Happy Holidays to everyone!
This is the link to the PDF on Google Drive.
Duane Final MMP pdf
__________________________________________________________________________
www.Cited.org
This was a new site to me and I found it easy to use. I chose tools for my toolkit that were supportive in my role as a special education teacher.
The tools I chose were:
Arcademic Skill Builders: Games for teaching all subjects K-6
Best Evidence Encyclopedia (BEE) : An evidence based magazine for teachers and administrators
Brainboost: a natural language search engine to generate several queries that are submitted to other search engines.
CAST Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Book Builder: I'd like to see if I can use it to support my struggling students.
Create Online Behavior Report Cards: Probably more useful in K-6, but I thought it was an interesting concept with so many behavior problems surfacing as out-of-district students are brought back into the district.
GenkiMath.com: math games to support primary school classrooms. I thought I could use it with my grandson who is rapidly moving through the academic curriculum of kindergarten!
Managing Technology: Tips from the Experts: a site that supports educational technology from the ground up, including management tips, lesson plans and professional development.
Tipline: Gates' Computer Tips: who could give better tips than someone named Gates?
I look forward to returning to the site for new tools.
I have made this video and posed several composition questions to my viewer classmates. The video is of an iBook project, converted into a PDF and screencast using QuickTime Player (R). I made a major focus change to the second half of the book and I am also seeking design and background feedback. As you look and listen, please also focus on whether the white background is too hard on the eyes or whether each chapter should have different colored elements to provide the user with a visual guide for chapter changes.
I look forward to your feedback.
And as soon as I can load the PDF file, I'll add it to the page.
As I looked back at my posts, I remember clearly having a vision for some of the projects beforehand, and others left my head searching for guidance.
I came to the class with relatively strong skills. However, I was taking this class so I could know what I know, and fill in the gaps of what I didn't know.
As you may know, I work in a 1:1 Apple iPad initiate school. I came into the project with very strong design skills because I had been an instructional designer from the financial services profession as well as having been my own marketing and design team for my own business.
What I have truly enjoyed most is the background of the history of media. Lights! Camera! Action! was a really illuminating piece for me. Although I knew the future was full of computers and cool projects, it wasn't until I read that piece that the dominoes all fell together for me.
Recognizing that media is the language of the digital natives as well as the language of everyone else. ( I mean, how many people watch the morning news before work, evening news before/after dinner, follow Twitter and Facebook and the many other visual media streams so we can keep abreast of the rapidly changing work we live in?) This article really put technology into its proper place for my understanding of the work we do in the 1:1 initiative.
I have chosen to push myself into the limits of the unknown, even though there may be an easier more assured path to my "A". I am wrestling with the construction of an iBook and all that comes with it. Embedding movies, questions/answers, images into this new media form is really going to make me feel that I have truly upped my game and give me the confidence I need to say that I really do see the need for technology education in our schools today and I have the skills to get there.
References:
Fortuna, C. (2010) Lights! Camera! Action! A grammar of film for media literacy. Knowlege Quest, 38(4), 10-23
I confess that as I thought about creating the storyboard, I had to put the 'storyboards' together in my head first. As I work to catch up, I knew I wanted to use a subject that was readily available and one with which I was fairly familiar. During my day light time at home, which is really such a rarity, I had the opportunity to watch the newest addition to our family, Rogue, an 18 month old really sweet cat, who is just bounding with energy, adjust to her new environment. Since we have been training her to be an inside/outside cat, I have really enjoyed watching her fine tune her stalking ability. She is so very slow... and cautious... And everything around our house is just soooo interesting to her! During my time off, I read that cats have hearing so sharp they can hear a bottle cap three blocks away! That would explain why she will suddenly perk up; as if an alarm had just gone off!
For these reasons, she seemed like the perfect subject. I did (physically) have a hard time getting down on the ground to gain her perspective on the world... but she really was a great co-worker! She nuzzled up to me and almost on cue, listening to the birds around her, decided the sparrow in the bush was a great target! (For those of you for whom this may be an issue, she was unsuccessful, as she is most of the time!)
