Agenda December 7 & 9 - Photo Editing Tutorial Presentations & Exam Review

Today we will begin presenting your tutorials. You will need to have your Before photo and your directions ready. We will present as many as we can on Wednesday and whoever is left will go on Friday. We will do the Exam Review when the presentations are completed, but I have already shared it with you in Google Docs.

Midterm Exam Study Guide

I know you all are anxious to know what you can expect for your exam. I have made a study guide for you to use and we will go over it in class on Thursday, December 1. You must be signed in to Google Docs to view it.

Agenda November 29 - Finish Ad and Begin Photo Editing Tutorial

Today you should finish up your advertisement. I have seen that some people have already posted theirs. Be sure you are answering all the questions as explained in the previous post about Blog #8.

The blog is due tonight at midnight.

If you finish today you can begin the next project which is a photo editing tutorial. See the post about Blog #9: Photo Editing Tutorials for the details.

Blog #9: Photo Editing Tutorials

The next project we do (and the last assignment before the end of 1st Semester) is a Tutorial you will write to edit one of your own photos. You may have a partner for this project. You should search online for topic ideas and there are lots of "Photoshop Photo Editing Tutorials" out there that will take you step by step through editing a photo and do amazing things! Just do a Google Search for that topic. I encourage you to look online for ideas and you can even take one you find and change it a bit to make it easier for your classmates to understand. Just be sure to cite your source for where you got the idea, even if you change the wording. Notice that on the rubric there is a category for difficulty. I want you to challenge yourself and do a tutorial that is more than just removing a blemish, making teeth white, or making a picture into a black and white. I do not want to have any repeats, so I have made a sign up sheet on Google Docs. You will post your "Before" and "After" photos along with the step by step directions as Blog Entry #9 before you present it to the class. When you present, you will walk us through editing your photo, using the steps you posted on your blog, and hopefully, if you did it right, you'll get the same results. This is worth 45 points and the rubric can be found here.

You will present this in class on December 7 and 9, so it needs to be posted before you present.

Here is an example of what I am looking for:

This tutorial will help you create a Vignette Effect on your photograph. Just one tool I have learned and would like to share.

Before

After

Steps used to create effect:

Note: Works best with a photograph where the subject is centered in the photo, but you can also crop the picture afterwards as I have done if necessary.

1. Open picture in Photoshop

2. Make Layer out of background by right clicking then choose layer from background. You can

accept "Layer 0" as layer name.

3. Make new Layer (Layer, New) then drag it to behind Layer 0.

4. Make sure Layer 1 is selected and add color to Layer 1 by clicking a color in the swatches palate

and pressing ALT + Backspace to fill the layer with that color. You won't see any changes at

this point.

5. Go back to Layer 0

6. Use Elliptical Marquee tool to select picture. If you need to you can add to the selection by

choosing Add To Selection button on top menu bar and drawing another oval. This is good if

there are two faces in the picture that you want to select.

7. Go to Select, Feather and choose a number (the larger the number the blurrier the edges will be of your oval. I suggest 15-20.)

8. Select Inverse.

9. Press Delete key.

10. Your vignette is finished, but you may want to try different color backgrounds by selecting layer 1, selecting a new color in the swatches palate and then press ALT + Backspace.

11. Flatten image and save as a JPEG.

So go online and start looking for some cool effects you would like to apply to your own pictures!

You should have a topic chosen by the end of next class.

Agenda November 22/29 - Work on Ad Design

Today, You should work on your Advertisement. See previous blog entries for details on the project and the blog entry. The blog entry is due at midnight on Tuesday, November 29.

Blog #8: Ad Design

Use Adobe Photoshop to create an original Advertisement (click for rubric). It should promote an event, service, organization, or product and include your logo from the last project. Make the audience for your ad whoever would be attending the event, buying the product, etc.

