Adobe Digital Editions and eBooks

I have not "checked out" an eBook from the library recently, but found one that I wanted to review for a chapter I writing for the Nursing and Informatics 5th edition.  I made several mistakes, but with the assistance of a wonderful University librarian the problems were solved.

The library eBook required Adobe Digital Editions to read the book.  Because of Digital Rights Management (DRM), you cannot download a PDF email, you "check it out."  On the due date, it disappears from your computer.

The problem was I had an OLD version of Adobe Digital Editions, so when I attempted to download the book, it would not open.  After I updated the software, when I went back to the download screen it worked.  The only problem with the Adobe download is that it also downloaded three different types of bloat ware (unwanted software). It changed my search engine and start-up page, too.  Not good!  I had to disable the add-ins in each of the web browsers I use.  I also had to uninstall the software using the Control Panel.

We figured out the problem using the iPad, which is the only computer that I took to the office today.  On the iPad, I was prompted to open the eBook with BlueFire Reader or Kobo.

There are many different readers.  It depends upon the operating system and device as to which you use. 

Scholarly Writing - Nurse Author & Editor Newsletter is a Must Read

I am working on a revised chapter for the 5th edition of the Informatics and Nursing textbook to replace chapter 6 in the 4th edition.  The focus of the new chapter is scholarly writing. The backdrop of the chapter is using the word process to format the paper with APA 6th citation style.

I revisited a wonderful quarterly newsletter, Nurse Author & Editor, at http://www.nurseauthoreditor.com/default.asp

If you are writing a paper for a class or as a requirement for a nursing degree, you will find the newsletter to be a "pot of gold!"  The September 2013 issue is just one example. 

The newsletter is free.  All you need to do is to create a login and password.  I have it on my list of MUST reads. 

Nurse writing for undergraduate nursing classes, a Master's thesis, PhD dissertation, DNP scholarly project or for publication should review the Nurse Author & Editor newsletter.

Often Overlooked Feature: Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word

For some reason, users often overlook spelling and grammar check in Microsoft Word.  Spelling and grammar check is available on the Review ribbon menu in Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013 on Windows computers.  However, grammar check is not turned on by default.  You need to go to the File -> Option -> Proofing window.  Click the checkbox for checking grammar.

When you run spelling and grammar check from the review tab, Word gives you suggestions on how to improve the document.  For example, it will pick up split infinitives, run-on sentences, and verb disagreement. 

If made changes to the document after you ran spelling and grammar, you need to instruct Word to "Recheck Document" from the Options - Proofing window. 

Word suggestions are not "perfect" but provide helpful, just-in-time assistance for creating a well designed paper. 

Spell-check is a feature in all word processing software; however, grammar check is not.  Use the help menu to learn more.

Reflecting Back to AT&T Ads that Predicted the Future

Students in one the classes I teach studied and researched telehealth this past week.  On shared memories of a series of "You Will" adds that AT&T ran in 1993-4, which predicted the future of technology we use today.  See the video embedded from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MnQ8EkwXJ0&feature=youtu.be below.

Excel Formatting an Axis

Have you ever made an Excel chart where you needed to change the value of the axis?  For example you wanted to show a chart that depicts 100% of the people you surveyed, but when you created the chart the axis value was greater than 100%.  A greater than 100% would not make any sense.

The procedure is easy but a little tricky to find. 

Right-click on the axis you need to edit to get the Format Axis menu shown below. Change the axis value to 100% (or the value you want to display.   Notice that it is possible to edit the minimum value, too (although it is often best for that value to begin with 0.  When you are finished, save and close the window. 

The New MERLOT II (Multimedia Educational Resources for Learning and Online Teaching)

Recently, the staff at MERLOT introduced a new website and it is amazing!  Take a few minutes to explore at http://www.merlot.org
A screen shot of the new MERLOT, MERLOT II is below.  

If you are not a member, please join!  Membership is free.  It allows you to collaborate with others who have similar interests, create Personal Collections, and the ability to use the Content Builder.  The Content Builder allows you to build learning resources that are hosted on the MERLOT servers.

Consider adding new learning resources to MERLOT.  Those resources might be something you created or have found on the web created by someone else.

In preparation for the trip to India for the Indian Cancer Congress 2013, we are adding learning content related to India and cancer to MERLOT.

Protecting Your Privacy When Using Facebook and Twitter

A couple of my friends have had their Facebook or Twitter account hacked.  As noted in an earlier post, cyber criminals have a variety of motives and some are malicious.  For example, the criminals may fraudulently assume your identity or use your account to send spam.  The best way to protect your account is to proactively change the account settings to require two-factor authentication for any account changes.

