9 WAYS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN AID TO LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Via Uninvolved Observer, Flickr
So you have the "Spanish for Dummies" book. You have scoured the library for audio tapes to listen to while you sleep. You have the memorized phrases "¿Dónde está la Biblioteca?" and "Hola! Me llamo Laura! Me gusta jugar videojuegos." You may have even enrolled in a community college course. Still, you can't help but feel stiff with the new language. It feels unnatural.

They say the best way to learn a language is to completely immerse yourself in it. Unfortunately, not all of us to go accredited universities with stellar study abroad programs. So what is one to do? You immerse yourself as best as you can using social networking sites which are already available to you!

Disclaimer: before you start, make sure you have a background of the language. Know basic vocabulary, simple conjugations, etc before embarking on this immersion.

1. USE FACEBOOK
Change your language settings on Facebook to the language you are trying to learn.
Go to Settings -> Edit Account -> to the Language tab
You'll find a drop down menu with a plethora of languages available. Select your desired language, and viola- everything on Facebook now looks like the default settings of a far away country. It takes some getting used to but it's really helpful for learning simple words, Internet idioms, days/months, etc.

2. CHANGE GOOGLE LANGUAGE PREFERENCES
If you set up your home page (which I'm blindly assuming is Google) in the new language. Browsing the internet will force you to learn more simple words :) This can be done by typing "Google" and then your new language into the Google search bar. Go to that page and make it your homepage!

3. SEARCH YOUTUBE
There are several instructional videos on youtube teaching the alphabet and simple phrases. It will help your pronunciation become more clear if you can find a good instructor.) Browse YouTube for kiddie shows. If you're lucky, there's been a Sesame Street adaptation for your new language. Children's shows are a great tool in learning simple verbal cues, days of the week, counting, learning the time, etc.

4. WATCH THE NEWS USING SCOLA
SCOLA features newscasts from all around the world... with subtitles! Whoo! Great way of learning the culture and language.

5. WATCH CONTEMPORARY SHOWS USING TVU
If you download the TVU Player you can access hundreds of channels in foreign languages broadcasted from around the globe. However, these shows will most likely not have subtitles!

6. READ BLOGS
Blogs are a great way to learn idioms, culture, and grammar. Most blogs are written very simply so they're fairly easy to translate.

7. CREATE A LIVEJOURNAL
Get a LiveJournal account. Write journal entries entirely in your new language! This will immerse yourself in a thought process which relies entirely on communication. You can also browse communities and make friends who are fluent and/or from the native country.

8. TWEET
Tweeting in a new language is a great way to learn simple present tense verbs ("I'm at the beach with friends!!1!! WHOO!!") and you can connect with other people and bloggers who are fluent.

9. LAST.FM
Last.FM is a great tool for discovering new music based on your preferences. You can also search for music in your new language by browsing tags of genres of music you already like. For example, if you're trying to learn swedish and you love hip hop, you might try searching "swedish" and "hip hop."

These steps won't make you fluent, but if you immerse yourself as much as you can while you're just browsing the internet, you will become slightly more accustomed to the language every day. :)

THE LADY WHO FELL TO EARTH

“The Lady Who Fell to Earth” featuring Kinga Rajzak photographed by Tim Walker and styled by Kate Phelan for Vogue UK Oct.09
























this is beautiful :)

WOMEN IN SOCIAL MEDIA

At exactly five minutes after midnight on my birthday, I received my "Google Wave" invitation. I signed up several months ago to be part of a handful of people involved in this new type of social networking. Right now, Google Wave is like a sorority- it requires an invitation by someone already in, and after some time of your involvement you can invite your friends in. Google promises this will revolutionize social media for everyone. I quickly e-mail a couple of my best girlfriends from out of state. I excitedly tell them that I have invites for them and that I thought it would be a great tool to stay connected.

They had no idea what I was talking about. Google... what?

Google Wave is talking about revolutionizing social media, but it doesn't seem to have women interested in it yet. It got me thinking: what DO women use social media for?

Recent studies show that women dominate the social media scene on the Internet. This chart, compiled by InformationisBeautiful.net, breaks down gender usage on social networking sites:


It's not that women spend more time on the Internet than men do. They just use it for different things. Women spend more time on social networks like Facebook while men are researching more technical and informative things. For example, Digg is technology oriented and coincidentally dominated by men.

I suppose the results shouldn't be surprising. I conducted an informal survey on my Twitter and Facebook asking girls how they incorporate social networking into their life. Every girl said they use it "for communication." However, it seems like an oversimplified gender stereotype to conclude "women like socializing and building relationships more than men."

One hypothesis is that social media appeals to individuals with or pursuing a higher education. Women make up 57 percent of college students and earn about 60 percent of master's degrees. (Remember when Facebook was for college students only?)

There is no doubt in my mind that women use social media to build an image for themselves. Women are very image-conscious- probably more so than men. Social profiles are lucrative for women because they can be the epitome of ... well, anything they want to be. Most of my girl friends use social websites as their primary way of communicating with friends- whether it's having a long distance chat with a friend across the country on Facebook or tweeting your best friend about what time you're going to meet her at the mall. I also believe women enjoy customizing their profile with glitzy gif's and applications like "Pieces of Flair" Facebook app more than men do. It's important that profiles represent the best things about you since this is the preferred method of keeping in touch. You're communicating from one profile to another profile: the best image of yourself to the best image of your friend.

