So far I have been pretty overwhelmed in this class; specifically with the project. As I started this course, I had no idea what the project was that the professors and second-timers were talking about. After reading the handbook, Dr. Clinton and Dr. Rieber’s essay, and having class discussions, I am starting to get a grasp on things. According to Clinton and Rieber (2010), “The goal of the first course is to learn broadly about the nature of design while acquiring proficiency with multimedia tools. Participants can choose any project topic they wish and there is no expectation that the project will be instructional in nature” (p. 8). I have gone back and forth about what I am going to do for a project in relation to whether it will be an instructional type of project or a more personal type of project. This brings me to the point that Clinton and Rieber (2010), make that “in keeping with this constructionist emphasis, they are explicitly advised to reflect on their values and interests and to choose a topic for which they are highly enthusiastic and devoted” (p. 16). So, I have decided that my project will be a more personal topic.
My husband recently found out that he has gluten intolerance and this has been difficult for both of us when it comes to eating at home or even more so eating out. I am not a great cook when it comes to cooking. I definitely have to follow recipes and make accurate measurements. Now I feel that is even more critical since my husband cannot eat anything that contains gluten. My idea for a project is to create a site that I can refer to for recipes and restaurants that have gluten free menus. I would also like to incorporate some sort of discussion board so that people can leave comments about recipes and offer suggestions. I am still exploring tools in class and trying to get familiar with many of them. As of right now, I feel that I will be using Dreamweaver, Flash, and Photoshop for this project. I am only vaguely familiar with Dreamweaver, but I agree with Kapor (1996) in the fact that “students learn software design by practicing it” (p. 7). I am very much the type of person who learns by doing. I realize that this course will be challenging and very hands-on. I am looking forward to diving into these tools and learning as many tools as I can. I feel that these three tools are a good place to start for creating my project. Moggridge (2007), states “design wisdom has the power to please, but only in a context where the demands of all the constraints are obeyed” (p. 659). I feel like the disciplines that he discusses are falling into place. I am getting started with the basics and developing skills to become a designer.
References
Clinton, G., & Rieber, L.P. (2010). The Studio Experience at the University of Georgia: An example of constructionist learning for adults. Unpublished manuscript.
Kapor, M. (1996). A software design manifesto. In Winograd, T. (Ed.), Bringing Design to Software (pp. 1-9). New York: Addison-Wesley.
Moggridge, B. (2007). Designing interactions. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
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