Week 11- Digital Publications

Today I am handing in my website and book. I have finally been able to design and print my book and am quite happy with my website. I am quite proud what I have achieved in a short amount of time and with many problems encountered along the way. The process was quite daunting as my computer crashed when trying to download Adobe In Design, yet was able to get it fixed. Then my printer wouldn't print it double sided so I had to go to a special printing place, which was quite expensive. However, it is done now and I have finally been able to publish my own book, which I have always wanted to do. 

Week 9, 10 & 11- Digital Publications

During these classes I will be finalising my book and website. I have lots to do, which is kind of stressing me out becuase I need to finish it by next Friday before teaching rounds. At times I have encountered a number of problems (e.g. back ground colour for website and making them all individual, sizing the book on indesign). Yet luckily my classmates have been able to help me out when Stuart is not. Unfortunately Stuart won't be able to help and guide our projects this week. This is basically the last day I have to ask him questions before handing it in, so it makes it quite difficult. Hopefully other stduents will be coming in who can help me. I am fidning out how important it is to have support connections. Without them I wouldn't have been able to get to the stage I am at now.

The following steps I aim to take for the website:
- colour websites backgrounds differntly and ask
- copy and paste pages yet chnage pictures
- make sure links work
- make cover for dream weaver work
- cover sheet for assignment

The following steps I aim to take for the book:
- page numbers
- pictures on pages 1- 10
- page layout on pages 11-18
- design and add pictures to pages
- finish and save as adobe
- go to officeworks for advice on prniting and binding
- make cover for indesign work
- cover sheet for assignment

Wish me luck!

Week 8- Digital Publication

Today in class we learnt a lot about resolution and the appropriate size and type of photos and graphics on websites. We then began to work on our individual projects. I decided to work on my website. 

My aims to complete my website is to:

1. add content on each page

2. add links between the pages

3. add and resize pictures from photo shop

4. look at layout, font, colour and format

I may download the trial version  of Dream Weaver on my PC at home so I can start working on it. As I believe time may be an issue. 

Week 7- Digital Publications

Today we worked on creating a web page and we spoke up such elements including:

- font

- colour

- layout

- pictures

- links

I found this very useful. I just wish 

Dream Weaver wasn't so expensive so I could use this program at home 

more often. That way I could actually remember the skills I learnt in class easier. Below are my 3 pages I came up with about healthy eating and drinking. I chose these colours as I believe they represent bright and fresh colours which suits talking about healthy and fresh food. I also believe the font stands out from the background colour, which makes it easier to read. This will be something I will also consider when doing my actual website for my art work.

Holidays

I have decided to focus on creating one child's book for now. Although I would love to finish all three books before the due date I know I'd get stressed to the max, have to rush and it wouln't be up to the standard I would like it to be. Therefore, I am going to focus on one of the stories and completing it. If I have time I will try to do two, yet I wouldn't count on it. I have realised how much work is involved in completing just one book.

New steps I must take:
- I need to choose a story
- I need to proof read and edit the story
- I need to make pictures or take photos for each chapter of the story at least
- I need to choose the layout and design I wish to use in adobe indeisgn
- I need to print it all out and bind the book

Week 6- Digital Publications

Today I have decided my steps for completing my publication and have decided what my main publication will be.

I have decided to make 3 children books all in the same design using photos to help tell the story for my publication.

If I have time I wouldn't mind making a video clip and record some of my songs or creating other picture books and i-spy books. Yet, I doubt I will have time in the course, I believe I will continue to set these projects for myself to do in the future. 

The steps I will take to complete my 3 book series of children stories:

- Finish typing up stories and editing

- Put text in adobe design program and start to design booklets

- Take photos to suit story and design layout of the book

- Make final touches

Ideas for stories

Ideas/outline for stories for short fantasy stories for primary/early secondary school students:

1. 

-Girl is brought up in an olden day village brought up with the fear of vampires (known back then as blood eaters). She has to cover her face with mud when it is dark to not smell "tasty" and to take the small away from her blood and take other precautions. 

-One day after school her father doesn't pick her up like he always does and all the teachers have left. She knows she can't wait all alone and must get home before it gets dark. So she decides to make her own way home. 

