IT Basic Training (Day 3)

Day 3
- create 2 tutorials using these topics
- if you’re done, comment on two other students’ tutorials
- go back through all your posts and make sure they are ALL categorized and tagged
- Create a new banner for Grade 9
http://www.picmonkey.com/
- dimensions: 969 x 213

IT Basic Training (Day 2)

Here's a link to the document we used to create our blog last year. Please access it if there's something on your blog that's just 'not right'.

Of course, you can always come to me to help you figure it out, as well.

https://docs.google.com/a/jwaonline.com/document/d/1pEFGKNf17e431LBRy-LJwPY7sjm8yCV6YWjxXAplTPs/edit#

 

Your first IT homework will be to create 2 Tutorials and post them on your blog. Include at least three screenshots and one external hyperlink. Look here for an example.

Choose two of the following topics and post them to your blog:

• How to log in


• Create Pages


• Create Posts


• Create Tags


• Create Categories


• Create Menus


• Hyperlinks to other pages/documents


• Insert Images (more than one way)


• Creating Drop down menus


• Create a Banner Image for their Blog


• Embedding video

Grade 9 Blogs re-visited

Today, we are going to take a look at your blogs. It turns out that a large number of us haven't completely set up the blogs in the correct fashion, so we'll need to review what's necessary and fix anything that isn't working yet.

First, please open up this document.

Our goal for today is to make a blog that looks like this one.

Notice how she has

- her About Me page listed along the top

- there are categories in the sidebar

- she has a tag cloud

- she uses Categories and Tags in her posts

- she's created a custom banner at the top

MOST IMPORTANTLY, notice how she is posting frequently (even when her teachers aren't asking her to)! This is the sort of thing we are creating at SWA: a community where everyone is blogging often, so we can talk to each other about what is happening in other classes.

Also, having all your work posted on your blogs is a GREAT way to keep it all in one spot (which will be very useful to you when you're applying for universities in the future!).

Once you are ready to make a banner, go to www.picnik.com and upload a couple of photos. Please make sure you size your banner as 969 x 213 pixels (we'll go over how to do that in class).

 

Your first piece of blog homework is to read this post and make a comment on your blog. Due next Tuesday.

Welcome Back!!!

Photo by Mark Strozier

Hello folks, I hope you all had a restful and relaxing Winter vacation. Time to explore the exciting world of IT! From robots to satellites to movie animation, we'll be covering a lot of territory.

We need to get started quickly this term, since there are so many holidays coming up.

So, please save and open up this document.

 

The first step is to bookmark my blog. You'll notice that your grade level is listed at the top of the page. That's where you can find all the work that we'll be doing this semester. Remember that we'll be using the Design Cycle for each project, so if you have any questions about it, you can look for the link on the righthand-side of this page.

The next step is to make sure that you have access to your own blog. You'll need to remember the password from last term, and I'll need you to give me each of your ID numbers, so I can set up the links on my page.

Finally, we'll need to make sure you have access to your Gmail account, since that's where we'll be keeping all of your work throughout the course.

I know it's a lot of stuff to get organized so soon, but the faster we do it, the easier it'll make the rest of the year.

 

Work over the break

Hi kids,

I hope you have an excellent October Break; you have definitely earned it!

Please make sure you have SEVEN reflection posts done by the time you come back to school on October 24th. We'll then have one more week to complete the Creation stage (giving you a total of TEN reflection posts needed to be considered for full marks).

See you in a while!

Mr. B

Creation Stage

Okay, today we formally begin the Creation Stage of the project.

It's extremely important that you keep a log or journal of the entire process, as this is a major portion of your final mark.

Take a look at an excellent example of this here: LOG EXEMPLAR.

The main difference is that you will have a document of your Journal AND you will be posting it on your blog every class.

Be sure to take many screenshots or actual photos of your Creation Stage and write down any thoughts or questions you have as you are creating! Click HERE for instructions for taking screenshots.

SWA News

Grade 7s, today we begin the SWA News unit. Make sure you look through the documents on the IT 7 page (at the top of my blog) to see the examples and how you'll be assessed. Also, check out the 'Design Cycle Explained' link in the sidebar for step-by-step instructions on how to get through each stage.

News can be delivered in a number of different ways. Can you think of three different methods for delivering the news? Check out a few very popular news websites to see how they are different.

http://www.bbc.com/

http://www.foxnews.com/

http://www.bangkokpost.com/

Remember, the internet is only one way to deliver the news; don't limit yourself!

Advertising SWA

Okay, grade 8s! We begin the Advertising SWA unit today.

On our class page, you’ll find the assignment and the assessment criteria. Go through it thoroughly in order to find out how you’re going to be marked. Make sure to take a look at the example by Sun Young Choo as well, if you’re unsure of how you should be following the Design Cycle.

Additionally, here are some links to help you get an idea of how bands actually promote themselves:

http://angiegentry.suite101.com/types-of-advertising-a183934.html

http://annalaura.searchwarp.com/swa33450.htm


Obviously, websites and other online promotions are one way of doing it, but don’t limit yourself to just that way. Explore other options!

Make sure your 6 designs include the following:

- 2 Website designs

- 2 Newsletter or Print designs

- 2 video/broadcast designs *Must include a Storyboard*

Band Promotion

Okay, grade 9s! We begin the Band Promotion unit today.

On our class page, you'll find the assignment and the assessment criteria. Go through it thoroughly in order to find out how you're going to be marked. Make sure to take a look at the example by Sun Young Choo as well, if you're unsure of how you should be following the Design Cycle.

Additionally, here are some links to help you get an idea of how bands actually promote themselves:

http://www.sean.co.uk/a/musicjournalism/var/success.shtm

http://askearache.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-should-bands-promote-themselves.html

Obviously, websites and other online promotions are one way of doing it, but don't limit yourself to just that way. Explore other options!

Why Blog?

As we start the new school year and begin this new blogging system, I’m interested to know what your thoughts and expectations are. Whether you like it or not, the top schools in the world are starting to adopt this system, so it is here to stay.

What do you think are the good/bad things about this system when compared to the tradition system (ie. teacher gives you a handout, you do it at home and bring it back)? Will this make organization easier or harder? Will you be able to communicate more or less effectively? Is this just another IT tool that we’re making you learn? Tell me your thoughts! (Reply by posting a comment at the bottom of this page...)

(image taken from: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/thinkingcapwhoa.gif)