Week 8

I have looked at other digital projects in the class and many of them look very professional. I think my digital project without the sound will be just in the middle of all of the projects in terms of complexity.

I did like Pat’s screencast of Access. It looked very professional and the way she taught it while on screencast was very good. The content was easily understandable. I saw a couple of prezi projects and they did not have sounds. I really regretted stretching myself too much and proposing to put sound in my prezi. I did not think I won’t be able to do it.

But even if I was not able to put sound in my prezi, I did learn so much from researching possible solutions to my audio problems. I learned about the website that converts files, Zamzar. I have learned about the software Natural Reader, Webinaria, Screencast, VLC, Windows movie maker, Quicktime. I did not know anything about all these tools before. It was a learning experience but a painful one as I did not get to accomplish what I wanted to do.

I am normally on top of things especially in my school work. I am very disappointed with myself but it is what it is and I just have to accept it. The whole course was great and it was the course where I learned so much just by researching information myself and teaching myself to use so many online tools.

I have decided to continue learning and I will take the online learning program after the PIDP.

Week 7

This is the last time we are meeting as a group for the wiki. We have to determine our group grade and what Jenn will submit as the rationale for our grade. I think we did well. We have worked together and have accomplished what the rubric is describing as exceptional work. All of us contributed. I have visited other wikis in this class and I’d say that in terms of layout and content, our wiki compares well.

I am still working on the sound of my wiki and I am having a hard time. Now I am trying to use a microphone to record from the speakers instead of directly from the software. It seems to be better but it is still not loud enough. I have tried screencast but the image gets blurry. I have tried youtube downloader but it its taking so long. I will have to look for anothe way to add sound if I will get this done.

I have checked out other digital projects and some of them are as simple as a blog or a video that is just a few minutes long. I am now wondering why I got myself into this complicated digital project. I should have proposed something simpler. But since I am already here, I will try my best to get this done.

Putting in sound in my prezi is such a huge challenge.

Week 6

What I learned this week is about creative commons and fair dealing as they apply to teaching. I have read educational exceptions to copyright infringement. I am almost complete in researching content for the wiki articles assigned to me.

I also finished my prezi for my digital project and it is looking good. I have researched how to insert the sound not just in prezi but possibly using screencast and movie maker. I also downloaded the software Natural Reader so that the voice will sound more professional than my voice. I have written down my options in getting the sound on to the prezi. The prezi can only accept .flv video files and my sound recorder saves in .wav.

I think I can do this. I wanted sound in my presentation to make it different from regular prezi.

Week 5

I worked on the wiki layout this week. I met with my groupmates and asked if I can change the layout. I felt that we need to put effort in making our wiki look and feel professional. Now being conscious about copyright, I had to look for a copyright free, copyright image to put on the header of the wiki.

I wanted to move our wiki to google to get better templates but I think it is too late now. We have shared the link to our class. It was a challenge to learn how to improve the layout but I got it done.

This week, I also learned how to insert links in the wiki, both internal and external link. I also learned how to insert an image.

I also created a personal wiki. I think I have gained so many skills in navigating wikis that I am comfortable creating them and suggesting using them to my family and friends.

Week 4

Week 4 is not very good for me. I have done all of the tasks but the article I wrote for our wiki is not complete.

I did learn a lot this week, by connecting with my groupmates and by reading articles on copyright. Meeting with my team and talking about copyright helps me learn a lot without having to read so much more than what was assigned to me. Our wiki now has content that can now be useful to readers. We have shared the link to our classmates.

My learning for this week is about moral rights and copyright. I hope to do better next week.

Week 3

My learning for this week is all about Creative Commons. This is something I didn’t know about before.

As for our wiki, we have agreed on the concept, which will be Copyright FAQs. We have also agreed on the list of content and have divided the list among ourselves for research. Meeting time is still a challenge because both Jenn and I have children and Nathan is in Calgary which is an hour in advance. We are making it work though, to get the wiki done.

Week 2

I have decided to include in my weekly blog, my number one learning for the week. This way, when I read my posts here in the future, I will have documented what I got from this course.

This week, I learned about the voice thread wiki. I didn't know that such a thing existed. That makes a wiki so much more interesting.

I have met with my group mates Nathan and Jenn. I am glad that Jenn is organizing our group. We are ahead of schedule, our wiki is now up. We have agreed to list down issues that we find interesting on copyright.

In working with a group in an online course, I have learned many things. One is that it is always helpful to know something personal about each other and seeing what each other looks like, as well as hearing each others voices. These things help in making the connection to the group and making the connection gives way to getting the work done more easily.

I'm sure I'll learn more about the dynamics of working with a group on an online project once we get our wiki constructed. I'll post more learnings then.

For now, I'd say week two is good and I feel that this course will lead me to a career in e-learning. I am enjoying viewing projects of past students and looking forward to doing my own digital project.