I recently used Audacity to create a podcast. First, I wrote my script for my entire podcast, then I recorded each section using QuickTime. Once I had everything recorded, I imported it into Audacity and began piecing my podcast together. 

During this project, I encountered a few obstacles. I have never pieced audio files together before, so there was a learning curve. However, the tutorial Dr. Mears posted on blackboard was extremely helpful. I followed his directions step by step and was able to successfully piece my audio files together. I also encountered an obstacle when trying to decide what intro music and music transitions to use. I have never listened to very many podcasts, so I wasn't sure what music was appropriate. In order to overcome this obstacle, I researched podcasts that were available online and compared their music choices.

I learned that writing your script ahead and time is extremely helpful. By writing my script, I was able to record my audio files smoothly and not try to use filler words such as "um". I believe writing the script up front is the most successful way to create a podcast.

For future projects, I would like to try to record the entire podcast in Audacity instead of piecing my files together. I think this would eliminate weird/awkward transitions and make the podcast flow more smoothly.

I uploaded my podcast in a previous blog. However, if you would like to listen to it again, please click this link Kahn Academy Podcast. For more information visit KahnAcademy.org and http://elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-possible-limitations-of-online-learning.

Kahn Academy Podcast

For more information visit KahnAcademy.org and http://elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-possible-limitations-of-online-learning.

I used WordPress and Google Sites to create websites for my 2 projects. I have never used either of these platforms, so there was definitely a learning curve. I faced some obstacles with both platforms.

I had issues adding pages to my menu in WordPress. In order to overcome this obstacle, I used a trial and error method. I added pages a few different ways until the page was properly showing in the menu. However, WordPress made it very easy to create a beautiful website. I think my website was visually a success. I learned how to use the themes that were already created to make my website look very put together.

I had issues making my website visually appealing while using Google Sites. The themes weren't as great as the WordPress themes. However, to overcome this obstacle, I picked a theme that had already been created and then customized it in order to make my website more appealing. Google Sites made it very easy to add and edit pages to my website. I think the amount of pages I have on my website with Google Sites was a success.

I would choose WordPress as a platform preference. The user interface was very friendly, which made my project run smoothly. I was more pleased with how my WordPress site turned out, as opposed to my Google Site.

This week I worked on altering a photo of myself. I made a few changes to it. First, I changed the color to greyscale. I did this by choosing the image tab, mode, and converting to greyscale. Next, I decided to crop the picture so that there was less happening in the background. I used the crop tool to complete that task. Lastly, I decided to make the entire background a solid color so that it looked more like a studio shot. I did this by using the clone stamp tool. Once I selected my clone stamp tool, I sampled a part of the background I liked and used that sample to apply to the places I wanted to change. 

During this process, I encountered a few obstacles. It was very difficult to make the colors blend well using the clone stamp tool. Even though something looks like one color, there can be shadows. If you select the shadows and clone that onto your image, the image can start looking extremely touched up. To avoid this, I sampled a few different areas while cloning to ensure I wasn't cloning the same sample over and over again. I also struggled cloning the background around my body and the chair. I accidentally cloned over my clothes and hair a few times. To fix this issue, I made the size of the selector smaller so I could get into the detailed areas.

I don't use photoshop that often in my career anymore, so the cloning was a new experience for me. I learned how to change the size and hardness of the tool so I could make things look more natural. Photoshop can help me in future projects. In past projects, I've had images I wanted to use but the lighting was bad. Photoshop can help me fix those images for future projects and allow me to use them instead of having to find a different image.

I recently used HTML and CSS to create an invitation to a Halloween Party. I bolded and italicized words using HTML. I used CSS to create a box model for my content. I applied the CSS with a combination of internal CSS and inline CSS.

Since I use HTML and CSS quite often during my job, I was pretty familiar with this language. However, after reading over the assigned readings for HTML and CSS, I encountered some obstacles. I never realized how many bad habits I have picked up during coding. I also never noticed how much I mix internal CSS and inline CSS. This caused me to sometimes assign two different stylings to the same piece of content.

By reviewing the tutorials and websites provided, this helped me pinpoint my bad habits and correct them. I also decided to always use internal CSS unless I was using a span to wrap content. When a span was being used, I would apply the inline styling to that content. 

Completing this project helped me learn that it's always important to take a step back and review the basics. This project was a great refresher on some skills I learned early in my career that I have since forgot. 

I will use this skill in my professional life. From now on when I am coding emails for my company, I will pay better attention to how I am applying CSS. This will help me create cleaner and better code. This project will also help me with future projects in this class. I will make sure I know the foundations of each project before I try to dive in a complete them. 

I recently completed 2 projects. One project was covering Microsoft Word, and the other project was covering Microsoft PowerPoint. For the Word project, I created an instructional manual explaining how to download Google Chrome to your Mac. This included step by step instructions with screenshots to help with the process. I also created a step by step presentation using PowerPoint about how to prepare and upload a Digital Edition magazine/journal.

I encountered a few obstacles while completing these projects. One obstacle was making sure to include all of the appropriate steps. Since I already knew how to complete both tasks, I would catch myself leaving steps out because I was assuming the individual would automatically know how to accomplish certain things. I also found it difficult to explain steps in a brief manner because it's easy to overload somebody with information.

I did a variety of things to overcome these obstacles. I tried to write down all the information I knew about the step and then pick out only the relevant and "must know" information. Then, I went through the process myself and only followed the directions I wrote down. When I came across something that was missed, I would add that to the steps.

I learned a few different things throughout these projects. First, I learned to never assume an individual knows certain information. When writing a step-by-step process, it's important to set the individual using the information up for success. However, I also learned tactical things such as how to use alt text on an image in Word and creating an accessible Word document.

I believe these projects will help me greatly in the future. Not only have these projects improved my ability to write instructional information, they have also guided me to write them in a more concise and brief manner.

My name is Courtnie Smith and I graduated with a Management Information Systems degree from Oklahoma State University. I am currently a Project Manager at a media company in Tulsa, OK. However, I started my career as a Jr. Front-End Developer. 

This blog will serve as my "reflective journal" throughout my graduate course. I will be posting my learning experiences and research related to instructional media or educational technology. I will also be posting other information related to my field of study.