• Set image size to 7.5 inches wide by 10.0 inches tall with 150 pixels per inch resolution.
• Include both text and images in your design.
• Demonstrate application of Graphic Design elements and principles
• Show off your graphic editing skills by using at least 10 different tools or effects in preparing your poster. Make a list of the Photoshop tools and effects included in your poster.
• Use of copyrighted material in your poster is not allowed

BLOG #8: Write a brief description of how you created the advertisement on your blog. Describe why you created this poster and the target audience. Be sure to describe how you used all the tools in creating your graphic. Explain how you used each tool, do not simply list them.Upload your advertisement to your blog.

This is due by midnight on Tuesday, November 29

Agenda November 18 - Advertisements

Today we will be discussing the elements of graphic design as they apply to advertisements. We will look at some advertisements in magazines and see how they stand up to our "rules". The next project will be to create an advertisement.

Graphic Design "Rules of Thumb":

• Know Your Audience.
• Be careful not to have too much text or too many pictures on a page, find a balance of elements
• Colors should complement each other.
• Don’t use more than two fonts on a page
• Use an appropriate size font for your audience; large size for small children and older people, no smaller than 12-14 pts for everyone else.
• People in the US read from left to right and down in a “Z” pattern, so design your page so the reader’s eyes will travel that way.
• Provide visual breaks and rest spots. White space on your page does this.
• Maintain consistency in everything; fonts, sizes, placement of elements on page, etc.
• Be sure to only use graphics that will not look blurry or pixilated in the final copy.
• An excellent design may never see the light of day if it is submitted after the deadline.

Agenda November 16- Adobe Exchange

Now that you've been using Photoshop for a couple months, you have used the brushes and maybe gradients that are available. But you also may have seen features used on Photoshopped pictures that are not available on your computer. Well, thats because you can download new brushes, textures, gradients and actions from the Web and load them into Photoshop. Just like you can download fonts for Microsoft Office programs and put them in the "Fonts" folder on your computer so they'll show up in the font menu, you can download new features and put them in the correct Adobe Photoshop folder so they'll appear when you go to use that tool.

One tool that we haven't talked about is Actions. These are basically like mini programs that you can write (or download already created) that will do several steps to your picture automatically. It is helpful if you like to frequently do the same thing to different pictures. You don't have to remember the steps, just run the Action!

One of my favorite sites to go to for downloading new features is Adobe Exchange. Once you go to this site, you use the same Adobe ID that you created to download the Color Swatches and then you can download whatever you want. There are other sites where you can download them, but we will stick to this reliable one today. There are lots of options on this one site!

Here's how you do it:

• Click Brush, Texture, Gradient, or Action, in the menu on the right and find one that you would like to download.
• Click download button, then you'll have to sign in
• Click "Open" and it will open in WinZip
• Open "My Computer" in a new window. Browse for: C:/Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop CS5.1/Presets/click on folder of what you are downloading (brushes, Photoshop Actions, Gradients, etc.) and drag from WinZip to that folder.

To load brushes:

• Go into Photoshop
• Select Brush tool
• On the part where you select the size and type of brush there is a small button that looks like a circle with a triangle (arrow pointing to the right)
• Select "Load Brushes"
• Find the file you just downloaded (click on my computer on the left and browse for the folder)
• Now your brush should be able to be chosen from the menu.

The other features (textures, gradients) work the same way, you just have to select that tool and find the triangle button to load them. I hope this opens up even more possiblilities for what you can do with Photoshop. We will download one together in class and then you can play with it on your own. Here's the Action and the Brush I'll download to show you as an example. Where you load textures can be a little tricky, so I'll show you how it works by making something look like its painted on a brick wall.

Agenda November 14 - Finish Logo

Today in class you will finish your logo project. The blog entry is due tomorrow (Tuesday) by midnight. Please see the previous blog post Blog Entry #7: Logo for the topics you should address on your blog along with posting your Logo.

When you are finished editing your Logo in Photoshop, make sure you flatten it and save it as a JPEG so it can be uploaded to your blog.

Agenda November 10 - Work on Logo

I'll take a look at your design brainstorm and you can get started on your Logo today. Please make sure you are considering how you are using the Graphic Design elements and how you use color in your design. Blog #7, which includes your logo, is due on Tuesday night, November 15 at Midnight.

Agenda November 8

After you take the survey we will look at the notes from last class.

