Any missing work from the introduction unit has been converted to zero in the computer. Please check teacherease.com for any errors.

Monday is quiz on Project One. After the quiz we will do any catching up. After a few practice sessions, the exam, and our unit survey we will move on to Project Two.

If you want.....

Fireworks Practice:

Start a new file. Set the size as 320x240.
Import “Claudia” from the U:Drive (WebSchneider--datafiles)
Keep her face and hat in color. Everything else in black and white.
Put her name in the bottom of the image in red.
Save file in Media.

Friday:

We will turn in our work for Project One today.

Please do the following:

1. Create a folder in your W:Drive. Label it with your full name.
2. Copy the following five files into the folder: pizza, Phi Kappa, About Me, weather, project1 outline.
3. Double check that there are five files in the folder.
4. Copy the whole folder into the appropriate folder in WebSchneider on the U:drive. For example, if you are in period one, please make sure that your folder is copied to Period One folder.
5. Exit out of all windows. Go to My Computer and double check that your files are in the U:Drive spot.

Today:
1. If you aren't done, finish.
2. If you are done, help people get done.

Monday:
Project One Quiz (Learn it Online). No notes.

In your surveys 50% of you favored group work. Most of you ARE doing collaborative learning as you do this. I see many leaders stepping forward, which is great. I hope to do more collaborative projects next week.

Fireworks Tutorial

We will begin our tutorial work on graphic design. We will be using the Macromedia Fireworks program.

The first tutorial can be found by clicking here.

A few notes about the tutorial.

1. Don't download anything. The files are in the data files folder in WebSchneider on the U:drive
2. Don't save back to the U:Drive. Save it in your Media folder.
3. Open Fireworks MX, not Fireworks 8

Good luck.

Creating and Editing Web Pages: Class Project (do this after the textbook assignments are done).

This page will give you the chance to easily personalize your site using resources available on the Internet.

1. Create a page called weather.html and save it in the class projects folder on your W: drive.

2. Build the usual structure of a web page in Notepad. Put the word Weather between the title tags.

3. To personalize your page visit weatherforyou.com. This site will give you the code that you need to show personalized weather on your page.

4. Follow the directions on the weather website and copy and paste the HTML provided into the right spot on your page. Save it and preview. See if it works.

When you are done save your page in your folder.

Check this site out. Click here. A Candidate for coolest site.

I'm having a slight problem with grading percentages on teacherease.com. I'm trying to fix it. The computer is giving some of you slightly lower averages than I have designed. Be patient.

Here are the results of the survey. It looks like 80% of you do not like teacher lecture, so we are on the right track there. 90% of you are comfortable with the workload, which is great. And almost all of you feel you understand the basic concepts. I will work hard to incorporate more group projects (the current chapter is basically a group project as I see you all working together).

I will continue to give you an opportunit to give feedback. Go Yankees!

1. Are you comfortable with the instructors teaching style?
Very comfortable 10%
Pretty comfortable 38%
Kind of comfortable 34%
Not at all 17%

2. What is your favorite teaching style?
Teacher lecture 20%
Class projects 10%
Independent Learning 19%
Group Work 51%

3. Did you have enough time to finish all the assignments?
I had time to spare 6%
Just right 32%
I had to work fast to finish 56%
Well, I would have finished if I stopped talking... 6%

4. I am comfortable with the workload in this class
Very comfortable 7%
Pretty comfortable 40%
Kind of comfortable 43%
Not at all 10%

5. The Yankees will win the World Series
Of course 49%
No way 40%
Who are the Yankees? 12%

6. Do you feel comfortable explaining or recognizing concepts of bias, accessability, and usability?
Very comfortable 15%
Pretty comfortable 42%
Kind of comfortable 35%
Not at all 8%

If you have turned in your missing work and taken the survey (see below) please start on Project One.

I give you several resources:
1. Textbook
2. I put a powerpoint in the U:Drive. (go to WebSchneider folder).
3. Learn it online.
4. Ask a question.

Please complete the following assignments:
1. Project One (Pizza site)
2. Lab 2 (HTM 1.40)
3. Lab 3 (HTM 1.41)
4. Learn it Online
5. Outline of chapter (major ideas and terms).

Some issues with the network:
1. Make sure your "My Documents" is in the W: drive
2. Save your work there, not on a floppy disk.
3. To view your files in html you must open the folder and click on the icon (the web address thing will not work).

Good luck. Ask if you need help. Work together.

Please take this survey about the introduction. Click here.

Exam question. This is a THINKING question. Your response should include evidence that you did the readings, including the introduction chapter for the book. Please type your response in MSWord. Save it in your introduction folder (bschneiderexam1) and print it by the end of class.

Please use standard form for your response (intro-body-conclusion). I am looking for quality (evidence that you read and understood), not quantity.


Jakob's Law of the Web User Experience states that "users spend most of their time on other websites."

This means that they form their expectations for your site based on what's commonly done on most other sites. If you deviate, your site will be harder to use and users will leave.

Question: What makes an effective web site? (Hint: frame your discussion)

Friday will mark the second week complete for me here at SHS. I want to thank you for making me feel welcome. Its not easy learning a new routine. This is the first time in 14 years that I am not coaching and I am experiencing a bit of adrenaline withdrawal.

I will continue to challenge your assumptions about design as we go through the "nuts and bolts" work of these programming languages. It is very important that we make conscious decisions in our design. Applying our different frames during analysis will be a consistent theme. I hope you apply this analysis to all of your writing, speaking, or performing.

Without coaching and band/choir to deal with I am looking for new challenges. If people have ideas please let me know. Does Seymour have a video production club? Many towns broadcast all the games, concerts, and meetings on local TV.

So, how will we celebrate these two weeks?? With an EXAM!!!