Two-factor authentication requires the user to identify secondary factor for account changes.  Sending a code to your cell phone and requiring that code be entered before making account changes is an excellent way to protect your account.  Computing World has a very good article, Protect your Facebook account from hackers with two-factor authentication online at http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9243428/Protect_your_Facebook_account_from_hackers_with_two_factor_authentication?source=rss_latest_content&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+computerworld%2Fnews%2Ffeed+%28Latest+from+Computerworld%29

A similar process can be used for other social media accounts, such as Twitter.  If you are using other social media sites, be sure to search for the ability to create two-factor authentication. 

Visit to India

I leave for an eleven-day trip to India in less that 4 weeks. I represent MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resources for Learning and Online Teaching) along with a team of oncology nurse faculty member and physicians.  As you may know, I am the editor for the MERLOT Health Sciences Editorial Board. The team is a part of Open Educational Resource Cancer (OERC).  OERC representatives will make presentations at the Indian Cancer Congress 2013 and also at academic medical centers in Kochi. The visa is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.  I am not certain about Internet access for blogging.  In case of access problems, I will plan to tweet during the trip.  I will be flying into New Delhi and out of Kochi.  I am excited to meet nursing colleagues in my travels.  Look for more information on how to access India travel tweets later. 

APA Formatting the Running Head

As I review work submitted by students, I recognize that formatting a running head for APA 6th edition style is a mystery to many.  There are four main points:

• On the title page the words "Running head" are used before the colon.  The "h" in head is not capitalized.
• The running head name must be in all capital letters and not exceed 50 characters (letters and spaces).
• The page number should be flush right on the SAME line as the running head.
• The running head on the second page does not have the words "Running head:"

Since Microsoft Word is often used by nursing students in the United States, the information below addresses using Word.  If you understand the rationale for the steps, you should be able to replicate the process using other word processing software.

To format the running head on the first page:

• Click Insert in the Word Ribbon Menu
• Click Insert page number
• Select flush right and insert
• Change the formatting of the page number to flush left
• Type Running head:THE NAME OF THE PAPER RUNNING HEAD
• Click on the space at the end of the running head and use the tab key to move the page number to flush left.  If you accidentally move the page number to a second line, click Ctrl+Z to undo
• THIS IS IMPORTANT - click on the checkbox for Different First Page  (See screen shot below)

• Exit the Edit & Footer menu.

The middle of the title page includes the full title of the paper, the author(s) names, and affiliation.  Author notes are optional, depending upon the purpose of the paper.

• Right-click on the header on page two to edit the header.  The header & footer tools should appear in the menu.
• Remove the check from the checkbox for Different First Page
• Remove the words Running head from the header
• Exit the Header & Footer menu - you are done
• Go to page 3.  The edited page header without the words Running head should appear

Writing with APA Style - Changing the Default Font to Times New Roman in Microsoft Word

When writing using APA style, change the default font style from Calibri to Times New Roman to prevent Microsoft Word from attempting to use Calibri.  It take only a few seconds to make the change. 

First change the font in the Home menu to Times New Roman, size 12.

Next click the little down-arrow in the bottom right of the Font menu.

Click the Set as Default button in the bottom left corner of the window.

Done!

If you use another word processor, now that you understand the procedure, you should be able to replicate it someway.

History of Professional Networking

I am working on a chapter about professional networking for the 5th edition of the Nursing and Informatics textbook.  The historical development of social media and networking is fascinating.  I enjoy reading posts on Twitter and Facebook.  The shared information helps me to feel connected to what is important. A video cartoon from Time.com is below.  A very nice infographic on the history is at http://www.creativeramblings.com/social-media-history-infographic-updated/
(It has code for embedding, but I could not get the code to work)

iPad App Tips

If you use and iPad, did you notice any changes in the look of certain apps after upgrading to iOS 7?  Perhaps you were able to read the news site before the upgrade, but after the upgrade the text runs off the side of the page.  You have checked zoom in settings, but it is turned off.  The problem is probably due to the fact that you are using an old version of the app. The NPR app is an example of an app that changed. 

To correct the problem, search the Apple App store for the app designed for the iPad.  Download the new app and delete the old legacy one. 

Fake a Facebook Friend Scam

A Facebook post this morning reported that a friend's Facebook account had been scammed. 
I read more about the problem to understand what happened.  There is a good article on the topic by Katherine Hutt at Consumer News and Opinion http://www.bbb.org/blog/2013/07/imposter-facebook-profiles-can-fake-out-your-real-friends/

First, do not accept a Friend invitation if that person is already your friend (check your Friends list).  I believe I might have done that unknowingly. 

The motives for the fraud are:

• To learn more about you
• To pretend to have an emergency requiring you send money

Northeaster University IT services ( http://www.northeastern.edu/securenu/?page_id=471 ) provides helpful information about how to identify a fake.  

iMovie How To from MacWorld

Chris Breen started a new series of How To's at MacWorld this week - Getting Started with iMovie.  If you are a Mac user, you might want to check out the series of articles at http://www.macworld.com/article/2053681/getting-started-with-imovie.html

He is a great instructor and iMovie is a fantastic app to learn how to master.  Enjoy!