Agenda November 4- Graphic Design and Logos

I won't be at school today. Please take a look at all the notes that I was going to introduce today and write down any questions you have for Tuesday.

1. If you were not here on Wednesday, there are three PDFs in your Google Docs that are about Drawing Tools, Painting Tools and Adding Text. You have used these tools before, but there are several great tips on these documents. Please read them.

2. Today you will take a look at some basic Graphic Design Elements and how they can be applied to logos. A logo is a symbol or other small design that an organization uses to identify itself or its products. There is a presentation shared with you in Google Docs that we will go over today and then we will look at some examples of logos from real companies/organizations/products.

We will discuss possible canvas sizes for logos. Typical sizes are 79 x 51 pixels (very small), 150 x 25 pixels, 125 x 144 pixels, and 243 x 103 pixels. This is set when you create your new document in Photoshop.

3. The next assignment will be for you to design your own logo for a person, group or organization that does not already have a logo. Think about clubs, small businesses, etc. Here is the rubric.

4. The first step is to brainstorm ideas for your logo. By Monday, you will need to sketch your idea and write down how your logo will incorporate any of the design elements from the Graphic Design Presentation.

Blog Entry #7: Logo

In this blog entry you should post your logo and answer the following questions:

• How does the logo communicate its purpose?
• Why did you choose the colors you used? (Think about the color wheel and messages that the color send.)
• Explain how you used any of the following elements of design: (you do not have to use all of them.) Line, Shape, Emphasis/Contrast (Focal Point), Proximity/Groupings, Balance, Alignment, Harmony/Proportion, White Space, Repetition. **Make sure you look back to the Graphic Design Presentation to see what each of these mean.

Due on Tuesday, November 15 at midnight.

Body Image Project

Upon looking at your finished images, I think most of you need to redo your pictures. Now that you know how to do it, you can focus on making it look good. There were only about 3 of your pictures that I would consider "magazine cover" worthy (I'll let you know who you are on Monday). Give it another shot, update the blog entry you already published, and I'll take another look at your work.

Blog Entry #6: Reflection on your "Perfect" Body Image

After making yourself look like a magazine cover, put your before and after pictures on your blog and answer the following questions in paragraphs. Remember that the reader doesn't know the assignment, so use these questions as a springboard to explain your thoughts.

• How do you feel about the overall transformation of your picture?
• How does this change your perspective of pictures in magazine ads?
• What does this tell you about today's view of the perfect body image?
• What are two things you think you did really well on? Why?
• What are two things you think you could improve on or spend more time on? Why?

This blog post is due by midnight on October 27.

"Perfect" Body Image

Our next project will be to create the "Perfect" Body Image. Not that it is really the "perfect" image, but that seems to be the way the media thinks we should all look.

So, for the next few classes you will be able to work on this. Today in class I will take photographs of you for you to use as your "Before" pictures. Then you will make yourself up to look like an image in a magazine. I'll show you some of the ones that students made in previous years during class.

I have several tutorials that you can use to achieve this effect:

Face Swapping

Changing Eye Color

Apply Face Makeup

Add Makeup and Photo Retouching

70+ Beauty-Retouching Photoshop Tutorials

You don't have to use these tutorials, you can find your own, but at least it's a place to start. The last day you will have to work on this in class will be Oct 27 and it must be posted to your blog (see directions for Blog #6) by midnight on Oct 27.

So, have fun, and make yourself look the way you've always wanted using Photoshop! But realize that all those models have been Photoshopped too!

Agenda October 13 - Realism in Photography

Today we'll begin talking about the realism of published photos and how you can't believe everything you see in print. We'll begin by discussing photojournalism and some instances where people have edited photos and changed their meaning.

Also, look at one of my favorite sites, photoshopmistakes.com, which shows some horrible (and sometimes hilarious) mistakes that people have made using Photoshop. All of these actually were published!

Then, we'll focus more on magazines editing photos of women. I'll show you a few videos from You Tube. One is Dove's Evolution , another is one example of an expert Photoshop user, and one that uses the liquify tool. After looking at several of these examples you will get the chance to see what you can do to yourself using Photoshop! How easily can you make yourself look like a photo on a magazine cover?