-Making her way home by herself she decides to go another way back home covered in trees as it starts to rain. Scared of it getting dark she begins to run through the forest, yet this complicates her further and she gets lost. 

- It starts to get dark. Shaking from fear and the wet cold she curls up into a ball and rubs mud over her body hoping it will take away her smell of blood. 

- A little pale boy walks close towards her and she watches intrigued by his dark hollow eyes. He looked like he was starving. She questions if these are the creatures her whole village fears as she only felt sorry for him. She slips in the mud with curiosity igniting and he comes closer. Yet, he couldn't possibly see her with the mud all over her it looked as though he was staring directly into her eyes with the same curiosity. The rain starts again and the mud quickly slides off her face still entranced by him. He looks at her truly now and tells her to hide herself in the mud again withe fear in his eyes. Fear of himself and of others close by. He then tells her to get on his back as he wishes to take her home and he flies off into the dark. When she arrives home he quickly disappears. His seemingly parents call out after him and he quickly turns and flies off into the night sky.  

- When she gets home she finds her father has broken his leg in the mines at work and has to stay in bed. Scared of her getting lost he insists on home schooling her for the next few days.

- Yet, she can't concentrate and keeps thinking of the boy she saw in the forest. 

- When she gets older she forgets the boy, until one day she went riding and hit a tree and fell unconscience. He found her and wrapped her in blankets to stop her from getting ammonia from the cold night air at an abandoned stable. When she awoke he gave her some water and told her he would ride them both home as soon as possible. Still in blankets she got on the horse. The horse wouldn't let the boy on the horse as it feared him. He says to the horse I'm not like the others and tells him to calm down. The horse quickly calms down. The girl in shock lets him ride her home. When they arrive she asks why he always protects her, yet can never stay. He says it's for her own safety. Yet, promises one day it will all be much safer in the village. 

2. 

- Two orphans are locked up in a room of their aunties house who is ashamed of them being apart of her apparent wealthy family. 

- They accidently fall into a cupboard in the room and travel into a land where they are smaller and decide to get food from this land as their auntie isn't feeding them.

- They go and find a wizards book and realise their mum and dad were wizards/witches and maybe are lost in another land. They decide to rescue their mum and dad. 

3. 

- Two friends find a magical place in the bush filled with mermaids and magic. 

Ideas/outline for stories for picture story mostly for secondary/primary school students:

-Teenage students life- addressing peer pressure, bullying, health issues etc. great for health topic starters and letting students know about these issues.

Ideas/outline for stories for i-spy/story picture book for secondary/primary school students:

- a student or group traveling to different lands

Week 5- Digital Publications

Today in digital art I have decided to make a story book for my project. I was also given the idea to make a story just based on photographs. I think this will be quite challenging, yet interesting and made for all ages. Yet, I'm still thinking of writing a story too. Hence, to decide this I shall try looking up books just with pictures and see what I think and I might write up my stories and see if they work with images alone or not. 

I looked up the below i spy books. They are all very detailed and often have a theme to each page. They are A3 sized and have great photographs. They require people to look for specific items on each page. Although they don't tell a specific story they are quite interesting and perhaps even tell a different story on each page yet don't connect to other pages. Perhaps I could make an i-spy book myself, yet, instead have a continuing story throughout the entire book. 

Additionally, I don't know if I will use this, yet I could get really artistic, and even take pictures of a setting using food as shown below. I believe this was extremely creative instead of just using objects. 

Lastly, I have found a website that shows a story mostly with a picture and little text. It is quite an adult story so could appeal to more secondary year students. The site is: http://www.timgruber.com/rick2/index.html 

personal note for myself to remember

Today I started thinking about making a film clip for a song I wrote. I have no idea how to do this and would love to learn how to do this. Yet, I doubt I could do this in the adobe indesign program. So I guess I better stick with the book idea... Perhaps I should ask Stuart this next class. So remember BEC!!

Week 4- Publication Project

Today in class I have decided to do a book. I found in challenging, yet wish to improve my skills and have always wanted to create a book full of short stories for Children. Hence, this class will finally give me the motivation to actually create a book! I can also include photography within the book.