PubMed Central (PMC) and the PubReader

In preparation for a workshop that I am presenting at the Indian Cancer Congress 2013, I have been populating the MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resources for Learning and Online Teaching) with open-journal articles.  One of the primary databases I am using is PubMed.  PubMed has a growing number of open journal articles available at PubMed Central (PMC).  PubMed now includes a reader, PubReader, to read articles.  The reader works with all popular web browsers. It is very easy to navigate and allows a zoom type feature to figures.  To learn more about the PubReader, go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/about/pubreader/


You can search PMC to find those open-journal articles at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/  I prefer the advanced search feature.  For example, I did a search for India and Cancer with publication dates between 2010 and 2013 and found 649 pertinent open-journal articles.


PubMed also has a mobile app for searches called PubMed on Tap.  The Lite version is free.  It limits the returned searches to 20 and allows for the storage of 50 references.  The full version is only $2.99.  Both the Lite and full versions allow you to search PMC for those open-journal articles.

Firefox Web Browser Bugs and Fixes

Recently the Firefox web browser has been slow to start or not appear - would receive an alert that it was already running.  Of course, the error message would ask me if I wanted help but being too busy, I ignored it until this morning.  The fix was so easy!  All I had to do was to reset Firefox to the factory default.  The restore did not affect the functionality at all and it took less than a minute. 

To reset the browser, to go Help -> Troubleshooting information -> Reset Firefox

So easy :-) ! 

Diigo Gets an Update

I use Diigo cloud bookmarking feature because I can find my bookmarks from any device and any web browser I use.  I discovered today that Diigo now allows me to email links and notes to my Diigo library - similar to the way that Evernote allows you to email to your Evernotes site.  For more information on the feature, go to http://blog.diigo.com/2013/09/27/save-links-and-notes-through-email/

If you use bookmarks, consider a cloud app to do so.  Word of warning, sometimes Diigo will not be able to add the bookmark to your library - with a message to try later.  If that is the case, bookmark it to your browser so that you can upload it to Diigo when the service is available.

Syncing File Between Your Computer and the Cloud

I have been using Dropbox as a favorite cloud storage app for several years.  It is a fantastic backup and shared files solution.  My colleagues also use it to share and store committee files that are not subject to FERPA (student identification privacy) and HIPAA (health information privacy) protection.  I also use Google Drive and SkyDrive as backup solutions.  What I had overlooked is that SkyDrive is a downloadable app for personal computers and mobile devices that allows files to be synced, like Dropbox and Google Drive.

If you have files that you do not want to lose, consider discovering a backup solution that provides file syncing. 

Create Flashcards Using Google Spreadsheets

Students in the informatics courses I teach often tell me that the learning informatics vocabulary is like learning a foreign language.  It is one reason that I use gaming tools that include flash cards for each chapter lesson.  One learning activity instructors might consider is for students to create a set of flashcards using the key words in a chapter with Google spreadsheets.  Sheets is the term used for spreadsheets in Google Drive.  Flippity (http://flippity.net/) is an easy to use tool for learners to use.  The only downsides for its use are that the learner must have a Google account and the fact that the tool is advertisement supported.

The tool is easy to use.  You open the flashcard template in your Google Drive, modify it with the key words and definitions, and then share it on the web.  Creating flashcards should take only a few minutes!  Flippity is an easy resource to use.

Google Chromebook Screenshots

Now that I have mastered how to print with the Google Chromebook, the next task was how to get screenshots.  I use that feature very frequently.  The function keys are not marked with an F number on the Chromebook.  Instead there are icons.  F5 is the fifth key to the right of the escape key.  The F5 function key looks like the image below.

 

To capture an entire window, click the Ctrl + F5 key above.  A window will open on the bottom right stating that a screenshot was taken and click to view.

To capture a part of a window, click the Ctrl + Shift + F5.  The cross-hair was appear.  Drag to capture the part of the screen you want to capture.  Once again, a window will open verifying the capture and the option to view.

Printing with the Google Chromebook

I am still adjusting to the Google Chromebook, which used the Chrome web browser.  How to print?  There is no way to connect except using Wifi.  I had set up the print function for Chrome last February, but had to go back and review the procedure. 

• Click the customize and control button on the top right of the window (looks like a sheet of paper with horizontal lines).
• Click on Settings in the drop-down menu.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the window to select Show advanced settings.
• Scroll down and click Open Google Cloud Print.
• You should be able to see your printer

When you open the Cloud Print window there is a large red rectangular button with the words PRINT.  Click on the button and upload a file to print.  After you have selected the file, you will see three options:  Your printer; print to FedEx Office; and Save to Google Drive.