Your homework tonight is to find a picture of a celebrity that you would like to try to paste yourself on. The point of this project is to see how easily you can take a "real" person and make them look like a magazine cover, which we all know is not what people actually look like.

Blog Entry #5 - "A Day in the Life of A Mercy Student" Collage

You will have today and Monday (Oct 6 & 10) to work on editing your collage. After you complete your collage, you will need to reflect upon it. In 1-2 clear and precisely written paragraphs, reflect on what you have learned and how you used the photography elements to compose your photos in the collage. Explain how you used at least 5 different Photoshop tools to manipulate the images in your collage. Don't forget to save your collage as a JPEG and upload it to your blog. This blog entry will be due Tuesday, October 11 at midnight.

Agenda October 4 - Finish Demos and begin Collage

Today we will finish up the last demos and start your first project using Photoshop that you will do independently. I mentioned this project to you a couple weeks ago, but you will be creating a collage that depicts "A Day in the Life of a Mercy Student". You will need to take pictures that have a good composition, arrange and edit your pictures in Photoshop. I have shared a rubric with you in Google Docs.

You will need to start with a blank canvas that is 8.5 X 11 in. and make sure you give notice of copyright by placing "© 2011 Your Name" at the bottom or rotated along the side, with a very small font size, just like you would see in an advertisement in a magazine. I'll show you an example in class. You will have two classes to work on this project. Next class you will need to bring pictures to work start adding to your collage. I encourage you to take more pictures than you think you need. That's the beauty of digital cameras...you can always delete what you don't use!

Agenda September 30 - Continue Photoshop Demos

You all did a great job last class with the first presentations. We will get through as many as we can today and finish the rest on Tuesday. I think you are doing an excellent job as teachers for the class and if you are the "student" make sure you are learning how to use the tools so you can use them on your projects.

Agenda September 28 - Begin PS Demonstrations

I'll give you about half the class to perfect your demonstration and then we will do the first 3-4 demos. If you have a picture you need to share with the class in order to edit it, you can paste the link in the comments section of the sign up sheet.

Agenda September 26 - Photoshop Demo Work Day

Today you and your partner(s) will work on the demonstration you will be giving to the class on your topic. We will begin the demos about halfway through next class, so you'll have another half class to work on it. As an additional resource to the directions I've shared with you already, I have a Photoshop CS5 book that I just purchased on my desk if you'd like to take a look at it. Some of the tutorials build upon each other, so if you are having trouble with any of your directions, see if any of the other tutorials will help you. If you didn't bring any pictures today to use...go to flikr.com and do an Advanced Search for pictures with a Creative Commons license that you can use without permission.

I've embedded the rubric for the assignment below. Please DON'T fill it out and submit it. I've embedded it just so you can see the criteria.

Agenda September 21 - Photoshop Introduction & Demonstration Project

Today we will actually open Photoshop CS5 and look at the work space. I'm going to show you around and then you all will do some teaching yourself!

For my demonstration you will need to download and save this picture. Don't worry, its in the Public Domain so we can do what we want with it!

You will then sign up for a topic to demonstrate from the list shared with you in Google Docs. You aren't totally in the dark because I've also shared some detailed directions for each of you to learn about your topic before you demonstrate it! (look for a Collection I shared with you)

You'll be able to work on your demonstration next class, too. Then on Sept 28 we will start presenting to the class. If you need a picture to help you demonstrate to the class how to use the tool, make sure you only use pictures you have the right to use. Come up with a way to share the picture with the class so they can use it during your demonstration.

Don't forget that Blog #4 is due on Sunday night. Have a nice long weekend!

Agenda September 19 - Elements of Photography and Blog #4

Today is the start of a new unit! I know you've all been waiting anxiously to use Photoshop and I promise next class you will get to use it. Today we'll talk about Digital Photography and how you take a good picture. You have to start out with a decent picture...some things just can't be fixed! I have shared a presentation with several examples in your Google Docs.

