Journal Entry 3

           I have to say that I am impressed with myself. This past week I created the pages of my website using Adobe Muse. I also created a png graphic using Adobe Fireworks. I have never done either of these from scratch. I have been pretty intimidated by the material I have had to learn in this class, but this week after completing those tasks I had a great feeling of being successful. I have a lot more to learn, but I know that I can do it. The fact that this course is self-directed makes the feeling of success even better.

In my last journal entry I stated that I was going to learn Dreamweaver to create my site. However, I have been introduced to a different website creation software. In class last Tuesday, Adobe Muse was introduced to everyone. This particular software seems so much easier to understand than Dreamweaver. I tried completing some tutorials on Dreamweaver, but I am completely lost on how to create pages and have them connect. I am not totally ruling this software out though. If I can get a better handle on it, then I think I will switch to it, but for now I have been successful in Muse and I like using the program.

One thing I have noticed that I tend to do when planning my project is getting hung up on details too much. I am so concerned with every minor detail that it stops my thought process. Hong, Clinton, and Rieber (2010) state, “The tenet for brainstorming is to let the thinking flow” (p. 11).  I need to remember this as I plan my project and put my thoughts into action. I do not need to get hung up on every detail so much that it creates a roadblock for me. The whole process of creating this project is continuing to be a learning experience for myself. Not only with the tools, but also the way that I think about design. One thing that sticks out is when reading the “Design Basics Index”; I have noticed that my mindset is very different from Krause’s. He talks about the composition of design, which is very different from the way that I think. Krause (2004) suggests to “develop an active awareness of the spatial relationships that are occurring between the components of a layout or image” (p. 21). He gives a lot of good information in this book. Unfortunately I do not think the same way as a graphic designer. However, I am open to learning and taking his suggestions to heart. I need to keep my focus as Hong, Clinton, and Rieber (2010) point out, “A well-designed interaction leads to learners’ active participation, which enables learners to explore content and to construct their own knowledge” (p. 14). It is exciting learning all of these new techniques and how to make the most of teaching/learning.

                                   

References

Hong, Y., Clinton, G., & Rieber, L.P. (2010). Designing creative interactions for educational multimedia. Submitted for publication.

Krause, J. (2004). Design basics index: A designer's guide to designing effective compositions, selecting dynamic components and developing creative concepts. Cincinnati, OH: How Design Books.