Web Designing The Way To A Job

In such a technologically based time as the world is in today, and will continue for the foreseeable future, being able to design a website is a very good skill to have. It is not an easy task to complete. It takes time, patience and a lot of careful steps, but the end result will be worth it. There are many reasons as to why presenting a professionally made website to an employer is a good way to show them what one is capable of, but also to set oneself apart from others who are competing for a job.

A website is a way to promote oneself and to use as a resume for employers. Everybody does the standard paper resume so why not be different and give a potential employer a website that was designed and has examples of the work of the same person. It is a great way to stand out and to showcase a skill of web design that not everybody has. It is unique and shows a variety of skills that can be shown on the website. If somebody is a good writer, articles written can be attached to the website. If somebody is a good photographer, photos can be attached. It is a great way to have everything into one consolidated place that can be available to everyone.

Another advantage of using a website is that links to social media accounts can be attached. For many job fields today, having a strong social media presence is necessary. Having a website and attaching links to social media is the perfect way to show this to a potential employer. New media rules the world today and it does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. It is important to stay on top of this because many employers look for employees who are aware of this constantly changing world of technology and media.

Designing the website can be tedious. It is very time consuming and is littered with many small instructions that must be followed strictly step by step. If not, the website can break which can be very stressful and hard to fix. These websites are very intricate and one must be very careful while following the steps. It can be difficult to keep track of all the files, so an organized folder, or several is not only ideal, but necessary to the success of a website. The software itself, Dreamweaver, can be confusing. It is hard to understand somethings on the website if one is not well versed in web design and is just learning. The website should be planned and mapped out beforehand so it is not a scramble to try to finish it. A game plan and a set goal should be set. If a sure plan is set, then it is much easier to complete the task of designing the website. If the directions of how to use the software are laid out, then it will be much easier to work with.This is why it is important to have ample time when designing a website, so no silly mistakes are made due to rushing. Any employer who knows about web design knows how hard of a task that this can be, so presenting them a well made website shows that the creator is very capable of following very strict directions in order to accomplish a goal. Although designing the website can be very hard, it is more than worth it in order to have a very professional and presentable, but different type of resume for a possible employer.

Web design is a skill that not everybody has, so if somebody does have that skill, it is something that should be showcased to the fullest. It is a unique way to be set apart from others and is a great way to have a bunch of different formats of work all in one place to show others.

Follow The Rules: Video Project

A video can accomplish something that no other visual or audio source can. A video is the most specific visual possible, besides being there to see something live. A picture can capture a singular moment, but a video can capture many many moments and provide a more accurate representation of an idea or vision. Making a video is not easy. It may be fun to come up with ideas and to record a video, but putting together the final product with editing and following strict guidelines can be a difficult task. It can be hard to not let personal creatives ideas and opinions get in the way of the goal of the video, or the task that must be completed. If somebody asks for a video a certain way, they do not want anything different and do not care about the personal views or thoughts of the editor. This project was a very good way to learn video editing, video filming and following strict directions.

When hearing the concepts and the format that these videos had to be in, it was somewhat alarming. It seemed very hard to follow, especially when using software that was new to most of the class. It seemed like a tall task to attempt to learn how to use all new software, then edit a video following specific guidelines for a grade. Working with the first group was the easy task. It is easy to be in a group where people are easy going and don't take it too seriously, but at the same time understand that a big grade is at stake. Everything was flowing very well with the group and the project was progressing in a great way. When somebody from another group dropped out and somebody had to switch groups, it was worrying. It seemed as if the group would be far behind.

Fortunately, this would not be the case. The new group flowed together so well and was able to bounce ideas off of eachother so effortlessly. Everybody seemed comfortable with each other and felt as if they had something to prove. It was known that the group was supposed to be very far behind the other groups due to having spent less time together, but the group ended up finishing before everyone. There was a chip on the groups shoulder, and even when offered extra time to finish the project, the time was declined. The problems faced by this group were not due to creativity or lack of communication, but due to technological problems. It can be very difficult to work with editing software that is unfamiliar. It is also hard to get a whole meaning of a concept across to an audience within a short 45 seconds to a minute. It seemed as if the group wanted to do too much. There was too much content for the amount of time that the group was provided. Things that were very entertaining unfortunately had to be cut out of the video for more important things pertaining to the concept of the video. This can be somewhat of a good problem to have. There was so much good content, that some had to be cut out, but that just means that the stuff that was left is is the very best content that the group had to offer.