Homework will be Blog Entry #4. This is due by midnight on Sunday, Sept 25. Using your digital camera (if you don't have one, borrow one), take three photos that demonstrate any three of the elements described today in class. You should take these pictures yourself, not use someone else's picture or one you get from the Internet. In your blog, explain which element you are depicting (more explanation is necessary than just writing "Simplicity" under the picture.) Try not to simply recreate the examples I showed you. Have fun with this and enjoy taking pictures for homework!

A few notes on your digital camera...please turn off the date and time stamp so we don't have to take the time to edit it out later. Also, most cameras have a grid you can turn on to help you with the Rule of Thirds.

Copyright Info for Amateur Photographers!

I found this article yesterday and thought it was a great connection between what we just discussed about Copyright Law and the unit on photography that we will be starting next week!

Agenda September 15 - Scenario Test and Listen to Podcasts

After you take the test we will listen to the Podcasts that your groups created! The ones I've heard so far are great, and I can't wait to hear them after making a few improvements! Remember that Blog Entry #3 is due at midnight tonight.

Next class we will start talking about Photography and moving into Graphic Design. If you own a digital camera, please bring it to class with you on Monday.

Agenda September 13 - Podcast Check and Test Review

Today is the final day to work on your Podcast. I want to listen to each group's project before you finalize it so I can make sure it is good enough to post on your blog. It must be uploaded to Google Docs and the URL posted to your blog by Thursday at Midnight. Don't forget to answer the questions as listed on Blog Entry #3.

Thursday we will also be taking a test over Copyright and Piracy that is all scenarios. I'll give you a scenario and you'll tell me whether its legal or illegal and why. I've shared a review sheet with you in your Docs.

Blog Entry #3 - Creating your own Copyrighted Podcast

In this entry you want to post the hyperlink to the podcast that your group created and uploaded to your Google Docs. You also want to post the graphic you created to go along with your podcast. Don't forget there are directions to upload your podcast to Google Docs in the Garageband tutorial that I shared with you.

Please then answer the following questions completely and thoughtfully. You may work together with your group to answer the first one, but the other two should be answered individually.

1. If this music and graphic was not completely your original work, describe in detail the sources you used and why you are abiding by copyright laws in the way you are using it. (fair use, public domain, etc.) (answer as a group)

2. Answer these Essential Questions: (answer on your own)

a. Is downloading music wrong?

b. Should copyright laws exist?

c. Why is piracy so prevalent in our society?

3. How would you feel if someone used your graphic or podcast without your permission? (answer on your own)

This blog entry is due by midnight on Thursday, September 15.

Piracy Podcast Project Timeline

Today is the first of three work days on your Piracy Podcast. Here's the timeline for the next few class days.
Today, Sept 7, and Sept 9: Work on Piracy Project
Sept 13: I will review your work and make sure it is good enough to post on your blog. You should have it at least 95% finished when you come into class that day. We will also review for a Copyright Scenario test.
Sept 15: Copyright Scenario Test

Don't forget you can check out iPods and iTalks from the library if you want to record outside of class time.

You are welcome to use your own iPods as well. There is a feature on most new iPods and all iPhones called "Voice Memos" that works the same as the iTalks and our old iPods we have here at school. You can record, email it to yourself, import into iTunes and drag easily into Garageband!!! Much easier than the old iPods!

Agenda August 31 - Garageband Podcast Tutorial

I have shared in your Google Docs a Tutorial that you will use with a small group today to practice creating a podcast from start to finish. By doing it now, it will be much easier to do the project you will be doing next. You do not need to print out this tutorial. I'll make one copy for each group to use, but feel free to read over it before you come to class. If time remains, I'll go over the project and explain it in detail, if not, I'll go over it on Friday.

