Reflection

I must say that taking COMM 350 was everything that I expected it to be, as far as learning to use new computer programs, content, media sources, and understanding  technology.  It was not an easy class for me, as I am not very tech savvy.  Learning new programs like Photoshop was very difficult and challenging, but with the help of Jason I was able to learn a lot in this course.  It’s funny to say, but YouTube has really helped me throughout this quarter as well, with learning steps or processes in the various programs we used.  I loved using Weebly for building websites, as well as Vista Print for business cards.  Maintaining this blog has also been a lot of fun for me, as I do not often share what’s on my mind to the World-Wide-Web.  Blogging alone has a culture and style that I was able to appreciate, and therefore learned more about through my efforts this quarter. Thanks Jason for an outstanding class!     

http://inspiredm.com/css-awards-15-awesome-websites/

http://www.stumpytreeservice.com/

http://www.youtube.com/

A Day without Technology

I enjoy the nice benefits of having modern technology, but the truth is that I don’t like having to be so dependent on them.  I can normally last a few days when I am out hunting or camping because I do not need them in those situations.  I do feel somewhat pressured when I do not have my phone on me due to the extent of my incoming calls.  I feel that there is a culture that has been built of people depending upon phones, Facebook and media.  Since I am in school with such a heavy load, I did not last very long on the challenge of not using my technology for a day.  I didn’t even last an hour!  I kept trying and failing!  I’m an addict…someone please stop me! 

Sixth Sense

There is a new technology called the Sixth sense. It is an interactive technology that computes and interacts by your gestures.  All I can say is WOW!  I am continually impressed with how fast and amazing technology is moving along. I still remember using a rotary phone, and now we have the Sixth sense. Even though I live in a modern world of computers, and merging technology, I still feel that I want to step back and enjoy the face to face interactions that seem to be almost fading away.  I feel that people are definitely tuning-out to the physical world. And I do not feel that having such a device as the Sixth sense will in anyway help people interact more.  I feel that we are closer and closer to living digitally, and to be honest, I feel that the drawbacks out-way the advantages.  I feel that we are losing the importance to why we are human, and what we work for and value.  I have enclosed a good article titled Why Reliance On Technology Is A Bad Think. Check it out!

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2005/04/21/why-reliance-on-technology-is-a-bad-thing/

Website

I had the opportunity to create a group website recently.  And our website can be found at http://wwuusefulresources.weebly.com/.  After we considered our topic of choice, we used two different specialized website designing tools.  The first site we worked with was Wix, and we quickly found their site to be challenging.  Our second site we were working with was Weebly, and we unanimously decided that it was the most user-friendly tool for site templates. The only thing that we would like to have seen an improvement in was broadening the options for picture placement.  Just a little reminder, while on the topic of pictures, is that they need to be resized before uploading.   I am very pleased with the turn-out of our site, and I would highly recommend Weebly to anyone.  Lastly, Weebly has some great videos on their website and how to use it successfully as a tool.

Podcast

I have found the following video on YouTube to be an all in one source of good information for those that are staring off learning about Podcasts, how to make them, and how they are used. I think that Podcast are a very useful and fun means to making custom soundtracks for any type of occasion where audio sounds are needed. You can download Audacity for free from many different sites.  The video link below shows how this is done. You will also need to use an mp3 encoder. The link below was a helpful source in assisting me in converting my files.  Hope you find these as helpful as they were for me!  

http://www.podcast.com/   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hrBbczS9I0

http://media.io/

Social Media

My thoughts and opinions on the topic of social media are probably an unpopular stance to take.  I think it is very bad in the sense that it’s just as addictive as drugs or pornography.  I do not feel that it has any pros or benefits for education.  Perhaps I am outdated in my opinions, but I feel that an education must be a hands-on atmosphere. This face to face atmosphere is where one can ask questions without having to wait for emails, or read an extensive amount of material that may or may not obtain to one’s particular questions.  Many sites claim that social media helps people interact. My argument for that is how interpersonal skills are needed, more now than ever before, because people are forgetting how to act during face to face interactions. Another rising problem is the extent to depression where the social media has been a major factor.  One can only speculate, but I imagine it’s due to the selfishness these media sources, perhaps unintentionally, promote.  Other reasons for the rise in depression could be the need for approval of others that is caused to be heightened.  Another reason could be that everything viewed can only be taken as it’s rendered, so there’s a constant unrealistic and censored side to people that some people may be more sensitive to in their comparisons from self to others.  Social media can also be the breeding ground for identity theft and fraud since all your information on Facebook is very accessible to the World Wide Web. I think people would be much happier if they became more active in their communities in which they live and focus on the things that are more important, like family, rather than spending hours a day surfing the web.



http://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/01/19/pros-and-cons-of-social-media-in-the-classroom.aspx
http://www.squidoo.com/pros-and-cons-of-social-networking-sites
http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/social-media.htm

Web layout

We discussed in class the other day about some of the principles of web page layout, and what works and what does not work.  It is truly amazing how much of a difference your web page will look and feel after applying very simple changes to your layout.  This includes an expansive range of factors including: font size, legibility, color, mood, etc.  Having an artistic eye is useful during these decision making moments.  It’s important to have color schemes that do not clash. Pick colors that work together to get your point across, and that stand out to your targeted audience.  The next really important part of layout is having your site easy to navigate.  In order to master this in your site, your page tabs should be easy to find, and consistent throughout every page of your site.  Your main focus should be aimed at ensuring cohesion throughout the web page. Having a site that is easy to read makes the world of a difference.  Keep it simple, and eliminate anything busy and unnecessary.  The last thing to remember is to keep up with technology.  This is very important!  And with advertising, do not just promote your webpage online, but utilize other sources.

Below are the sites that I found very useful in my web page layout.

http://www.grantasticdesigns.com/5rules.html

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/03/26/keep-it-simple-stupid-showcase-of-simple-and-clean-designs/

http://designshack.net/articles/layouts/10-rock-solid-website-layout-examples