Kamis, 30 November 2006

Friday

Today we take the quiz, start the new project, and take the survey. There seems to be a bug in the survey---hit submit until it gets through all the windows and is obviously done.
Many of you are staying after school or using study halls to get more time with the computer. Remember, many of these assignments (but not all) can be done at home.

Thursday

Today is a half day. I also have my first graduate exam tonight. The exam is in supervision. Basically I get a packet about a teacher which includes information about their lesson, the schoool, etc...Then I watch a ten minute video of a lesson. I have four major questions to answer. Its a lot of writing. Next week I have my school improvement exam.

Please study for tomorrows test. Several of you have exams to turn in. Almost all of you have completed the Project Six.

I found some tools for using Google maps. Using this tool would greatly enhance any project that is history or map related. by using the bookmarks you can add text and links to any site on the map. For example, if you were doing a report on the Civil War you could bookmark all the battle sites, include links and photos, and a timeline. You could also view how the land has changed. Might make some of your powerpoint assignments more interesting?? Give it a shot.


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Selasa, 28 November 2006

Evoca

Evoca is my cool site of the day. Could this radically change how we make a web site (or do our homework)??

One things I use the internet for is to find woodworking plans (this is getting blocked in school--why I don't know). I think that plan will be Claudia's Christmas present (shhh!). I think these sites are a good example of how the internet has changed recently. When people have a question now (how to install a dishwasher, how to refinish a floor, how to bake oatmeal cookies) they rarely open a book, instead they google the question. Many of these sites have a low usability factor. How would you improve them? Remember, these directions need to be printed, most people don't have a computer in their workshop.

Forms

Project Six is about forms. This part of HTML is rarely used anymore because it is fairly clunky. But I think it will be good to understand the structure, especially if you are going to into Web Design II. This is the first time you are adding an interactive element (beyond a web address) to your page. The book gives you a "dummy" address. If you add your email address instead the program will work and send you the results of the form. That might give you some ideas for your blogs.

I expect to have the Project complete by Thursday, Quiz on Friday, and we will start a new assignment on Monday. If you sit next to somebody who always says "You never told me about the quiz", please have them read this paragraph.

Today, everyone outlines. Due today. A warning: if you just look for bold words this chapter will not outline correctly. Read the chapter!

We have a half day this week for exams. A reminder that I will only be here that day until 3:30pm (I have exams that night). Please remember to inform your family. I would be happy to make other arrangements.


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Web Design

In the dark ages, back when I was in high school, the "cool" thing to have was an electric typewriter. It would display 3-4 words at a time and you could add and subtract text before it typed. I wasn't that cool, so I typed my papers on a regular typewriter with a ribbon.

When I went to Oberlin for my BA I used an Apple for my composing. I actually used the same program I use today (I use a much newer version now). There was some email, but it was only between colleges.

When I got my masters at Syracuse I had a laptop that could do basic things (no email). But it could print, use MS Word and Excel, and do statistics programs that I needed.

The rate of technology acceleration is incredible. Only ten years ago it would be common not to even own a computer. Now there can be 2-3 in a house. Anyone can publish their thoughts. ANYONE can blog or publish from ANYWHERE at ANYTIME using a mobile phone. That is how we get a free exchange of information. And information is power.

I am trying in this class to give you the opportunity to use these tools to accumulate information and thus power. If you can use these tools effectively you can have a much stronger voice in the world. These tools are changing constantly. But the obvious truth is that barriers are coming down. ANYONE can type and save and publish (how many of you were surprised how easy the wikispaces were?). It has never been easier.

So, only ten years ago email was "odd". What will the new "must have" technology be? Will you be ready for it? Now that you CAN have a voice and DO have a voice, will you use it??