How to get your Audio Recording from iPod to iTunes

If you are using an iPod on a computer that is not the one you usually sync it on, then the audio recording is a little more difficult to get into iTunes. If you try to plug a school iPod into a school computer it will delete whatever is on the iPod when you sync it. Here is the steps to do it without synching the entire contents of the iPod:

• Plug the iPod you wish to sync into the computer. Open iTunes.
• Click the icon for your iPod located on the left side of iTunes. A box may appear asking if you wish to sync the iPod. Exit this box without clicking "Yes," or the music and recordings on the iPod will be deleted.
• Scroll down if necessary and click on the "Enable disk use" option at the bottom of the iTunes screen.
• Go back to My Computer. You should see the name of your iPod and an icon for the device located under "Devices with Removable Storage."
• Double-click the iPod icon in My Computer.
• Open the "iPod_Control" folder, then open the Recordings folder.
• Highlight and select each of the files that you recorded. Then copy each of these files.
• Paste all of the files you copied from the previous step to your desktop. You can then minimize the My Computer window.
• Click "File" in iTunes. Choose "Add File to Library." Select one of the files you pasted onto the desktop.
• The recording will then be added to the iTunes library.

Read more: How to Sync an iPod Without Deleting the Music | eHow.com

Agenda August 29 - Piracy and Podcasts

Hello ladies. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We need to wrap up a few items we didn't get to last class (especially 2B) and start thinking about the first big project we will do this year.

Just a reminder that Blog Entry #2 is due on Wednesday by midnight. You will need the questions you answered last week at the beginning of class to complete that entry.

We will also talk about the characteristics of a podcast and listen to a few. I'll give you a brief overview of Garage Band which is a program on the Macs that we will use to create Podcasts in groups.

Agenda August 25 - Piracy

Today we will continue talking about Copyright Infringement, specifically Piracy.
First thing we will do is use the scenarios you made up with a partner. You will switch with another group and write your best guess as to the answer to the scenario. Please bring these written scenarios and answers to class if you did not give them to me already.


We will go over the Piracy Notes I shared with your Google Account, introduce blog entry #2, and introduce the first project we will do in relation to copyright and piracy.


I have shared with you your graded rubric for your Technology Autobiography. I have written comments on each rubric for items you should correct. I will go over with you today (if we have time) the common mistakes and how to fix them. Please make those corrections as soon as possible.


For homework this weekend, I'd like you to go to iTunes and listen to at least 2 podcasts. Figure out what makes a podcast a podcast. What characteristics do they share. Save the names of any notable ones to share with the class. Please do this for class on Wednesday.

Blog Entry #2 - Examples of Piracy

At the beginning of class on Tuesday you wrote down the answers to a couple of

questions. Breifly remark on how your ideas changed about Copyright now that you know a little more about it.

For the second part of this entry, find an article online that shows an example of Copyright Infringement or Internet Piracy and the consequences of downloading illegally. Here's an example (scroll down until you see "Vanilla Ice vs. Queen and Bowie"). On your blog, summarize the situation. Based on what you know about copyright law and fair use, how is this person breaking the law exactly? What is the punishment? Do you think it is fair?

Try not to repeat the cases your classmates have already summarized. This is due by midnight on

Wednesday, August 31.

Agenda August 23 - Copyright Law and the Internet

In a word document, answer the following questions in a few sentences each to begin class:

1. What does Copyright Law mean to you?

2. What does it mean in relation to the Internet?

Save these answers because we will include these answers in a future blog post.

The Copyright Law presentation that I shared with your Google Account is what I will use in class today. You can print it before class as handouts if you would like and take notes on the slides, or just take some notes on paper. You'll have to download the presentation (under the "File" menu) if you want print it as handouts in PowerPoint.

At the end of class, with a partner, create a scenario depicting a questionable use of a copyrighted work. Write it on scrap paper or I'll give you scrap paper. It can be something that happened to you, or something you make up. But be specific. It should not be black and white, but have grey areas in terms of whether you can use the work. Write your best guess as to what the legal answer would be on a separate sheet of scrap paper. We will use these next class.

Agenda August 19 - Intro to Google Docs and Piracy

Since this class is not only about Graphics but about technology in general, I’m going to introduce you to one online tool you can use and you’ve already created an account to use it!! Google Docs is a tool that you use with your Gmail Account (AKA Google Account). You can create new or upload existing documents, spreadsheets, or presentations. What’s even better is that you can share the docs with me and I can edit or comment on them! Here’s a link to a file that you will use today. Now, you can’t edit it right now because I’ve only shared it with you to view, but I’m going to show you how to make a copy, rename it and share it with me.

