Smart Ideas for Incorporating Your SMARTboard™

Description

I used Camtasia audio editing software to create the podcast, "Smart Ideas for Incorporating Your SMARTboard™ into Your Classroom." This podcast is 5 minutes long and discusses multiple ideas for teachers wanting to use their SMARTboard™more effectively utilizing SMART Technologies' online resource database, SMART Exchange.

Challenges, Solutions, and Future Implications

The most difficult task of this project was recording the narrative and editing the recorded audio. For this project it appeared simpler to rerecord the narrative rather than try to meticulously edit it. However, it made me realize how difficult it must be to edit long spans of narrative.  Once I found the zoom buttons, editing went a lot quicker since I could zoom in to pinpoint and cut out an an "ummm" or a thump in the background. Another issue I had was trying to figure out why the mp3 playback sounded differently on my desktop speakers compared to my phone speakers. I adjusted the different audio files to levelize the recordings in an effort to improve playback. Seeing no significant difference, I eventually realized that my desktop speakers are not as high quality has I had hoped so I finalized the podcast and uploaded it to the U of A Comp server.

I felt a bit of personal satisfaction from not having to consult a help manual or online forum to troubleshoot any of my issues. With what little experience I have using Camtasia, I managed to maneuver through the software fairly intuitively and I would highly recommend the software to anyone who may be in the market for video/audio software. 

In the future, I will use Camtasia to produce more podcasts to use in developing our online nutrition training course and our SNAP-Ed social media efforts. This activity has reminded me how involved, yet simple and effective a podcast can be.

BIG Dreamweaver Project - Instructional Website

 

Description

I used a 2-column liquid template with a left sidebar, header and footer within the Dreamweaver software to create my website. Using the template provided the structure I wanted and enabled me to spend time experimenting with code within the template. The website I created will be used by U of A Cooperative Extension Service County Agents. From planning and development to delivery and evaluation to record keeping and reporting, agents will be able to use this instructional site to walk them through the process of conducting a SNAP-Ed program in their county.

Challenges, Solutions, and Future Implications

The most difficult task of this project was getting the header, body, and footer to display correctly and then figuring out how to layer text on top of them. I had to rearrange and rewrite some of the template code to make all of the elements work or appear properly, but I eventually figured out how to do that. Another thing I found challenging during this project in particular was the unexplained difference between the "live view" in Dreamweaver and how the pages appeared in an actual web browser. I never was able to figure out why it was happening, but I overcame the discrepancies by using just the web browser as my live view rather than the Dreamweaver viewer.

w3schools.com was most helpful when looking for code solutions and when trying to figure out how to place the text on top of the header and footer. Trial and error also played a big role in this web design because at times I wasn't exactly sure how some of the w3 advice would play out in my own project. This project taught me that trying new things can be challenging and frustrating and rewarding all at the same time and web pages can only be as smart as the individual coding them. 

In the future, I would like to experiment with building web forms. We have a need to evaluate our webpages and I think this would be a very beneficial tool for soliciting qualitative feedback from our visitors.

Dreamweaver Project

Description

I used a 2-column template within the Dreamweaver software to create my web pages. This enabled me to create my page quickly and more efficiently. Since I did not have to spend time developing the layout, I could focus on organizing and coding content.

Challenges, Solutions, and Future Implications

The most recurring obstacles I encountered was figuring out the hierarchy of code between CSS and HTML. The only downside to using a template is that sometimes the software has certain elements grouped together or pre-ordered which requires a bit of rearranging and rewriting to make the elements work or appear properly.

Lynda.com and w3schools.com were a huge help when looking for tags and syntax. Those helped tremendously, but at times trial and error were helpful to see how certain codes or arrangements of code changed the page.

This project taught me the difference between good code and bad code, or rather smart code and junkie code. Using the template was helpful, but I ended up deleting a lot of the instructional text and extra code I didn't need. I also managed to skillfully rearrange code to function properly and meet my project needs. 

I would like to use Dreamweaver to create and maintain a portfolio page of my school projects and professional work. I have a LinkedIn account and think it would be smart to have a link from that account to my online portfolio for colleagues and prospective employers to see the projects in which I've been involved.

HTML and CSS Project

Description

I wrote HTML and CSS code to create a web-friendly invitation to an upcoming Halloween party.

Challenges, Solutions, and Future Implications

The most recurring obstacles I encountered was figuring out correct coding and placing (CSS) or nesting (HTML) them properly.

Lynda.com and w3schools.com were a huge help when looking for proper tags and syntax. I am certain that without them, I would still be guessing the proper codes through endless efforts of trial and error.

Similar to my experiences with Purdue’s OWL site, I learned that the answers are always there. And with practice, my search techniques improved allowing me to find proper code more quickly. I feel like I’m learning a new language through seeking and finding the answers.

Part of my job is to manage a handful of web pages using our content management system at Extension. For the most part the system is user-friendly, but there have been times when I’ve just not been able to get something to align correctly or appear correctly. I feel like I have a little bit of insider knowledge as to how coding works and I am confident I will be able to use my HTML and CSS knowledge, skills, and ability to straighten up those web pages on my own.

Overall Review of Projects: Word and PowerPoint

Completing the Word and PowerPoint projects was fun yet challenging, the biggest challenge being properly citing my references. Purdue’s OWL provided volumes on APA format, but I still had a difficult time finding some of the citation rules. So I kept searching. Working on both of these projects taught me that the answer is always there, I just have to keep looking until I find it. Having this resource to refer to will certainly serve me well during future projects, whether looking for APA citation rules or general formatting assistance.

Microsoft PowerPoint Project

Description

This presentation offers helpful tips to county agents wanting to create effective PowerPoint presentations for use with their SNAP-Ed audiences.

Challenge, Resolution, & Future Implications

The biggest challenge during this project was creating a presentation that followed the best practices of an effective PowerPoint while demonstrating some of the worst practices for the viewer. In an effort to learn how to create a more effective PowerPoint, I studied the lesson resources and looked at a few articles such as 7 Tips for Designing and Delivering PowerPoint Presentations and Creating an Instructional PowerPoint. During my research, I learned that PowerPoint presentations have a potential impact on its learner so great that its use has been studied and best practices have been determined. In the future, I will use what I learned during this project to create more effective PowerPoints for our agents.

Microsoft Word Project

Description

This step-by-step guide walks learners through the download and installation process for the open source image editing software, “Gimp.”

Challenge, Resolution, & Future Implications

The most difficult part of this project was figuring out how to properly use headings vs. normal style when creating a table. So, I studied the lesson resources to learn how to create an accessible Word document. During my studies, I learned about the hierarchy of title, heading, and normal style tags that screen readers follow. I will be able to use what I learned regarding style hierarchy and tags when working with html code since some of the same principles apply.

Welcome to SextonETEC!

This is my first blogging experience and I am looking forward to the work that I will be doing for the remainder of my ETEC 5213 course.