Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Week 8- I have survived

I can't believe how fast 8 weeks snuck up on me!
Its finally here! I'm so excited for a 3 week break before it all starts back up again!

Its been stressful this week- well it still is really.
I'm trying to put the finishing touches on my website.. I don't know if I have all that is needed for this website or all that he wants. I sure hope so.
Of course I have a few glitches here and there also. I hope to have that ironed out by the end of the day..
I need to figure out what is left to do with the class wiki. I can't believe how much the class has already done! How did we have time to do that during this website experience?

Thanks everyone for your support and help! Its been an interesting past couple of weeks!

Enjoy a few days left of summer!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Week 7

Oh Week 7... Where are you Week 8..
I'm ready to be done, well not really that would mean I need to be done with my assignments and I assure you I am not where close to ready for that.
Well some good news- we don't have to lead a discussion. Though with the way my website is shaping up I just posted to lead a discussion on the Discussion Board because I can see I'm going to desperately need the points!
So I hope its something I can fit in my day and still have the time to work on everything else that I need to...
I'm glad to have moodle checked off list completely and behind me.
I really need to dedicate more time to the class wiki. I have a bad feeling of a couple long nights coming up!
I'm trying really hard to not have to spend the weekend on the computer- Its a big birthday weekend :)
On to more classwork!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Week 6

While I am happy that we are already on week 6, I also step back and can not believe how fast this has gone as well as the summer feels like its flying by. Then I get out my list and realize all that is left to do in 2 1/2 weeks of this class. Gosh talk about mind blowing.....
Moodle is due next Friday so I really need to start plugging stuff away on that site to make sure I'm on the right track.
I have decided for this project on an Environmental Science Lesson for Middle School Students. A weekly topic discussion on types 5 different types of storms. So I have been busy looking and researching some stuff here as well as making sure I am contributing as much as I have time for the class wiki.

I have decided to download the Microsoft Web Expressions but I have not learned anything about it yet and I'm waiting to see if anyone else in the class has any insight on the program- ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Week 5

Week 5 starts with the design due on our instructional website.
I got that completed- Not surprising that I was not sure exactly what was needed for the design. But I think that I got enough information down to make a run at this website once I start plugging things away into a host for the project.
The Podcast is due tomorrow. I have also completed this- I decided to do a podcast on how to set up an account on Blogger.com. It only seemed fitting after using the same topic for my instructional website. I hope it sounds ok and I can even use it as part of the website! That would be a bonus.
Our class is also working on the wiki this week. Some things are getting posted and people are getting the ball rolling. I really need to spend some time working on this this weekend!
Also whats the deal with moodle and what is expected there?

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Website Design

This week I have actively been working on the website design assignment.
This has proven to be a lot more challenging to me then I would have ever guessed.
I have already taken the authoring systems class so I thought I would be OK but I'm starting to second guess myself.
I understand the tables indicating the information, interaction, and connectivity and I have my goals and objectives.. I guess the main trouble I am having is this storyboard part.
Any one else wondering exactly what we are suppose to do on this?

Also I am working on setting all this up on a site that I don't have to buy.... I have already used my free downloading of dreamweaver.
I logged on to the site-http://www.kompozer.net/ but I have not downloaded anything yet.
Has anyone used this site before? Did you download .7 or .8 version?

Thursday, July 2, 2009

WebQuest Complete on to Wiki and Website

I'm looking ahead to next week...realizing with the holiday weekend I'm going to start the week behind but that's OK-with some late nights I can catch up.
There is a lot of information we were given today-moodle,wiki, and don't forget about the podcast and instructional website.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed I'm thinking this class in 16 weeks would have been better than 8 weeks but no turning back now!
I need to research some programs for the website. I see most people are using dreamweaver but I already had a free trial and don't want to spend the money on the program.
Maybe I can download the free trial on a different computer?
Let me know if anyone has some ideas or sites they are using.
Thanks!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Social Networking

I have decided to do my WebQuest and Instructional Website on Social Networking.
I'm going to zero in on social networking in Education.
My WebQuest will be information/sites/articles on this subject
and my Instructional Website will be instructions on how to use certain social networking sites.

Interesting that in the background of me sitting here researching information for this project I have on Fox news.
They are reporting on all the problems in Iran. The protest and so on..
I happen to hear them talking about the importance of Social Networking and look up to the TV.
They say the protesters in Iran are turning to social networking sites like Twitter.com and Facebook to report the latest news. Right now they are reporting on an Iranian girls pictures she has posted on twitter.
So then the news corespondents are talking about how social networking sites such as twitter are helping them to report the most up to date news information.

I found this interesting- though I will be focusing mainly on how we can integrate social networking into the classroom.
Here is Fox News getting most of their headlines from twitter.com!

WebQuest vs. Instructional Website

I am reading on the two assignments that are going to be do before I even know it and I'm trying to figure out what I want to do for both, how I can integrate the two so I can research on one topic and how I can make sure one is ONLY informational and one is Instructional but I can put the two together to save time.
Anyone else trying to do this?
Originally I wanted to do them as 2 separate topics but the more I look at my calender and see how we are already down to 7 weeks of this 8 week class I'm trying to be practical while I get all this work done.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Webquest

I have been doing a lot of reading this past week on WebQuest. I am very thankful to all the examples that are posted because before this week I have never heard of a WebQuest.
I have been searching and looking through all the information to try and figure out What is the difference between the two assignments we have to do- The WebQuest and the Instructional Website?
Can I make these assignments work together?
I'm still trying to figure out these answers. Any help or insight on this would be greatly appreciated.
I have a few answers on what a WebQuest is-
From readings I have concluded that a WebQuest is when all the information on the page is from the Internet.
So I'm thinking if I do a WebQuest on a subject I need to provide information only from the web with links to do more research on that subject.