Yet, when I started creating a book I realised I'm not sure how I wish to start it and how I wish my front cover to look like. therefore, I decided to search on the net for some cover styles. That way I can decide what I like and what elements I wish to use for my own cover. 

I like the way this front cover is quite creative yet simple. It has one simple picture in the middle with a border. It has a scrapbook style to it too which might be a creative element I could use. That way I'm incorporating photogra

phy, a book and now also scrap booking. All three things that I enjoy doing. 

I like this simple style with creativ

e drawings around the border surrounding the title. However, I am unsure how I could draw these on design. And if I draw some pictures and use photography for others it may start to look a bit messy and not consistent. 

The patchwork look around the border is a great idea and way to include my photos within the piece. I could take 2 photos or more of each story and incorporate it into the front cover and not within the pages alone.  

 

 

The simple use of just two colours within the front cover works well and gives a creepy effective. Perhaps I could make the pictures black and white and the back ground in colour with a bold heading for my book. 

The idea of using just one simple picture instead of many around the border is something I may keep in mind. Depending h

ow appealing the picture is. I also like the idea of having the text in front of the picture, as long as it stand out like on this cover. 

The idea of having just a simple pattern and and less colours and pictures would be suitable depending how scary the stories are. It also makes the book appear more old and perhaps 

intriguing or mysterious in a way. Like it is filled with magic. It also makes it seem like a treasure chest as it has elements that lift off the page making it somewhat 3D. 

I believe I will have to write up the short stories first then order the pages before I decide what pictures to use/take and what my cover will look like and title will be. I am hoping to use ideas I have had for stories in the past, yet actually write them up properly and finish them. 

Week 4 - Digital Publications class

Todays class was quite interesting. It will take a while for me to get use to still, yet I like the Adobe indesign program. It's just extremely confusing at times :( I like the idea of making a book. I have always wanted to make a book full of short fantasy stories. However, I am still too used of Microsoft Word as that is the more affordable program which I use everyday on my PC. Sometimes I wonder if it will be more beneficial of us using a more common program that is cheaper that we will be able to use everyday. Since, I know when I used Corel Painter in my first year of University, I may have

 learnt a lot in class, but since I don't have the computer on my computer at home and can't use it all the time I have forgotten a lot.

 So which one is better for me personally? Adobe indesign, something that has more options than Microsoft office yet confusing to use? Or Microsoft office, something that is available for me to use all the time, won't forget and easy to use? Hrmm the d

ebate in my mind will continue....  However, I am quite proud of my final CV and am proud to how much I have remembered. Yet, then again it has only been a week!

Week 3- digital publications

In today's lesson I felt like I was working hard at my CV yet wasn't achieving anything. I am a bit of a perfectionist so I don't think it's ever going to be good enough. I find it so difficult adjusting myself to the MAC computer layout too, since I'm constantly on a PC at home. Yet, along with this frustration and a bit of stress, I think to myself I must be achieving something. If not, I would

n't even be able to be frustrated. I'd be just blank.
Well, wish me luck in getting this CV finished. There's still hope yet! :)

Oh and the publication I wish to create is till undecided. I'm leaning towards creating a book for children. Yet, at the same time I wouldn't mind continuing on with something I've already started like photography or my passion for faces. Perhaps if 

I think of my reasons for wanting to do both it will narrow it down.

Why I should create a childrens book? 

It is something I have always wished to create and if I get into SWIRL it is something I can bring along and get the children to make possibly.

Why I should continue with my photography? I have always loved taking photos of life and nature. It would be great to do a collage or a book that I can display around my home or room or at my 21st. Something I can look at and use and be proud of.

Why I should continue with my faces? I have always has an interest in creating faces. Whether it be a mask, sketch or painting that is realistic or abstract. It would be interesting to see what I could come up with digitally.

Hrmmm. That has just made me more confused actually. Maybe I will just have to give it time. Until then, adios amigos!

3rd Week - partnership school

Today in my partnership school the 7 other pre-service teachers and I were involved in athletics day on a sporting arena near by. Yet, I found the most valuable and informative event, for me, occurred at the start of the day before we even left for the sporting events.