 

iLimb - the Bionic Hand and iPhone App My iLimb

Linda sent me an email this morning with a link to an article that discusses how a prosthetic limb, iLimb, works with an iPhone app to enable users to function effectively.  The article, iPhone App Programs Bionic Arm, is online at http://plaindealer.oh.newsmemory.com/publink.php?shareid=0064b6ef7

The mobile app is called My i-limb mobile.  It is a free download from the iTunes store at https://itunes.apple.com/lc/app/my-i-limb/id704433967?mt=8

The amazing innovation costs $100,000 per limb, but I am sure that it must be a life saver for those who have lost a limb.

The article prompted me to go to the manufacturer, Touch Bionics, website at http://www.touchbionics.com/products/active-prostheses/i-limb-ultra/

A video showing the bionic prosthesis and how it works is embedded below.

Tablet Contender - Microsoft Surface

A couple of my colleagues are using the Microsoft Surface tablet.  There are two versions of the tablet, Surface RT and Surface Pro.  Today, the Surface RT costs $340 and the Pro costs $799.  A comparison of the two tablets is at http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/which-surface-is-right-for-you

Microsoft continues to have the majority of the operating system market.  The Surface tablet really can replace the, now old-fashioned, desktop computer.  The Microsoft Surface tablet is a giant step towards Bill Gates initial vision of putting a computer on every desktop, except it goes further.  The tablet is more like putting a computer on every laptop.

Microsoft acknowledges that the operating system (OS) takes a considerable amount of storage at http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/storage 

The size of the operating system is where the Google  OS is so different.  The Google OS is a component of the web browser.  When you turn on a Google Chromebook, it takes less than 5 seconds for the home screen to appear.

Georgia College Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP Program Accredition Visit Report

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program was reviewed by CCNE over the last two days.  The exit report indicated that we had fully met all of the standards for accreditation.  We will receive a report of accreditation status in April of next year.  That is fantastic news for nurses who are interested in a DNP degree from Georgia College. 

Starting a Journey with Google Chromebook

We are revising the 5th edition of the Informatics and Nursing textbook.  The new second chapter will be the essentials of computers and software.  Operating system(OS) is one of the computer concepts.  Google Chrome OS used for the $179 Chromebook changes everything!  The Chrome OS is not installed on a hard drive.  It is a web browser and OS built into one.  You open the computer, connect to a WiFi system and work.  All of the software apps are in the cloud.  Examples are the Google Drive apps, email.  The laptop does have two USB ports, so you can exchange files on a USB device.  More later as I learn...

Streaming Video from Your Mobile Device to a HDTV Television

Chromecast was released by Google last summer to compute with Apple TV and Roku.  The cost is only $35.  Yesterday, Hulu Plus, a free app for Android and iOS was released.  For more information, check out the Google blog at http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

The video about the device is embedded below.

Dropbox Update for the Mac - Screenshot Uploads

According to the article, Dropbox Updates with Automatic Screenshot Saving and iPhoto Importing (http://lifehacker.com/dropbox-updates-with-automatic-screenshot-saving-and-ip-1434368743), Dropbox for the Mac allows you to upload screenshots.  If that is a feature you want to have so you can share with others, go ahead and turn it on.

Not sure about others, but I have too many photos on my Mac devices.  It would take too much space that I need for work files.   For some, however, that feature may be helpful. 

Picked up a Virus - But Maybe Not - Could have Been Blocked by the Anti-Virus Software

I was doing a search for an update on information literacy and clicked on a website that triggered the antivirus software to open an alert window.  It looks like it was blocked by my virus detector.   The website was corrupted as it did not display correctly.  My AVG software indicated a blackhat hacker issue.  Am running a virus check now. Thankfully, I have more than one computer.  Too much to do and not enough time! :-(

Running system virus scan....
PS - Virus scan destroyed the malware infection!!!  Still afraid to check the URL that I was attempting to verify.

NCLEX Prep - There are Many Apps!

I was working with students yesterday in preparation for their NCLEX simulation exit exam in a couple of weeks.  We reviewed resources that they could use until they sit for the NCLEX exam after graduation.  There are several free apps that provide just in time opportunities to study:

• NCLEX by Ion Citadel
• NCLEX by Higher Learning Technologies
• NCLEX-RN Practice Test & Questions by T&E Solutions LLC
• NCLEX Test Prep by Med Preps LLC
• Lippincott's Prep for NCLEX-RN Success by Wolters Kluwer Health
• Pass NCLEX-RN - Free  by Panacea Solutions Limited
• Saunders Mobile Review Questions fot the NCLEX-RN Exam, LITE by Elsevier

Even if the number of questions per app is limited, because there are several choices - they provide great practice opportunities for students preparing to sit for the NCLEX.