(For whatever reason, I was unable to embed the video into the blog)
As for the contents of my video, I thought I hit the one minute mark, but alas, when it was uploaded to YouTube, it was marked at 58 seconds. I confess that after 6++ hours of work (mostly spent on trying to clip and add music to the project) I left it at 58 and called it a day.
And so much work to make try to make it exact! I used my iPhone for the videos and iMovie for the project. For the most part, since this wasn't my first iMovie, I didn't struggle with the project parameters except of course for the exact 1 minute mark. Tweaking the transitions and the clip lengths was, for the most part, tedious because the software wouldn't always let me change a clip from 4:37 to 4:02. Somehow, presets often made the clip longer instead of shorter. As for the video itself, Hagen & Golombisky(2013) provide us with ways to make our work more interesting. The infusion of text, transitions, and 'The Ken Burns Effect" were used to pace and balance the presentation. I attempted to become one with Rogue's line of sight as well as her conscious mind-reader (from the above shots) in order to change the focal length and perspectives as much as possible.
I tried something new on this project: I added music. I confess that I liked the video better when it was silent, but I pushed myself to add music for the simple fact that my knowledge of music, in general is poor, but I didn't think that should cause me to limit my skill in adding it to a media piece. I tried to add music that would give some comic relief to a video about my cat; not perhaps the most universal subject but one that was my most knowable subject. I also confess that I like using sites like Animoto, because the theme determines the music and the transitions and it ulitmately makes a more sophisticated looking presentation because the 'glue' behind the pieces wasn't designed by someone with limited skills (like myself), but I pushed myself to include new techniques.
These pictures are of my grandchildren on a hike in a State Park in Massachusetts
First set of photo editing, with cropping. Krause (1962, p 192) says that depending on what the designer/editor has in mind as her intended focus will make the determination of the many ways in which a photo may be cropped.
This is the original photo.
This is the photo cropped at just the bottom right.
This photo has been cropped from the top left only.
This photo was cropped with the subjects balanced by each other as well as the colorful fall background.
Proper cropping allows the subject to be the focus of the photo without extraneous backgrounds.
This is the original photo, above.
This is the original photo with a white/matte edging, without cropping.
Border variation (shown below, p 197) provides
a softening of the edges in this and the photo below.
I think that the softening makes the subject broader.
Instead of only focusing on Dalton, I think it brings the viewer's
eyes to notice all the color surrounding him as well.
This last photo has been cropped to place Dalton in the forefront at the foot of the lake framed
by the green bushes on his left and the colorful fall foliage at the top.
It is easy to see how cropping must be done with the awareness of the balance of the subjects and elements in the photo.
Exercise #2:
Color Echo
p. 219
(I did this one before but I didn't realize until just now when I typed those words...color echo...)
Krause (1962, p 218) says that when building a layout around a particular photo/object, create a palette that will complement the image by borrowing colors directly from the image itself.
In this initial image, the Christmas ornament caught my eye because it contained shades of cranberry, silver on the chain, cheery green, and the text was already on the image. I thought the variety of colors would make it easy to find multiple ways to complement the image (Krause, 1962).
(Above) I confess that I would have like to make the border a shade to complement the ball, but I was unable to get the palette for the frame to offer me the proper color. In some way, I was fortunate that default color was somewhat similar to the one I had wanted to achieve.
For the second image, I used a photo I'd taken at my husband's aunt's 87th birthday. One of her grandchildren had sent her roses. The roses were so pretty that I just had to take a picture of them. This is the picture embedded in the background. I thought the pink in the roses was a pretty complement to the Christmas ball. Although the color isn't exact, the sentiment evoked in the giving and receiving of roses is similar to the sentiments evoked with the giving and receiving of thoughtful Christmas gifts. Using the software to reduce the saturation of the photo enabled me to use it as a background for the image.
In the third image, above, I was able to successfully overcome the challenge of the first; that is, to make the borders of the star and the frame similar in hue. The star itself is a background layer with the object in the forefront.
I used iDraw for these images ($24.99). With the theme being 'color echo' I downloaded a jpeg from www.dreamstime.com that I thought had potential to be singly visually attractive but could withstand additional muted additions. The Christmas ball and the words "Merry Christmas" are part of the initial jpeg. Learning how to work with the graphics program was the biggest hurdle. I'm not even close to having mastered the early stages of the program but with the help of YouTube, I was able to squeak out these images. The cranberry christmas ball and lettering is reproduced in a complimentary shaded background with the edges of the star being as close to echoing the green ribbon on the ornament.
