I mostly use my external as an extended monitor, and whenever I plug in my monitor, I want it to automatically detect it and enter extended viewing pane mode.

5. Adjustable Icon Sizes in the Task Bar

I like to have a pretty minimalist viewing experience on my computer. I like to use solid-color backgrounds and the only thing you will find on my desktop is the Recycle Bin. So while at first I didn’t think I would like the new style task bar, within an hour I was sold. Instead of a wide rectangle, each program is a small, space-saving square, identifiable by icon — not unlike the way I use my bookmarks bar in Google Chrome. And it’s possible to use a smaller size of icons so the task bar doesn’t need to be as tall, but since I’m using a touch screen, I like that the buttons are the perfect size for my fingers.

6. Customizable Start Menu and Notification Icons

Many things in Windows 7 seem to be customizable that were either difficult or impossible to customize in the past. Notification Icons have always been a problem in the past, where although they appeared customizable, they frequently just showed up or disappeared whenever they wanted. Now, I seem to have complete control. On the Start Menu, I can switch which power option is available (I rarely ever power off, so I’ve changed my default to “Sleep”). And there seems to be pretty good control over which items are displayed and why.

*One caveat: Customizing the task bar notifications may require some trial and error. My computer just ran out of power on me because I had hidden the power icon and wasn’t closely monitoring the battery life remaining.

7. Shortcuts

Windows has not done a good job with shortcuts in the past. Shortcuts are either non-existent or difficult to remember. Now, there are a few useful shortcuts that are easy to access. Perhaps the most famous of these is the “shortcut” to isolate a window (minimize all others) by grabbing it and shaking it, but the keyboard shortcuts are great, too. There are a few simple shortcuts to maximize and minimize windows, and make a window take up exactly half the screen on the left or right side — great for writing a paper from an outline, taking notes, or any form of multitasking. And holding ctrl while clicking on a program icon in the task bar allows you to scroll through instances of that program.

A few less awesome things…

Of course, Windows 7 is far from perfect, and there are a few things I’ve had trouble with so far, despite the fact that I haven’t done anything too complex or resource-consuming. So far, it’s been a little slow. I’ll have to reboot and see if there’s an improvement. I also can’t seem to find a way to search the hidden files and folders. I’ve made the hidden files and folders visible, but still nothing showed up when I searched through Windows Explorer. In Windows Vista, there was an option to do an advanced search, and I had trouble finding this feature in 7. Through this process, I also noticed it didn’t find a non-hidden file in My Documents when I set the entire C drive as the search zone.

Overall, there are many fun features with Windows 7, and it seems to be an improvement over Vista, although I’m not sure how much of an improvement. In a few weeks, after I’ve had more of a chance to test out Windows 7 extensively, I’ll update my thoughts.

Helpful Windows 7 Links

• 18 cool things Windows 7 does that Vista doesn’t
• 62 Windows 7 tips, tricks, and secrets

I have encountered two human factors issues lately that have left me confused — some for far too long.

The first of these is with Google Analytics. I used Analytics to find out if there are actually people viewing my site and where these people are from. However, I recently updated the theme for my website, and forgot to include the Analytics tracking code.

It should have been obvious, when right around the same time I rolled out the changes, Analytics kept telling me no one at all was visiting my site, but I also hadn’t posted a new entry in a while, so I thought perhaps there really was no one visiting my site. I even saw a few people visit my site, and I simply believed they had a way around the tracking code. It didn’t occur to me that anything was wrong.

Until last night, I finally realized it, a month later, that the tracking code wasn’t out there anywhere on the web. And then this morning, coincidentally, Analytics finally decides to display a warning icon, that perhaps something is wrong with the data feed. Only a month after the tracking code disappeared.

To top that off, some places on the site still say “Receiving Data,” even though this was false. Then, of course, it will take 24 hours to get rid of the warning icon.

I also had a brief moment of panic when I looked at my Mint.com account today. I have only been using Mint for about a week, because I have only recently stopped using my old local bank account that doesn’t work with Mint. But after spending the weekend away from the internet, I come online to find that my card was used for a $5 purchase at Subway. Someone was eating a $5 foot-long on my dime!

