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!