Disappointingly, I didn't know how to upload the vector files (as if I know anything more about that than they are math based images and not graphic based images...) so I had to take a screen shots of each idraw item and upload them to the page.
Exercise #3
Conveyance Exercise
p. 299
This is the third part of this project. I've completed two words (to the best of my ability using the program iDraw, a vector based program that I think is like the Pagemaker program, one I was very familiar with from my years developing my own marketing material. That said, these aren't my finest works, but I think demonstrate the learning curve this program has.
In my mind's eye, I could clearly see the word 'pillow' stretched into an arch around a pillow shaped form. I also envisioned it in block letters filling up a pillow shaped object. Unable to accomplish those, I settled for the two versions of 'pillow' included above. As for the 'GAS', it was my best attempt to illustrate the dissipation of gas. As my frustration grew, I searched youtube for more instructional videos. I discovered that the tool I really needed was Adobe Illustrator which, of course, is on my mac at school with my substitute teacher. I fully expect to re-tackle this part of the assignment because I know it can be done; I just have to get to my tool box.
These are my follow up attempts to construct additional models.
I took these photos of the word 'SHRED' drawn in pencil
and then cut as though it had been passed through a
shredder and reassembled. To get the pieces to stay together,
I taped them to a prism base.
I thought this was a clever way to demonstrate 'Candy Corn'.
These are my other attempts to demonstrate 'jump', 'down', 'pillow' (again....) and 'circles'.
The first project I've chosen to do is the Word Portraits Project, where I had to choose 12 fonts and list two words that conveys the 'voice' of that font. The font is listed at the top of the slide and the first two words under it amplify the meaning by being presented in that particular font. (Page 241)
I couldn't help using color, especially since I am so visual. I hope that was allowed!
The last word on the slide is a word whose meaning is a direct contradiction to the voice of the font.
Working on my Mac, I made the initial presentation in Keynote with no music or sound. I then exported the file to my Dropbox. From my iPad, I opened Explain Everything, imported the presentation. To create the presentation, I muted the sound and pressed the record button, counted to three, and then stopped the recording. I did this for all 12 slides. The final and 13th slide, I created the ending to the presentation. Thereafter, I first saved it as a regular Explain Everything file. Then I exported it as a video file to my Dropbox from where I embedded it into this blog. I have to say that I am quite proud of myself. I actually did this with such ease that I just may have begun the process of mastering this procedure. Yea, Me!!
I hope you enjoy it. I look forward to your feedback.
Note: When I uploaded my project on Friday night, the fonts could not display accurately. On my way to Massachusetts to my grandson's 5th birthday, I realized I only needed to change them to... something else! jpegs did the trick...
Project #2:
I've chosen to review this site because I have been asked to make design changes to it. It has been suggested that it needs more 'pizazz'. Perhaps some color in the center section; some blocking and segmentation.
I think the design is easy to read. I like the shadings on the page. The information on the left is the 'table of contents' so to speak; all the links that take the reader to different parts of the site. I like the dark blue and white print contrast; again I think the dark left border repeats the top dark border and results in drawing the eye to the links.
I like the pale color blue on the right. Again, I believe that it reduces the fatigue that can come with reading a busy page. This page does have a lot of information on it. But again, the information is well chunked by color and makes it easy on the eyes. Hagen and Golimbusky (2013) say that staying away from saturated colors on saturated and using contrast (like the dark blue with white print, or the pale blue with black print) creates visibility, making it easy for the viewers to see clearly (p. 124).
The pictures do rotate but I don't see them as a distraction to the reader. I think it transitions smoothly and provides a bit of interest to the reader who needs to peruse the page for a particular piece of information without being distracted by music or splashy messaging. Hagen and Golimbusky also say that the splash of color (in this case from the change in pictures), can be sufficient enough to create interest without overkill (p.125).
I look forward to feedback from you because I'm not sure that this page needs anything else. I believe it may sacrifice the eye appeal it has now unless the entire page is redesigned, which is not in the agenda at this time.