I quickly realized that a “Subway” charge was not a fast-food chain, as Mint had assumed, but really a public transportation charge. Whew. But it doesn’t help that Mint automatically categorizes the expenditure without giving a level of confidence in its guess.

In a few days I will have another “Subway” charge, so then I will see if Mint is able to recognize it as the same type of purchase and accurately mark it as public transportation. In the meantime, I will be on the lookout for other features of Mint.com that either help or hurt my money management practices. There are tons of different things that Mint can do, and I am only beginning to graze the surface.

I have been planning for about 6 months now to go on a trip after graduation. Backpacking across Europe is an appealing, though expensive, notion. I have never really traveled alone, and am looking forward to a chance to venture out on my own, preferably someplace relatively safe for this first trip. However, there are some real difficulties in getting a month’s worth of “stuff” to fit into a backpack that wasn’t designed by Mary Poppins.

The more I think about what kinds of things will go into my backpack, the more I start to think about what I can live without. If I can go without something for a month, chances are I can go without it for much longer. And if I end up moving far away after graduation, then it would certainly make the move easier and less expensive if I could fit most of my possessions in my checked baggage.

While I’m not looking to be an extreme minimalist, I firmly believe that less stuff = less clutter = less distraction. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last 6 months reading about becoming a minimalist or making life clutter-free, particularly on the blogs ZenHabits and Unclutterer. Each of these, in their own way, has inspired me to start reducing the amount of unnecessary stuff in my life.

Neither of these sites is really addressing a nomadic lifestyle, however. I recently stumbled across the idea of nomadism as I was looking over www.couchsurfing.com as a potential lodging solution to my travels. Based on some of the mission statements of the members, many people wanted to live the life of a wanderer.

At first glance the idea is appealing. Being able to pick up and go at a moment’s notice is the picture of freedom.

But what happens when people don’t put down roots? I’ve been reading about the Plum Island erosion problem — a barrier island is meant to move and erode, creating a new barrier island behind it. But this doesn’t work when people build their homes and businesses there, and expect them not to fall into the ocean.

The erosion cycle is not unalterable: buildings have been on Plum Island since the 1700s, and with a little TLC (and a lot of money), the island can be maintained in its present condition. But without people there, their roots firmly planted, ready to fight to preserve the island, nothing would happen. Now, with over 1,200 homes there, there are plans in place to renourish the beach. In the 18th century, no one did anything about the erosion because very few people lived there.

The freedom of a nomadic lifestyle is appealing, but we need the investment in a place as much as the place needs people to invest. It’s how we end up with good school systems, sustainable development, and a sense of community.

For a while now I’ve been wanting to re-learn CSS. Using WordPress themes was an excellent way to get my website off the ground, but I know I’m capable of designing a personalized and user-friendly website of my own. Plus, knowledge of CSS seems like a useful thing to have.

Two days ago I breezed through a tutorial on CSS — learning a lot about what the different terms represent, but not a lot about how to put these terms together for a meaningful website. So yesterday, I returned to the way I originally learned CSS — I took someone else’s code and started making changes.

I downloaded a free template and began adjusting widths, padding, and sizes of images. Then I started replacing background images with images in my own color scheme. I put in icons instead of text for links. I searched online and figured out how to do a mouse-over effect on my icons. (I’m still not really sure how I pulled that one off, but it worked.)

Three hours later, this is what I have:

It still looks a lot like the template, but it is also distinctly my own, and there’s plenty of room for continued personalization. I haven’t even begun to alter the HTML side of the page. But it’s a lot to accomplish in just a few short hours.

This little project has also gotten me thinking about learning styles. It was easier to pick up CSS partly because I had interacted with it in the past, but also because it’s an easy thing to just play around with. Like taking apart a computer, I get to look at all the pieces and see how they connect. Unlike taking apart a computer, if I “break” it or can’t figure out how to put it back together, I can open up a fresh copy of the file and try again. (In fact, I’ve been spending so much time using drawing programs lately that every time I refreshed the index in my browser, I wanted to hit ctrl+z to undo the change.)

If only this were a viable option for all things in life…