Two other pre-service teachers (Katie and Lauren) and I were in my mentor teacher’s art classroom with year 10 students. After she introduced us to the class she then went and marked the online role. Fascinated at this up to date way of marking the role I went over to observe how it was done. I believe it was really efficient as when you scrolled over the students names their picture comes up even. Yet, there are always down sides to the system my mentor told me. She then explained how this new role involved teachers having to mark it before the first half hour of the class. If it is not done in time the head teachers look down upon the teachers who mark the role late. However, as my mentor teacher made me aware, some issues arise that have to be addressed early in class for student’s welfare and safety that can’t just be ignored. Hence, they cant always have the role marked by that time.

This made me think about how flawed the system can be at times. It seems like the people in higher positions in the school lose touch with the actual teaching factor and focus on the rules and legislation instead. I personally believe my mentor teacher made a valid point that marking the role first thing in the morning isn’t a great teaching strategy in a high school setting. I remember in high school finding the role marking procedure boring and a waste of valuable learning and teaching time. Many also lost interest at the start of the day and would muck around. I would much prefer walking into a classroom and being motivated to get started on an activity straight away then the teacher coming around to mark off our names. That way we are already quiet and settled and any issues that had to be dealt with early could be.

This started to make me think about this particular issue in a wider context concerning education as a whole. It made me question, although in most primary schools and secondary schools marking roles is done first thing in the morning, is it really a great teaching method? I have marked names on the role first thing in the morning in primary school with the upper years. Even with them, unless you make it creative and fun they even tune out and get bored. Hence, I believe in a secondary school this process may be out dated and not the most effective teaching method.

Week 2- partnership school

Today's partnership school experience was quite different from the first week. This is mainly because I was able to actually observe a classroom and get an idea of what it's like being in a secondary school classroom with students.

Katie and I were welcomed into Mary's classroom, one of the drama teachers, to observe her year 9 drama lesson. My first impressions of this drama teacher, on the first day at the high school, were that she was a thoughtful teacher and cared about the interest of all her students. However, today's lesson seemed to show little of that happening. Perhaps the theory is all there and she wishes to involve all the students, yet it just doesn't seem to be happening.

The lesson started off with a group discussion on why it is important for everyone to remember their own scripts. The teacher clearly explained why they were important and even questioned students as to why we may need them in class. By questioning the students and having them realise for themselves why they are needed in class, made her rules and reasoning seem fair rather than harsh and unclear. I believe this discussion was a good way to make sure students will remember their scripts for the next class and to establish clear and fair rules/responsibilities.

Once the teacher introduced Katie and I, I was then asked a question about my fainting episode from the previous week. Although I hadn't realised how much of an impression I already had made, it was a great opportunity for me to explain that it was due to flu and not nerves.

After that was cleared up, the students rehearsed their lines in front of the class. This is the part of the lesson that I felt wasn’t beneficial to all students as not all students were involved at all times. The students with the main roles and the most lines played a huge part, whilst the students with barely any lines or very little had to just sit back and listen to the rest of their classmates the whole time. The audience members seemed to get distracted easily and bored because of the little they were doing in the class, hence it was quite loud.

If it was my class, I believe I would have gotten everyone to involved to begin with, with a warm up game to get everyone energised and focused. I then would break the class off into small groups to go practise their lines to make sure everyone has something to do. I would then go around to each group to give them any guidance needed and to see how they were going. At the end I think I would have a group discussion and reflection or quick show of ideas. This way they all would have been involved in the class and their own learning goals and direction.

And although I thought it was creative that the class is performing something written by the teacher a few years back, I believe they may have been more interested in performing something they created themselves with their own imagination. I just personally remember enjoying the process of coming up with a script and the felt more proud and willing to perform something me and my friends put together rather than something my teacher gave us. This way we could have more of an input into what we all wished to say and do in the play.

Yet, that is just another way to run a class. Whether it is more beneficial or not to the students at this stage, it’s hard to tell. I just am wondering whether when it comes to my teaching rounds, if I can run things my way or if I have to keep to how the teacher runs her class.

2nd Week

Todays digital publications class was quite interesting. It was made more clear what is expected of us assessment wise and we got to get an idea of text within the program- ADOBE in Design CS4. The program we are using is quite different from microsoft word and will take a while for me to adjust fully.

