Blog Post #7
I've always liked to format/design with paper and pen. Especially when taking notes, I like to bold headlines and subsections for a quick and easy overview - this was helpful when studying notes. However, I was a bit timid trying to design using technology. I thought that it would be too tedious to learn how to format every detail - and to learn what you can format. However, this class has shown me more than how to design, but the resources for design! From resources for audio, still media, to moving media, I did not know that so many were available - and free! This really showed me the power of this Web 2.0. and how basically anyone, with an internet connection, can create and share.
One of my favorite tools that I learned from this site is screen-o-matic. It is very easy to use and is very helpful. When seeing screen cast tutorials on YouTube, before trying it out myself, I thought that it required some sort of fancy download or equipment - not true. It was really simple and as long as you have good sound quality, creating a screen cast is a snap! I plan to use screen casts for my MMP project to show students how to analyze or present data.
Also, Professor Holan was right about how the Mini Art School can change how you see design. The books, White Space is Not Your Enemy, and Designs Basic Index, were concise and provided us many examples. I especially liked the Design Basic Index book for it was compact and to the point. It provided many examples to illustrate how design affects perceptions and thus, impressions.
Vvian:
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that one of the most useful aspects of this course was the exploration of some of the Web 2.0 tools out there. Even though I am only going to use one of the tools I chose for the MDMC in my MMP, it has encouraged me to go out and find other ones.
I also wish I would have started doing screencasts earlier in my career. Just like any other class materials, they can be saved and stored online for students to access throughout the year as many times as they want, and can then be reused year after year.
As far as the two books, I actually like the WSINYE book better. I just fell that the fact that it keeps things simpler is a little less intimidating than the hundreds of examples in the DBI book.
Anyway, good luck through the rest of the semester,
Ben