The exam will cover bias, accessability, and usability. It will also use some basic terms from the introduction that you should be familiar with. You will have one period to finish this exam. It is not a "study for-memorize" exam. It will be a question-essay type of exam.

Today be sure to finish your usability work.

After the exam I will print out your progress reports. Any missing work will be due at that time. I may have made mistakes in entering your scores, so please correct me if needed.

ClipArt

Click here for clipArt images.

Usability

As I grade your bias flyers please start the usability work.

1. Read the following article. Save it in your favorites. You will use it much more shortly.
Web Usability Guidelines.

2. Skim this basic article about usability and cellphones.
Cell Phone usage

3. Start a MS Word Document. Save it in class projects (bschneiderusability). Using your google skills please find definitions for the following words or concepts. Cite your source!

bandwidth
web usability
search engine

4. Using google to search for information please summarize the following issues in terms of both usability and bandwidth. (cite your sources)

Describe the web usability issues at a science station in Antartica. (try this site)
Describe the web usability issues with a PDA device or phone.
Describe the web usability issues with someone who has an older computer that does not include some modern programs like Flash.

5. Using your knowledge of technology history timeline the progression of communication technology. Start with fire (smoke signals) and move to todays internet based cellphones. Include items like radios, newspapers, etc...

6. Save file. Include all proper citations. Put name/period on and print.

We will next have a little fun with bias. This is also an exercise in communication skills and page design. Can you get your point across effectively? Do you know your audience?

Bias:
1. Class Discussion about bias (on Tuesday, probably, after you read the articles).

2. Read the following articles:
Gender Bias
Journalism Bias this is a longer article. Read the whole thing (except the studies and theories of media bias section). Click on links that interest you.
a good Summary of Bias

3. Create a one page flyer that contains bias.

Girls: Boys are silly. Why can't they act right so I can get my work done? They should treat women with respect and not be so clueless.

Boys: Girls are silly. Why can't they act right so I can get my work done? They should treat men with respect and not be so clueless.

Think about your audience. Who are you writing it for? I am looking for two things. First, do you have good ideas and understand bias? Second, can you format the flyer well so you communicate these ideas? This is your first task in design.

This flyer must include the following: Three total colors. A border A table A clip art or free-non-copyrighted image. Using copyrighted images is illegal. I can google it to check, so be careful. You could make your own image if you want. At least three quotes (from real or imaginary people) Have fun with this, stay respectful and appropriate.

4. Save in My Documents-Class Projects. (bschneiderbias). Check the Rubric for the assessment.

Web Citations

Your web citation for the accessability project should look like this:

"Introduction to Web Accessability." Web AIM. 2006. 15 Sept. 2006 http://www.webaim.org/intro/.

There might be slight variations. I strongly suggest using noodletools. Thats how I did it.

Notes on class

A few notes about the quiz....

Common sense: the classes that are quieter scored higher than those that are louder. They studied more and practiced more. If you did not receive an email about teacherease and your grades, and you would like to, please see me so we check your email address.

You do need to learn the vocabulary. If you need extra help or time, see me.

A few notes about the essay....

I do expect proper writing. I will grade you on the quality of your discussion, grammer, and your grasp of the concepts.

We must use proper citations. I am sure you work on this in your other classes. I include three links to help you here. MLA Citation Style MLA Handout and finally Noodletools (you want to use noodlebib express-then click on MLA). The noodletools website will do all of your work for you.

I remind you never to use copyrighted material without proper citations. I will google all of your work to check if you copied words or any pictures.

For now, please print out your essay. Make sure your name and period is on it. Later we will do everything electronically.

If you finish early and what to get ahead you can start reading and doing Project One in your textbook.

Today we will start with the quiz. I will give you ten minutes to practice at the beginning of class. On all of these quiz situations there is a bit of trust involved. I ask that you put your papers away and only have the quiz open on your desktop. Don't begin until I ask you to.
Once the quiz is graded:
1. Read this article. Introduction to Web Accessability.

2. Create an MS Word document. Save it in Class Projects. Label it this way; first initial, last name, project (example: bschneideraccessability)

3. Answer the following questions:

List and summarize the major categories of disabilities. Find the link on the AIM site that describe each of the four disabilities.

Go back to the article. Read it without using your mouse. How did that change the experience?

Now turn your screen off. How would that change the experience?

What is our obligation to serve those with disabilities?

4. Save file. Be sure to cite your sources correctly. You will turn this in to me once I figure out the shared folder system.

5. I will post my rubrics on the shared folder once I figure that out. You will be graded on all the usual items (content, format, grammer, etc...).

Practice Test

For Wednesday 9/13 we will:

1. Finish and grade our outlines.
2. Go to Learn it Online
3. Do the practice test. Review
4. Do Who Want to Be a Computer Genius
5. Do Wheel of Terms

If you are having trouble, the Flashcards can really help. Review any material you continue to miss.

If you are all set and feel confident, then you can relax.

Tomorrow: Chapter Quiz (its the practice test) on Introduction. No notes. Practice at home if you are at all concerned.

This is the first post to our web design 1 webblog. You may be interested that I do need to know a fair amount of coding to format these blogs.

A few notes about me....I live in Southbury with my wife, Kasey, and my daughter Claudia. I just left Derby High School where I was working for ten years. You can read a little about my life as a music director by clicking here. I have been lucky to have been coach of many real fun and exciting track and XC teams, including seven state open team championships. I have a fairly extensive technology background, mainly delaing with handheld computers and their integration into the classroom. I have been lucky to present workshops around the state and country.

Today please try to print out your info sheet and give it to me (if the printers are hooked up). I would also like to check your introduction outlines. If you finish that please start working on "Learning it Online". Tomorrow, once my grade book is all set up, I hope to start the class projects. We will be working on bias, usability, and accessability first.