April 28, 2008

This week has been another very productive week. I have finally finished both of my websites. I had ran into a few problems as I was working on my site. I had to put my second site on the internet, which I struggled with for a few days. I had to keep walking away from the computer. But, I finally got the address correct and figured out that the home page and address did not match. Silly Me!

For my conclusion, I have learned a lot in this class. I am very proud of my accomplishments. I actually knew what I was talking about when it came to discussing websites with my friends and my job more than I ever have before.

When we looked at each other's work in the class, I noticed that each person has their own view of his/her website. Some were really good and others were confusing to me. I just wanted to make sure my websites were user friendly. If a website is not user friendly no one will want to look at my site.

April 24, 2008

This week has been a very busy week. I have been working on my websites over and over again. I mainly worked on my 2nd website because the grade I received for my first website was very good. In regards to my goals for the week, I have met all of them. I hyave changed my font, added sources to each page, and continually looking at the rubric. I have become pretty familiar with tusing front page throughout the semester.

My goals for next week is to be prepared for a presentation of one of my websites. I am going to take the time to rethink both my websites.

• Which website is the best in my eyes?
• Which one did I learn the most either about websites or frontpage?
• Which is the most attective to they eye?

I did not have any readings this week due to a work night.

April 14, 2008

This week I have been still working on my websites and changing and changing the design. I have changed the font for the second site.
My goals for the week ahve been accomplished, but still working on each goal from last week.

• Changing the font
• Adding sources
• Continually look at the rubric.

The readings from this week helped me to think more about my site. I thought of the usability concerns. I feel that both of my sites are pretty usable. The thought of the Human-Computer Interaction was thought about as I navigated through my slides.

The websites that suck was good to look at. They were pretty confusing to navigate. I read the checklists and thought about my website. If I found something that was on that list I made another change.

April 7, 2008

This week as been a very productive week. I have met all of my goals from last week. I am very impressed with the content I have learned so far in class.

This week's goal that I met are the following:

• I have FTP'd first website on my own from the house
• I have added a new themed background to my second website and added buttons
• I have been looking at the rubric as I slowly muddle my way through the website.

I keep making changes and keep making changes. I will find something I like and that is appropriate for the rubric the more I work with the site. It is a continual work in progress.

My goals for next week as follows:

• Change the font on the second website to make it match throughout the site.
• Keep adding the sources on the first website.
• Continually looking at the rubric as I move forward with my sites.

The readings for the week that caught my attention and the points I noticed were as follows:

• I believe that if you add enough color and intersting pictures toa site it will strike a person's curiosity. Also beginning my asking the right question may also strike curiosity, almost like a webquest. Hook the reader, create a conflict, allow time for questions, allow students to choose the interst to them, and lastly give students the choice within a particular interst area.
• Distance learning takes discipline and effort to succeed. Even though you may do just as well or if not better than if you were actually sitting in a class.
• What is the best way to meet all the needs of your students? That is a typical question from any teacher. I believe allowing stepping stones and branches that lead the student in a positive way to learning. Even if it means more time or research for a project. Possibly even creating dirrent levels to a website for those who need help in different areas.

March 31, 2008

This week I had the opportunity to add video to my website. I enjoyed learning about this. Adding video to the page is fun and adds interest for the reader. I had to embed the code into the HTML part of the website. I had tried placing video into my website earler that day and had done it the right way. I was pretty impressed with myself.

In regards to my goals that I met last week, I did get a lot of help from Melissa. I had the opportunity the discover new parts of Front page I have not known. I added a background and more appropriate buttons. I am really excited about the site now that I made the changes. I am going to make the same changes to my second website and create a background and buttins as well.

Next week my gaols are to:

• I would like to FTP my file to update my work. I have added information to the last two pages.
• Create a background for my second website.
• Continually looking at the rubric as I continue to revamp my websites.

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.