Saturday, October 2, 2010

Week 8 - Your final class/essay options

We will be required to accomplish the following items in our final class (Week 8) this Wednesday:
  • Student Reflection Essay generated at home and 'brought' or uploaded to class for printing. I have even provided the option of printing this 'refection' at home, which is a consideration as well. Include your name and make sure to generate an 'opening statement' about something you've discovered or are working toward (goal development).

  • Student Response to Essay 2 (questions below) generated in class using notes, word processing software and printing. I will ask that you also provide me with a digital 'copy' of this file for part of my content development.

  • Student Personal Development Survey will be used as a primer to your reflection of this class in an assessment of your own learning. These WILL be handed back to me at the end of class as another 'method' of assessment.

  • Student Classroom Surveys You will be asked to give a review of this class to the administration, which I will NOT be viewing until after grades are posted. Someone will be responsible for dropping these off at Mineral Hall for me as to avoid my being 'influenced' in posting your final grade. Volunteers???


  • Closing for Week 8 - A reflection of things to come... (use this for Essay 1
    In these eight short weeks I have to admit that I feel I've learned just as much as you all were introduced to in regard to content.
  • Initially we explored HTML (as to) how Web Pages are generated.

  • We looked into image editing and resolution to resize images, not for print, but for uploading to the Interenet and incorporating in our own web page designs.

  • We looked into video and its ability to be edited using various software and compression techniques (interpolations) to resize and even reformat upload and download content to the web. Other various softwares (YouTube's 'VideoGrab', Adobe's 'Media Encoder', and even 'FLV Crunch' were all presented as options). What we came to discover was that its just as much about a 1) courtesy to the viewer as a download it is to 2) saving storage space on your own computers hard drive. Your efforts will be appreciated rather than someone needing to continually 'purge' their email or not require to download any additonal 'plug-ins' for viewing your content (especially if its in either a .mov, .api, or .flv format).

    For some of you this is a close to your experience with KCAI's Media Certificate Program. For others, a continuation - and yet, for some, this is just the beginning of your voyage to discovery - or as I like to term it "shakin' hands with the devil" that is technology. I wish you all the best of luck in the potential for its usage or direction in a future (career) path.

    - Alex

    Now on to the subject at hand...

    (Essay 1 - 'Reflection or Goal setting') Hopefully the paragraph above has served to inspire you regarding content for your 'reflection' paragraph. As indicated in class on Wednesday (week 7), I want you all to consider what has served you for inspiration over the course of the last eight weeks. Please write your answers checking for proper spelling, punctuation and (in bold - preferably) highlight your vocabulary that emphasizes the topic (or topics) on which you choose to reflect. Make an opening statement that is supported by one to two paragraphs (or more) and: email, post on this blog, or be prepared to print (or print prior to/)in class on Wednesday (week 8).

    (Essay 2 - prepare to answer one of the following questions in class on Wednesday (week 8)):
    These are also considered reflection questions to be answered in class on Wednesday (and not prior to). Notes will be allowed, but fully generated content will not! Be prepared to write on one of the following questions. Whatever length you choose in class, you will be limited to :30 minutes of class time. Responses will be both 'printed' in class and may count as a 'blog' posting, should you be able to access the web site/blog that evening. I would appreciate an electronic 'copy' of this file as well as the printed version.

    Answer one of the following:

    1) Please briefly describe the term 'Interactive Multimedia' as you've come to discover it through a 'comparison/contrast' to your former versus current understanding as a result of this class. Try and put all classroom vocabulary in bold if time permits.

    2) Please describe as many of the various uses of media in regard to 'video' that we explored in class:
  • IMovie (editing, transitions, titles, sound, etc.) / Final Cut Pro (introduction)

  • Flash Interactive GUI (graphic user interface)

  • Downloading/Uploading to/from YouTube ('Video Grabber')

  • Storyboarding a movie 'trailer' - describe what terminology/methods you discovered

  • Embedding 'links' (a href=) into an HTML webpage

  • Compressing video files into various formats (.mov, .flv, .mp4)

  • The importance assigned to (and consideration of) file size in generating content and storage.

  • Tonight's introduction to IDVD for offline content


  • 3) Formulate a direction (goal) based on both your classroom experience and area of interest utilizing 'Interactive Multimedia and the Web' that you may wish to pursue in the next year. Is it animation, graphic design (online) through website development, or multimedia video editing? Is there something I left out as an option?

    Week 7 - Preparing for our last class

    Note: All 'bolded' items are the potential of vocabulary for using in your two final essay requirements. Refer to previous blogs or your classroom handouts for additional content.

    Two classes ago, we were given the pleasure of a Flash introduction by our working professional (Shell). The terms for software and layout of: stage, timeline, and library were used. Along with this, Shell alluded to keyframes and even motion tweens for animation where the software does the work that once took several hours or even days to create. Flash has the ability to generate HTML and JavaScript coding that it repackages as 'ActionScript' and is eventually rendered as a viewable (interactive) webpage through a .swf file when posted online through a server or saved to a CD-ROM or DVD for viewing offline, sending out (resume content) or storing your content as a backup.

    I am hoping to work with each of you, tonight (which we did already in Week 7)to finalize your multimedia project. Please realize that access to software specific multimedia content (ie Flash, IMovie, Photoshop) is not a requirement for this project's development. We have made it a point to look into programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and even some brief Java Script for contextual, though more content driven, presentations (web content). If this doesn't serve to inspire your 'direction' and future class considerations, be it animation, print, multimedia video editing, or web page design - I would consider this approach a failure in its development. Your opportunity to reflect on this goal will be made available in your first 'final' essay.

    Be prepared to bring a final reflection essay (electronically generated and saved to a Flash drive, email, or post to this blog). Printing your essay reflection in class is our goal. Uploading content or posting to this blog (at least twice) will suffice as one of our five classroom requirements and serve as part of your final grade for this class which also include:

    (The following is from MultimediaSyllabus.doc - Week 1/'ForStudents' folder)
    For successful completion of this course – students must demonstrate the following:
  • Storyboarding content (effective planning and implementation) – to “Know your audience”

  • DVD of a website (for online and offline content)

  • Understanding of files types and compression rates (image, sound, movie, web)

  • Understanding of options for software usage (tools for various softwares)

  • Knowing that effective planning includes ‘keeping it fresh’ (Google and ad space)

  • Blogging your experience (Gmail/Google account) – Students will be responsible for posting no less than 2 classroom experiences for classroom discussion/presentation.

  • I've referenced the need to complete something of a final project which will incorporate your knowledge (developed and applied) over the course of the last six/seven weeks. Be prepared to share this understanding in a short paragraph (or two) that you can generate at home (Essay 1)

    Your three Essay 2 options will be posted in the next blog (Week 8). Be sure to bring your notes and handouts to class as this will be content generated as another form of assessment. You will not be able to bring a completed essay for this second item, but rather reference 'notes' that respond to ONE of the upcoming three essay questions.

    We had a great close to Week 7 and I'm highly impressed by the willingness for each of you to consider and explore your own individual needs and directions from this 'introduction' class.