1. Click the link to open the file.

2. Under the File Menu, click “Make a Copy…”. Click Yes when the box appears. You don’t want to copy collaborators.

3. At the top , click on the file name that says “Copy of Piracy Webquest11” and rename it as follows “Block# Last Name, First Name – Assignment Name” for example “2B Smith, Jennifer – Piracy Webquest”

4. On the top right, click the down arrow next to share and type my gmail email address into the box that says “Add People”. Make sure that you allow me to edit (right next to that box). Uncheck “Notify people by email.” I know you are sharing these files; I don’t need to get an email notifying me. Click “Share and Save”. Click “Close”.

5. That’s all you have to do! Your file is now shared with me and as you answer the questions, I’ll be able to see your work.

Do this today in class. I am asking you to read and interpret what you have read in your own words. Please do not copy and paste your answers, I will consider that a non-answer.

Agenda August 17 - Blog Settings and Intro

So now you have this blog, and your classmates have them too, so what do you do when you want to read what your classmates have written? Do you just keep checking frequently? Ask them to tell you when they post something? Nope. There is a much easier way to do it and its called an RSS feed! RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a way to follow a blog and download updates as soon as a new one is posted. You may also see the term Atom and that is another way to retrieve data. They both work basically the same way. An easy one to use is Google Reader. You can type in or "subscribe" to all the blogs you want to follow and it will collect them as they are published. Rather than going to every site, you just go to one place and read all the new info that has been posted.
A free app that I like is RSS Runner for the iPhone or iPod Touch. Works the exact same way as Google Reader, but it is portable! And, if you subscribe to all your websites on Google, then you can type in your Google Reader password to the app and it will retrieve all the sites at once!


Today we will look at the settings on your blog and how you can customize the layout and design. We will also talk about the first blog entry and how to remain professional in your writing. It is very important because what you write now can make a huge impact on you in your future.


Be sure to log out of your Google Account (that's what you use for Blogger) before you leave class so no one else can hack your account.

Blog Entry #1 : Technology Autobiography and tips

So here it is, the long awaited topic of your first blog entry. Drum roll please.....its your Technology Autobiography! In several paragraphs, please share your views and experiences about technology and computers, both in the classroom and as a user outside of school. What are your beliefs about the future of technology, specifically, how do you envision people using technology in the future? The spelling, grammar and composition of the post should be impeccable! I suggest you write it in Microsoft Word first, if that makes you comfortable, or make sure to utilize the spell check feature of the blog software.

Other guidelines that professional bloggers follow:

1. Write in complete sentences and assume that the reader doesn't know the assignment that was given. Every entry should have an introduction, middle and conclusion.

2. Put hyperlinks in the paragraph when you add them to your posts, rather than pasting the entire URL. If you don't know what I mean, take a look at my other posts in this blog. Remember that every post should have a hyperlink or a picture.

3. Put lots of thought into each entry. Elaborate on the topic given and bring in not only what you

have heard in class, but also what you hear, read, see, experience, etc. outside of class.

If you follow these guidelines, you should recieve high marks on every post!

See Student Blogs page for how it will be graded. This should be posted by midnight on August 19.

Welcome, Syllabus and Homework!

Hello! I am happy to have you all in my class and to unveil this new website I've been working on. The syllabus is in my Google Docs and since I am again attempting to go paperless, (or almost paperless) I will not be handing it out to you. You are more than welcome to print a copy of the syllabus, or just reference it as needed.

Your homework for tonight is to create a gmail account (if you don't already have one.) After that is created, you will create a blog using Blogger. I will go over with you the guidelines to use to create this blog. This should be created by next class.

The term "blog" is short for "weblog" or a place where you can publish your thoughts immediately online. People have blogs for all reasons. Here are links to a few blogs that are hosted by Blogger.

You Only Live Once-A twenty-something's experiences living in Guatemala for a year and now back living in Louisville.

Ampersand Design Studio- Two women and their design company. Lots of fun stuff from crafts and DIY organization tools to projects that their company has designed.

Hyperbole and a Half - A comedic look at mundane topics.

Here's a 2 minute summary of how to use Blogger:

Welcome to Computer Graphics!