Time to Reflect... Webpages.

Throughout the last four weeks, there were many new aspects taught, from design principles, logo design, and animation, then to the fourth week, web page design. Being able to apply these elements to the webpage really helped not only how I placed the information, but also how I looked at my group member’s pages to make sure we had some similar qualities. Creating the website was stimulating while trying to incorporate all the principles and gathering the information for my specific page, Special Education Technology. This was my first time to create a website and research the technology side of special education.
I already had some knowledge of the design principles, but not in the way it was taught or used. For example, The Non-Designer’s Design Book defines Proximity as “items relating to each other should be grouped close together and helps organize information and reduces clutter” (Williams 1). Where as in print journalism proximity is also how close a subject is, but in the way of asking yourself if it’s news worth for the location and city. My prior knowledge of the design principals, although not in this setting helped with the webpage assignment. I was able to recognize the qualities of what looked pleasing to the eye.
To complete the webpage assignment, my group began by splitting up the six pages between the members. I was over the Special Education Technology page. I found it very interesting, because I was unaware of all the technology used to help learning. On the Apple website they state, “The arrival of OS X Lion ushers in a new era of accessibility for students of all abilities. Every Mac comes equipped with dozens of assistive technologies” (Apple, Inc.).
I enjoy reading what others in the class have to say on the discussion boards and working with my group members on the webpage. There are many of the other class members that have great ideas and have made me think of how I can change what I am doing in my classroom to be more technology integrated, even though I am restricted due to funds. I enjoyed interacting with others in the class and getting feed back, it helps me reflect on my own performance and what I need to work on.
I look forward to carrying the skills acquired from working with other people in different collaborations and try to help bring new ideas to others in my classes and at work. I hope to learn what I can so I might do better within my classroom and what strategies will help me develop new habits.
Websites are a daily part of our student’s lives, whether it is checking a new game out or buying music. Technology and websites are a constant.
As presented in Understanding Multimedia Learning: Integrating multimedia in the K-12 classroom, “When used effectively, animated content can improve learning” (September 2008). The reading goes on to cite other studies including, “Several studies have suggested that learning is enhanced in computer-based animation environments (Park, 1994; Tversky, Bauer-Morrison and Betrancourt, 2002). Animation appears to be most effective when presenting concepts or information that students may have difficulty envisioning” (Betrancourt, 2005). I agree with both of these statements, students are more engaged when allowed to be creative, while using technology.
Although all websites are not animated, it is stimulating and by incorporating a website where students, for the high school age, can get their work and study based on the notes and lessons uploaded. At my school we use Moodle and my students can look at notes and print rubrics I have uploaded on the site. My students also are to submit an assignment on the website once a week. For the lower grades, websites may help with learning colors or grammar.
This class has been very helpful and I hope to begin using some of the ideas and skills learned from Bloom’s Digital within my classroom.

References:

Williams, R. The Non-Designer’s Design Book: Typographic Principles
for the Visual Novice. Retrieved from https://lamar.epiclms.net/Learn/Player.aspx?enrollmentid=2420552


Apple in Education. 2012. Retrieved from
http://www.apple.com/education/special-education/


Understanding Multimedia Learning: Integrating Multimedia in the K12
Classroom. (2008, September). Retrieved on February 4, 2012 from http://www.brainpop.com/new_common_images/files/76/76426_BrainPOP_White_Paper-20090426.pdf

How animated are you?

This week was the third week in my digital graphics class. I have enjoyed this class, I have learned many new aspects to the digital world and how I might incorporate each into my classroom. However, it is difficult to see all these great ideas and not be able to implement them.
This week we had the chance to create an animation and I didn't realized how much fun it was. It was my first time to even think about an animation and I didn't know where to begin. I used Stykz to create my animation. It was so easy to learn and get the hang of how to start my creation. After watching and going through the short tutorial, I was on my way. I am not sure where my concept of playing catch came from, but I just kept adding figures and then played with drawing a tree and thought it would be fun to have three figures playing catch and some how the ball gets caught in the tree, then the three figures cannot get it down. I have included my animation below. I hope you enjoy it!