If you get the chance, please visit the page at www.njascd.org and let me know what you feel when you first see it. Some of the links are broken and information in the future will be relocated, but if you could give me feedback about the readability and visiability issues (Hagen and Golimbusky, 2013), I would be ever grateful.
References:
Hagen, R., & Golombisky, K. (2013). White space is not your enemy: A beginner's guide to communicating visually through graphic, web & multimedia design. New York: Focal Press.
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index. Cincinnati, Ohio: How Design Books.
This first critique is of Aviary. This critiques the merits of Aviary as a still media editor. I look forward to your feedback :)
My next critique is of WebWave, an audio editing tool that is compatible with Apple iPads. I made the recording in Pocket Wavepad, an audio app for iPad users. I was able to make the audio recording with amazing speed. My hurdle has been being able to embed it into a program where the audio from the recording could match the explanation that accompanied it. That said, I used the iPad application Explain Everything to accomplish this synchronization. I also tried to make a Keynote presentation, but I ran into the same problem; the audio file and the explanation didn't really meet my delivery expectations.
Again, my challenge ended up being getting the audio recording to embed and play in the new program. I was only able to get the audio from Pocket WebWave into the Explain Everything app by playing the recording on my computer and recording it through my microphone. This has reduced the clarity of the recording but it has made the recording audible to the viewer of the video. From the second slide onward, I used a direct recording through my headset to record the audio explanation. I am really looking forward to your comments. Thanks so much!
The last critique is of Vacasmo.com. I apologize in advance, but regardless of the number of times I created and clipped the screencast, it was still 10 minutes long. I really did try to get it down to size and I succeeded by getting down below 14 minutes. Please bear with the cast as I will look forward to your comments.
I've chosen to compare two examples and identify how the the 10 Web Design Rules You Can Break, supports my sense of the better use of the specific design element.
1) White Space: I believe the first design uses white space more effectively than the second. In some way, the first design violates the idea that Margaret referred to in her interview: consider the edge of the design to become a 'frame' for the contents. The second design follows this rule very closely. However, she also refers to the use of an eye for art/balance and although the first design does not follow that rule, the black and white figure in the top center gives a sense of framework, supported by the thick black lines surrounding the entire design. I think this is an example of using an analytic eye when using (or not) the rules of white space.
2) Color: Although both designs are green, I chose to compare them because the green on the first design is more vibrant than the green on the implied chalk board. The designer of the second design probably chose the chalkboard backdrop because of its informational reference to the event, but I'm not certain that it was the best choice, for all the reasons I've stated.
3) Visual Interest: For obvious reasons, there are no horizontal or vertical scroll bars, but the placement of the information on the first graphic truly grabs my eye because of its visual interest. The second graphic is informative and clearly presents its message, its just not very visually appealing to me. I read it because I had to know the information.
4) Fonts: Again, the first design uses only one font and uses only two colors; variation of the size of the font creates differentiation within its message without creating visual confusion or distractions. The second design, uses three fonts in four different colors. This is too busy to my eye and displeasing to read through.
5) Make the design's goal obvious: I believe the first design is simplistic enough and delivers the clearest message in the least amount of reading. Again, although the second design's goal is clear, the distractions prevent me from wanting to read the rest of the design. It's almost cluttered.
6) Navigation should be easy to figure out: As these designs are static, navigation here is moot. However, I translate this idea into being able to easily identify any actions the reader should take as a result of reading the design. Again, the top design's message is uncluttered and the design did provide an icon taking the reader (on a website) to the newly designed Parent Portal. The design does not indicate to 'click here' but it seemed implied to me as I looked at it on the site. The second design provides a clearer follow through for the reader.
7) Use different color for text and background: Both designs do a fairly good job of differentiating the text from its background. However, because the first design is more simplistic with fewer color changes, I feel it is an easier read than the the second. Additionally, the second design uses a lighter shade of green for some of its text. I feel that the designer thought this was a good way to have that part of message stand out, but I feel it was ineffective and enhanced my sense of clutter in the design.
8) Don't put animation in the way of the design: Neither of these designs had any animation to distract the reader, even though both were taken from a website where animation was possible.
