Packing Slip 
item |
Learning the Skills to Facilitate Student Projects |
contact |
Dennis Wilson (Mesa Community College) dennis.wilson@mcmail.maricopa.edu |
college(s) |
Mesa Community College |
discipline(s) |
Biology |
summary |
Take intensive training workshops in Photoshop and Dreamweaver to learn the skills to develop curriculum centerted around student projects that incorporate digital images and web technologies. |
details |
The goal of this Summer Project was to learn software skills to facilitate student projects. Specifically I attended intensive training workshops for: Photoshop CS, digital image manipulation software and Dreamweaver MX, website creation and management software. I routinely incorporate student centered projects and activities that involve digital media such as digital images, sound and video, and publication of projects to the web. However, I found that the scope, imagination, and length of time to complete the projects were curtailed by my limited understanding of these software tools we use to create to the projects. I therefore wanted to attend intensive workshops to learn these software tools to broaden the scope of the projects, reduce the use-of-software component of the projects, and fully explore the students imagination and creativity. In addition, I am involved with campus initiatives and committees that benefit from advanced understanding of these tools. I attended (1) 3 hr Photoshop CS workshops on 5 evenings in Phoenix @ Pro Digital Image each Thursday 7-10PM June 9- July 7, (2) 3 day Macromedia Dreamweaver training 9AM-5PM for 3 days Wed June 1- Fri June 3 at Anthony Technology Training in Tempe. I have already been using the skills learned form the Photoshop class and feel very comfortable using this software with students and working with students on their projects. Dreamweaver was and is more of a challenge and I still limp somewhat with this software, however, the training has helped and I hope to get student projects in an HTML format using the skills I’ve learned. ------------------------------------------------------------ Outcomes: In a paragraph or two describe what worked well. Did you accomplish your objective(s)? Were you able to complete your summer project as written? If not, what did you modify and why? What did not go as well as expected, if anything? Were there any surprises? Note: Use the questions as guides for your outcomes. Do not include detailed list of workshops attended, speakers who presented, or a list of items you have seen, heard, or read. ------------------------------------------------------------ I completed the summer project exactly as planned and as specified in my original proposal with one change. I changed the time and place of the Dreamweaver workshop from St. Louis MO to Tempe AZ as the local training centered offered a workshop at the last moment. I accomplished all of my objectives. In retrospect however, I would have modified the proposal to include a post workshop project to demonstrate that I did indeed learn to use the tools proficiently. I did this informally by doing some mock projects, but perhaps should have included something more tangible. With the Photoshop workshop, I spent a significant amount of time between classes to practice the skills which really helped. The Dreamweaver workshop was not spread out enough to allow this. ------------------------------------------------------------ Professional Growth: Your own professional growth is a large part of your project. Your professional growth is important to you, your students, your college, and possibly other colleagues. How did project affect you professionally? What skills did you learn? What environments were you working in and how might your summer project influence your teaching or other responsibilities? Did you gain a different perspective? Was it professionally valuable for you? ------------------------------------------------------------ The Photoshop skills that I learned have been a huge boost in what I do. Here are some examples of how I used them already: • Showed an adjunct how to make images of microbes through the microscope using the digital camera and then how to enhance to share via the web appropriately. • Taking photographs on field trips to share with students upon return and to capture field biology moments to share in the classroom. All of these images require work in Photoshop. • Designed a course flyer using field trip images. • I have almost 10 student projects that involve digital images that will be part of wall displays for campus. This ties in with the RM philosophy of using student work to transform campus areas into informal learning environments. Dreamweaver Skills: • I am working on touchscreen displays for a Gila monster exhibit that is HTML based. I am using student generated information as the content base and my Dreamweaver skills to place it into a web format. I feel freed of past constraints. Now I can visualize projects and have the skills to make them happen. This has been hugely empowering for work with student projects and campus initiatives. Its also opened doors into areas I may not have previously thought about going. ------------------------------------------------------------ Dissemination: How will you share this information with your colleagues, department, students, or college? ------------------------------------------------------------ By the nature of why I wanted to take the workshops, i.e., one goal to generate student projects into display pieces, the whole campus will see them when they make their way onto the walls touch screen displays of exhibits. This ties into two other initiatives: (1) an innovative projects grant I received to showcase student projects. This was mostly materials costs. (2) Capitol dollars that were approved to put in museum style exhibits at RM that include both image and HTML based student projects. The skills I learned will be used to generate materials that are on public display. In addition, I have spent time with other faculty and students who want to learn the skills I now have. Thank you for giving me this FPG opportunity. Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback via the comments form below. |
web links |
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/fpg/ |
supplements |
Example of Student Project using Photoshop Skills (image) Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback below. |
shareback |
A "Shareback" cites the places on the web that mention, reference, or use this MLX package, and "shares" that information back here (more about shareback...) Sharebacks can be generated automatically by weblog tools. |
extra |
Last modified: Sep-30-2005 Date created: Sep-30-2005 Visitor count: 4853 Dublin Core Metadata record  This package is included in the Faculty Professional Growth Summer Project Reports special collection. |
Maricopa Learning eXchange
http://