Today I am also starting to lean towards making a book of some kind for my digital publication. I am thinking a childrens book of some kind, yet not sure how it will work together.

Partnership School Placement-1st day

Today was my first day at my partnership school at Lara Secondary. It was quite an interesting day with high winds expected and bush fire alerts being made throughout Victoria. What made it even more interesting was the fact that I had come down with something and nearly fainted in assembly in front of 800 students. Yet, my friend and fellow pre-service teacher, Katie, warned another teacher and they both helped me get out of there so i could lay down. I laid down right outside the assembly door and after that I was ok again. I was then escorted by the integration aid teacher and Katie to the staff room where I laid down further and rested. The integration aid even offered to drive me home, yet I stated how important this first introduction day was as the VU colleague was coming in, we will meet our mentor Teacher and be given our projects. So I stayed until around 2 o'clock so I didn't miss out on too much. Then when I met my mentor teacher she basically told me to go home and that it was for the best. I was also thinking it felt bad leaving yet, it would have been worse if I stayed and gave what I had to everyone else.

I was also surprised how supportive and friendly the staff was. Unlike previous staff at other schools I have been to, they all knew what we were there for and knew we were going to play an important part in helping them with several different projects around the school. They even made the effort to be the first ones to come up and speak to us and welcomed us to the school. At lunch time we had our own private meeting where we were served sandwiches and were given time with our mentor teachers. Katie and I even get our own office to work on the partnership project, which was extremely kind as the school is tight on space at the moment with its renovations. Having such a friendly and supportive staff in a secondary school is extremely important and I believe the 7 other pre-service teachers and I scored well at Lara Secondary.

The project Katie and I received was also very well thought out and beneficial for both of us and the school. Our project is basically looking at: behaivour management and positive bahaviour in the classrooms, the difference in behaviour for different subject areas, and how different teachers are implementing the positive behaviour model created 2 years back. We get to observe the classroom setting, and interview teachers and students, which also ties in nicely with our core education subject this semester.

My art/drama mentor teacher seemed very on the ball, perhaps a bit stressed, but enthusiastsic. I am interested how she incorporates technology in her class room. I already know the students who have i-pods can use them when the teacher says it is appropriate. I believe by incorporating this technology into classrooms makes the school already seem technologically advanced. However, I feel sorry for the students who don't have i-pods and miss out.

Besides coming down with some kind of virus and being known as the girl who almost fainted during the assembly (seemingly because of nerves), I had a brilliant day. I love the staff and our university colleague. They are all truly supportive and made me feel extremely welcome. It was a shame I didn't get a chance to observe my mentor teachers class, yet she did offer for me to go in sometime next Tuesday instead. I just hope Katie and I wont' have to be working on our partnership project all day long. It seems to be a main priority at this school.
At this school I also have to lastly point out, I truly know now why they call it a partnership school. Since, now I feel like we are finally working with the school on an equal playing field and supporting one another in a partnership. Not a dictatorship. :)

Ideas for Publication

After looking at my recent photographs, works and passions I've always wished to puruit, I am considering the following ideas for my publication:

- Childrens book of short stories and front cover
- Create a song with album cover etc
- Create a film clip for a song
- Create a Calendar
- Create an online scrap book
- Poster for my 21st Birthday

Recent Art Works for Core Education Subject

This is a series I created last year. I wished to use watercolour pencils and paint and pen to create expressionistic faces withe different emotions and textured bacdkgrounds. I related the series with the common use of water colour, line makings and the colours represetning not only emotions but also the elements. (water=depression, fire=anger, earth=subjective facial expression). I have always been interested in faces and wouldnt mind expanding on this series of work possibly for my pulbication.

Recent Scrap Booking Pages Created

For a while now I have been scrap booking my main life events. It's use is to just remind me of the crucial moments in my life. This hobby is valuable to me as I am able to not only do something creative but also create soemthing that is of great value to me. I am hoping to creat a publication in this subject that not only allows me to be creative but also serves a purpose.

Recent Photgraphs taken for Experimental Art

Here are some recent photographs taken for my Experiemntal Art project last year. My aim was to collecvt a series of connected photgraphs that showed different steretypes. My aim was to express that no one fits into just one category and that it is awfully limiting. We all have many sides to our personality.