9) Stick to safe fonts: Both texts are created in recognizable fonts. I think the first design uses an Arial font and the second uses Chalkduster, Arial and a third I think may be Times New Roman with letters that are tightly kerned.
10) Don't have a splash landing: Again, these are static designs and neither one of them triggers any kind of splash when clicked through. Each takes you to another static design, making the transition more smoothly than when a splash of video or music interrupts the reader.
Reference:
Penner, E. (2009, June 17). 10 web design rules you can break.
Retrieved September 18, 2013, from
http://rutgersonline.net/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=8427776&userid=9432241&sessionid=a097fab070&tabid=C+E+Uj6lGs3IxiT00Nfm6p5JKSCbqdXRnWBgpT4wwJg=&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=INgmjRcA/MJVeXeCsFIZD2Mj6+yoHNSKjKfL+3NXuqW8LipHCXzNZCehk/mazCIOg4TVZDOVJv3wXdpo0aTS2TCIAJJ9ScbruYrvJ4OUdTRU11eFLU8MULKV7WXl3kjfe3Q3bkYaNodB7dk4fF8jODI9ZZDN858vR8wT1K+az0XkRIB9o3+29g1brhp1xmxunMVx1lmi/p65Q0IOvmsoLg==
Mini Art School Part 2
I chose to use the repeating patterns found in theUsing Design Index: Harmony Workshop Exercise Repetition on page 58. The repeating elements are the:
purple gingham background (my school colors are purple and
gold). I chose purple because it was a more distinguishing color than
yellow; more to draw the eye to the flyer.
pencils: the pencil shape was repeated in multiple colors, reinforcing the repetition theme of the exercise
purple colored text: I used two fonts, Times and American Typewriter,
These three elements are used in three different layouts creating related but distinguishably different flyers.
The flyer contains simple headline in Times Bold 80 Font in purple.
The tan ‘recipe card’ uses a combination of purple capitalized American Typewriter
Bold 18 Font for the labels and American Typewriter 18 Font and 14 Font for the
note’s information.
The
picture is of my family and I at a party where my daughter baked the
cake for me last Sunday, 9/15, when I celebrated my 5 year anniversary
of being cancer free. (Unrelated to the flyer, but a personal note of
interest..)
I used Pages on my Mac Computer which is
fully compatible ( for viewing and construction purposes) with my
students' iPad for classroom projects.
This project took me 3:45 hours to complete, including making the screen cast and posting it to my blog.
Christine Garner-Duane
Ed Tech 504
Fall, 2013
Reference:
Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index. Cincinnati, Ohio: How Design Books.
Mini Art School, Part 3
For my second option, I chose to do the Design Basic Index: Loosened Alignment Exercise from
page 87. This one was a bit easier for me but I struggled with getting
the product to the blogpost. Ultimately, I took a screen shot of the
product I made in Pages, emailed it to myself, saved it to my iPhotos
application and uploaded the jpeg file.
I adopted the
"handcrafted' language because it was a natural fit (for me) for toys.
Although my iPad is the toy my grandchildren like best, I adhere to the
philosophy that creative play lays the best foundation for adult
critical thinking skills from where our creativity is drawn.
As a result of the predominant role media plays in the life of
the 21st Century Learner (Daley, 2003), the Common Core Standards have been
designed around significant media inclusion in every subject (New Jersey Department of Education, 2010). For this reason, I’ve chosen to join the
Common Core community to ascertain and inform the community of the tremendous
role inclusion and construction of media is expected to play in their everyday
units of instruction. It is also the reason that brought me to this program in Educational Technology.
I am an active subscriber to many academic organizations such as
AMLE (Association for Middle Level Education), NAESSP (National Association for
Elementary and Secondary School Principals), and ASCD (Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development).
These subscriptions, as you may know, provide a plethora of literature
(both physically and technologically) that can truly make your head spin. The reason I bring this information to this
discussion is that in all my readings, and I really do read virtually every educational magazine I receive, I
cannot recall coming across material that addresses the continuum of instruction
that needs to be addressed for our national system of education, despite its
many varieties, to truly meet the critical thinking and innovation
driving skills our students need to have to have the United States continue leading the world in
innovative productions as we have with the car and the computer, to name two.
