Horizon Project

I spoke before break that we would be evaluating the Horizon Project. We will do this today (Monday). We will have discussion first and then you will tackle the assignment on the wiki. If you are reading this from home please get a head start on the reading.

This is an important project and many people from many different countries will be reading your work. Do your best!

Technorati Tags: hz07 wiki Seymour sounding_board

Day2

Today we will take a tour of several items. For students who took my Web1 class much of this will look familiar, but I ask that you look at everything with new eyes.

Blogs:
This is a blog. A blog is read/write web device that allows a writer to communicate directly with his/her audience. The blog can incorporate pictures, video, sound and many "widgets" that are Web 2.0 based. Myspace is a blog. In addition to your classmates blogs on blogmeister please look at the following blogs:

Senator Blog
TV News Blog
MTV Blog

Wikis:
A wiki is a program that allows collaboration on the web. Members are allowed to create, edit, and improve information in real time. The classic example is wikipedia which is updated constantly. How wikis are better? For example, your science textbook still says there are 9 planets, even though Pluto was declared to NOT be a planet in August. One minute after that announcement the entry on wikipedia was changed. In a world that moves at incredible speed, can we afford to still be textbook based?

Wikis incorporate video, images, and sound as well. But the most important aspect is that they are collaborative.

These examples were created by Web1 students:

Ballet Wiki
Cheerleading Wiki
Obesity Wiki

Web 2.0 Stuff:
Take a moment to look through these sites. Put the ones you like in your favorites. We will explore throughout the class. Each website has something "new" to offer.

Newsmap
Daylife
Tall Buildings
Typing Test

You will now create an HTML website using notepad. You can use the HTML book or any of your old files. This is a pre-assessment for this class. I want to see what you can do.

Your website should:
--Summarize the Web 2.0 applications you looked at. Include links to at least 4 websites. Include all aspects of the web site design (title, heading, frames, links, etc...) that you feel are needed to summarize the information. You are basically recreating this blog entry in notepad using HTML.
--Include at least one clipart image (use link from this page).
--Show evidence that you understand todays discussion of accessability, usability and bias.
--Save your file as web.htm in your "other" folder in the WDrive.

This should take you maybe 15-20 minutes. I'm just looking to check that you have basic computer/HTML skills. I will grade complete as long as you give a strong effort.

Wiki

Rachel has done a great job with her FBLA Wiki. I also like the Iraq page that Marcy is developing. Some of you still write in your posts that wikis aren't web design. Well....its on the web....and she designed the page....I don't get what the issue is. I am really starting to see great work from you. I think you notice how many people are watching.

I am making plans for Web Design 2. I have never taught this class before so it will be new all around. A few things I know will happen:

1. We will learn the basics of the DreamWeaver program.
2. We will learn the basics of Flash and Fireworks.
3. We will delve much deeper into design principles (accessability, usability, etc..).
4. We will be very project based.

Youe success will depend on your willingness to work hard. There will be a lot of freedom and I hope the success of the first semester will carry over into the spring.

Tuesday

By midnight Tuesday you must post your memo to blogmeister. Click here for the wikispace explanation. I think the wikispace for the class is going fairly well. Its nice to have access to the work from home and there is never "I lost the paper" excuse.

Check out the clustrmap on the right. You should all add a clustrmap to your blogs. Can you find Bangledesh on the map? What about the other countries? Who is reading about us?

A few notes on your memo.....First, be brief and be specific. Second, follow the format!!, Third, demonstrate a deep understanding of the tools we have learned about. Choose the best tool for the job! If you finish early don't be afraid to add links or other cool stuff to your memo (but keep it professional! no hot pink fonts!)

Technorati Tags: clustrmap blog Bangledesh

Listen to this article

WIKI!!!

Those of you were working on the Wiki. It got hijacked. Read the discussion. Its interesting....

You need to read some more about the wikis and what information should be posted. Too many links were added when we only needed the one link to the regular SHS page.

There should be much more internal links to other wikis and information about SHS. Look at wikis of other high schools. Do some reading on the wikis pages. There is a lot of help there. Use the sandbox link for lots of info. Make sure you start an account, otherwise I can't track your work and give you a grade.

If you have no idea what we are talking about, finish your project.

I am testing the new blogs for the students with a few guinea pigs. I hope to have that up and running soon.

In case you haven't guessed already we are going to be moving fast and changing technologies, procedures, and tasks as we go. THIS IS JUST LIKE THE REAL WORLD!! The technology of last spring is dead!!!

However, we have some core values and beliefs that remain true:
1. Our websites will be accessible to all.
2. Our websites will be as unbiased as possible.
3. We will work hard and be honest in our work.

CECA Conference

Monday I attended the CECA conference. I enjoyed many discussions including the keynote by David Warlick which focussed on the new literacy and how we must redefine how we approach technology. He made several points that made me reflect on my teaching practice.

Education must be student driven, not teacher driven in order to survive in this flattened world where technology is changing by the month. The technology and modes of communication that were new six months ago are already dead. The fact that Google searches are going to disappear soon is amazing. I am curious to know how many of you use aggregators or know what RSS stands for or if you make your own podcasts. If you don't, you better catch up, because that is what the rest of the world is doing.

I am working hard to make this class relevant to todays technology (I think you have figured that out). I will be developing processes for you to be starting your own blogs for class and working on your own wikis.

There are many of you ready to help me try these technologies out. If you have been nailing the work so far I'd like you to try doing these alternative assignments. See me if you want to try some of these new technologies.

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