This "best image of yourself" is your resume to all potential friends. Furthermore, it can raise you to web-celeb status. We see a lot more women than men become stars from Myspace. It is probably more appealing to be on display with the hope of achieving fame for women than men.

Women use social networking as an extension of themselves.

It has become a common theory on the Internet that women will be the future of social media. News organizations are listening.

Patrick Thornton at BeatBlogging.Org notes that it’s important to understand the demographics of each social network because “news organizations — especially newspapers — have struggled for years to attract as many female readers/users as they do with males.” - niemanlab.org

If my image hypothesis has any significance, it could be quite difficult for news corporations and applications such as Google Wave to be successful. If it all boiled down to "I like to use social networking to keep in touch with my friends" then I think Google Wave would have had a bigger impact on women. Of course, who knows what tricks those corporations and Google have up their sleeves...

I'm definitely NOT an expert in this, but I'm certain it's more complicated than just keepin' in touch with your freshman year roommate. I'm also not trying to imply that women are narcissistic, technology illiterate airheads.

I'm sure there are a lot of thoughts about this...

TOKYO FLASH

There is nothing like an unusual looking accessory to get a conversation started with someone. When Greg and I first met in our Astronomy class, I noticed he had a very futuristic looking watch- something that could be out of Star Trek. I though he was cute so I knew complimenting his watch would be the perfect way to start a conversation. He smiled, said thank you, showed me how it worked... and then we got to talking about other things.

Greg's watch- Tokyo Flash, Twelve 5-9 G version
The website he bought the watch from, Tokyo Flash, sells the most unique watches I've ever seen. They don't have the traditional digital face or hands- but, instead, little LED lights that form in a particular pattern to tell the time.

These are not boring watches. You get used to telling the time fairly quickly- they are not as complicated as they look. They are very durable and don't show much wear. Greg has worn his every day for the last two years and it doesn't look the least bit worn or chipped, nor have any of the LED lights burned out. Sadly, there aren't many feminine looking watches available, but there is one that has a really retrofuturistic look to it that I love! I am planning to purchase it, but worried Greg will tease me for being a "copycat"

Waku
I am in love with the one on the left. Classic with subtle geekiness. AND it's a great conversation piece as you show people how to read the time!

Waku is available in black and brown leather, as well as fur. I'm hoping my relatives send me some birthday money soon...

Unique, well made and durable watches that can take a lickin' and keep on ... uh, blinkin'? A great gift for a robofashionistas to have the perfect conversation accessory. (Plus there's a great Halloween sale going on... right now!!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...MEEEEE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! I'm all of 22 years today. Wow!!
Also, that little girl isn't me, but she certainly looks like she could be my twin....

FINGERPRINT RING

The coolest wedding rings from Etsy seller fabuluster. I think this is the sweetest idea ever! It makes your wedding ring super personal.

"I send you my Impression Kit in the mail. Once you receive it, imprint the entire length of your finger and/or your fiancé's/fiancée's finger separately. Then you mail that back to me. Once I receive it here in my studio in beautiful coastal Maine, I make a wax form from the impression material. Then utilizing the ancient lost wax casting process, I turn that impression into a metal ring utilizing gold or silver. "

HELLO KITTY'S HELLO ANATOMY

As part of the Dr. Romanelli x Hello Kitty collaboration we see the release of the “Anatomy” toys. The toy comes in two colorways and features a true Dr. design, revealing the inner organs of the iconic character. The toys have been produced by Medicom Toy.

I love the mad scientist vibe this toy has. It's due to be released in January 2010. I definitely want this on my desk!

MADE WITH MOLECULES JEWELRY

Dopamine necklace

My shout-out to my boyfriend was inspired by the website Made With Molecules. MWM specializes in "symbolic gifts inspired by science" - jewelry of the molecular structures of biological chemicals that make us feel love, make us happy, etc.

Dopamine is a chemical which gives us those lovey dovey feelings. This would be a precious gift for anyone to give their geeky lover. :)

Other molecular formulas in sterling silver include serotonin, caffeine, red wine, estrogen... and more! The creativity necklace is pretty cool, too- it shows all the different chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine) involved in the creative process.

I would really like a dopamine necklace, but at $85 I'll probably have to wait... especially with my Cinderella imitator's salary.

ROOFIE DETECTING LIP BALM

Smart, sensible, seductive. Spiked drinks is a fear for many, many women (and some men, too!). A good friend of mine in college can (vaguely) recall a time when her drink was spiked at a bar. Luckily, she was with friends who took care of her as she puked out the car window. It is incredibly prevalent and scary. That's why 2 Love My Lips is such a great idea. The gloss includes inconspicuous test strips that detect drugs like GHB and Ketamine.

"If a drink tastes funny, or you are suspicious something is amiss simply dab the ends of the taper in your drink and if they turn blue tell your friends immediately and get help from Security and the Police."

It comes in great colors, smells minty fresh and plumps the lips! This is the most amazing lip gloss ever.

The gloss is already on sale in the UK for £10, and will soon ship to the U.S. and will sell for $16.

GLOW IN THE DARK PUPPY

As long as this doesn't hurt the puppy, this would be the coolest nightlight ever. Ruppy the Beagle is a cloned dog with genetic information from another species (in his case, from sea anemones) which produce a red glow under fluorescent light.

This is a major scientific breakthrough in regards to disease research. Plus he's super adorable.

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