This class illuminates for me the fabulous opportunities we can bring
to our classes to drive this innovative explosion from our students. I believe the students are anxiously waiting for us to show them how to tap into the media skills they use every day because they see no media-school connection in their daily work. It also presents me with the recognition of
the dearth of understanding I see present in the educational community
surrounding me. it appears this dearth isn’t only in my community but in the
trenches of instructional leaders everywhere.
I have had many rumblings
of ideas suggesting how I can personally bring the information I’m gaining,
(and practically on a minute by minute basis), to my fellow instructional colleagues
at all levels. Professional development
ideas seem to be the strongest method of delivery but I have yet to decide what
it could look like. I personally, must
be careful to stay in the moment of learning so as not to miss the idea that
could be the gel for my ideas. I would
look forward to others’ ideas.
Daley, E. (2003). Expanding the concept of literacy. EDUCAUSE (March/April), 33-40.
Education Week (2013, September 11). Public Libraries Add Multimedia Learning to Digital Mission. Retrieved September 14, 2013, from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/09/04/03library.h33.html
New Jersey Department of Education (2010). Skills array, NJ CCCS 8.1 Computer and information Literacy.
Retrieved September 12, 2013, from http://Department of Education.
(2010). Skills array, NJCCCS 8.1 computer and information literacy.
Retrieved from
http://www.nj.gov/education/techno/techlit/tapin/2ci_skills_array.pdf
I chose the vintage Palmolive commercial. I remember watching it as a young girl. Madge's perfect hair and fresh lipstick; so cheery at her work. The woman in the salon reminded me of my mother who went to the salon every week for a manicure and set.
As a child, this was my reality. My mother really went to the salon and the ladies there were always happy to see her. She seemed to leave there in a better mood than when she entered . As a child I identified with this scenario; a trusted nail technician. I would never have thought that anyone was left out of the picture because all of my mother's friends also went to the salon every week.
From the cinematic perspective, it spoke to the new suburban housewife who was always doing dishes to keep up with her growing family. Her work was manual and her hands paid the price for the luxuries her husband could afford for her. Scrubbing the dishes, floors, and children in their nightly baths was an activity that truly took its toll on a woman's hands. The commercial addressed this demographic because it was the largest growing segment of the country post WWII. Soldiers came home, factory jobs were plentiful, and life was good. Men's salaries permitted their wives to stay home to raise their families while enjoying some pampering for their hair and nails. But their hands needed the touch of Palmolive dish detergent to keep their manicures and hands in the softest condition between salon trips.
While it wasn't clear to me at the time, the commercial was directed to the growing middle class segment of the population; white, successful, well dressed, and well spoken. I didn't realize that the people who were left out, those who weren't successful, well dressed, well spoken, and white even existed. Television didn't portray minorities in commercials, at least in my mind, because they were being excluded from the financial success of the white middle class.
Daley (Educase, 2003) says that "the language of the screen enables modes of through, ways of communicating... and methods of publication and teaching that are essentially different than those of text" (p 34). Reflecting on only the spoken words in this commercial, which essentially came from a written script (text), the reader could not possibly have been moved to feel the sense of familiarity that I felt when the words were married to the images and voices.
Petterson (TechTrends, 2009) writes that message design "deals with the organization to bring forward scientific knowledge of artifacts" (p 39). Petterson (ibid) writes to the collection of society, art, aesthetics, language, and cognition together as an interdisciplinary melding of influences that, in this case, can be used to persuade. When Madge says that 'it's so mild, you're soaking in it now", there is an implied sense that the detergent has a scientific basis for it. I don't ever remember wondering if there was any truth to the statement. But I know that when I had to do the dishes, I wanted Palmolive dish soap there to keep my hands soft!
It seems to me as I examine this commercial from the production perspective, Madge is wearing a cool blue smock; blue is the color used to imply trustworthiness and honesty. Madge's hair, makeup and demeanor are meticulous; implying honorability and personal integrity. Who would doubt Madge? The background is muted but clean; the voices are clear and there is little distraction from the two characters in the initial scene. This commercial was made for television to reach the rising number of housewives who had televisions; quite a novelty at the time.
