Monday, March 24, 2008

This week I learned about photoshop instead of video editing. I thoroughly enjoyed the Photoshop program. I thought it was amazing to be able to take a picture apart and place pieces of the picture inside another picture. I also thought the tools were great as well. The shading, smudging, and blurring are all tools that could be very useful on different occasions. Adding text to the picture and resizing it was also another feature that could hlp make pictures more exciting. I created a picture with my dogs. Since I only have a picture of the dogs in seperate pictures, I cut out two of the dogs from the pictures and pasted them into a picture that I had already currently had taken. The picture turnd out cute! How could I use this on my website? I really haven't decided of it would be appropriate for the websites I have created. If I decide to add a picture using photoshop, I will know how to use the program. That is pretty much where I currently stand with photoshop.

The goals I have created for myself this week were hard to accomplish

• We did not have any class readings. But, I did get to download the flash program and watch some of the videos Melissa created in regards to using Photoshop. I watched them before going to class, which helped tremendously because I knew what I was getting into before I went to class. So, when the skills were being usedin class I could remember the video clips.
• We did not learn about video editing therefore I could not meet that goal.
• More ways to create a better website... That is an ongoing process. So, Ihave decided to completely revamp the first website. Since I had the opprotunity to download the FTP Program from the SIUE website, I will have the chance the really rethink this website. I want to change the layout and the navigation on the site. I want to make it so I do not have to scroll down the page much. But, this is just a few thoughts that have come to mind.

My goals for the next week.

• Continue thinking about changes to my website.
• Learn about video editinng.

Monday, March 17, 2008

First, in regards to last week. The objectives I completed are buy a USB Flash and email Melissa my web address. I have not had a chance to FTP the files yet. I am hoping soon, but it depends on the schedule throughout the week.

This week I had some difficulty getting into blackboard, so reading before the class meeting was impossible. I did go to school and get some work done. I was able to make some changes to the 2nd website and add a bookmark.

In regards to my first website, I was able to save my work on the USB Flash drive that I had bought earlier in the week. I also created folders on the drive to keep both websites separate.

My goals for next week are the following:

• simply to read the class readings by Sunday
• learn about video editing in class
• continue thinking of ways to change my first website

This week we met vitually but I went to school anyway. I did get some work done as stated above. But, we had the opportunity to discuss the web style guide and web design principles. After reading the selections, I almost wish I had this guide in the beginning. It could have helped me to be more organized in the direction I was moving with the website. Also, the web design principles was another interesting factor in developing a website. Each principle made me wonder about my site.

• Is my site an HTML site?
• Do I have structural, presentational elements, or both?
• Can I navigate my pages by using my keyboard?
• Do I have images, different fonts, tables, or any other multimedia?
• Do I have any pitfalls?

All of these questions helped me to rethink my site. I am also going to make changes as I said earlier and this will help me to move in a better direction.

Lastly, after reviewing the peers websites, I am very impressed with the ability of things that can be created. I just want to know how some of the things were created. I am going to email the peers that I was to review and see if they can give me any tips.

March 10, 2008

This week seemed to have gone by fast. I have almost finished my instructional website. After much debate, I have decided to build my website around making coffee, "How to Make Coffee". What have I completed so far?

1. Pages 1-6
2. At least 1 picture on each page
3. Hyperlinks
4. Background on each page
5. All pages linked together.

My plan to blog through out the week did not go so well. Either did adding more details to my first site. But the other goals I achieved for the week are:

1. The Live classroom was a success.
2. Working on my second website was also a success.

My goals for the next week are to do the following:

1. Buy a USB Flash
2. FTP my 2nd website
3. email the web address for my 1st website to Melissa

March 3, 2008

Today I received my first rubric for my blogging journal. I had noticed I have not blogged in a few weeks which is probably why I received a poor grade. I am disappointed in myself for not being more responsible in regards to blogging. I do plan on remembering to blog for here on out. Following the rubric is also another key factor.

What to do this week:

• I am going to try the Live classroom for the first time.
• Add more details to my first website.
• Begin my second website, at least one page.
• Blog more throughout the week.

Thoughts, Concerns, Struggles:

First of all I am concerned about my grade. I am struggling with the blogging journal. The journal is not a hard task, but easy to forget to do. I am not used to using a blogging journal. I am struggling to work on my websites because I do not have access at home to use the Front Page Program or the FTP program. I am going to try to download the FTP program to use at my house. I would like to set up my second website to use Microsoft word but I am not familiar with that process either. Lastly, I am going to FINALLY buy a FlashDrive this week. It will help me so I do not have to zip and unzip my files when I am working at school.

Class Readings

Last week the sites that were to be read were very intersting. I enjoyed learning about the different netwoked communications. I enjoyed the discussion board and reading the other students' discusions. I put my own comments in at some points on the topics I thought were interesting to me.

The live chat room was very intersting to me. It did go very fast though. I kept getting lost and I was not a fast enough typer to keep up. But I did enjoy it. I could read other peoples thoughts and heard that other had the same ideas as myself. I did learn that I need to put more thought into my second site. My first site should be fine for now. It probably needs more information, but it is time to begin the next site.