At first, the group did not account for the time it took to put credits into the video. It is obviously so important to give filming, acting and music credits to the proper people, so it was vital that they were included and not left out of the video. In total the credits would take only about ten seconds, but in a video that is less than a minute long, that is a big chunk of time taken up that was not accounted for.

The filming of the video went great. The group was able to finish filming in ample time and everybody enjoyed themselves while doing it. It was obvious that the group had a fun time being around each other, even in a working environment. It was easy to communicate and to not take things too seriously, even though the project was for a serious grade. It is important to not take things too seriously, because that would cause the group to be stressed out, and being stressed out would cause the group to make silly and careless mistakes, and get angry with each other out of frustration. This would mess up the synergy of the group, so it is best to keep a very loose working environment, with still a main objective at hand to stay focused.

Uploading the video was a somewhat easy task. Uploading it to Twitter was a hard task because of the video format, but uploading the video to YouTube was an easy task. It is as easy as dragging and dropping the video off the desktop into the upload area was all it took. Writing the title and the description was easy too, just had to give proper credits to the music used in the video for copyright purposes.

This video project was easier than anticipated. It was not hard to fill a minute of time or to film, but very hard to follow the strict guidelines provided for the class. Guidelines are very important to any task. Following the rules provided in a class is a good way to prepare to start following guidelines given by clients. Although some parts of the video were difficult, it was completed. All the things that were supposed to be done, got done and the checklist of what the group had to complete was completed. This project was a good learning experiment to teach video filming, editing and following directions. Many went into this class not knowing how to do any video editing, but now have a basic knowledge of using some video software. It is a good skill to have and will make for a fun hobby in the future of editing videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUhRzZZXv0U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slmgpqxSFeY

Twitter For the Greater Good

When most people think about social media, the first thing that comes to mind is that it is a socializing tool that can connect people from all around the world. Twitter is no different. Many people judging it by the surface of an app that is used to share thoughts and nothing much beyond that. That is not the limit of what Twitter can be used for. Twitter can be used as a source of important worldwide information. Many people get their news directly from Twitter as opposed to seeing it on television. This app is so quick and generates information so quickly that it is one of the most efficient ways to receive news in the world. This was evident in 2013 when the Boston Marathon Bombings took place. Writer, Simon Ricketts discusses how information about the bombing came about, himself and his colleagues got their information right away from Twitter. They did not have to wait around for a newscaster to report it, or for an article to be written. They got information within seconds of it happening. In 2017 in Houston when the streets were filled with water from rainfall, the 9-1-1 lines were too clogged so people had to tweet to get help if they needed it! Another example of how Twitter can be used as a positive tool and not just a fun app is during the Paris terrorist attacks in November of 2015. The news of the attack spread almost instantly as it seemed the whole world was showing their support as they tweeted “#PrayForParis.” It was a time where everybody seemed to put their differences aside and came together to stand up to injustice. In Egypt, Twitter is used as a great organizing tool. On January 25th of 2011, when thousands of people came together in protest in Tahrir Square to overthrow the president after thirty years! Twitter was a huge component in organizing this protest. It is crazy to see how much Twitter has came to be used as a positive tool of change.

Twitter is an incredibly useful tool. It is simple to use and easy to pick up on. Also, there is a character limit of 280, so the blurbs are easy to scan through for readers. These are reasons why it is so popular to use Twitter for journalistic and political tool. Sometimes readers do not want to read an entire article of explanation and detail, they just want to read the major and most important parts. Because Twitter has such a strict character limit, it forces the author to state only what is needed when announcing something or making a point. This comes off as being very authentic to the readers when the things that are said are only what needs to be said. When it comes to politics, Twitter has completely changed the game. With a large percentage of people getting their news primarily from social media, it is very important that politicians have a social media presence. If not, there is a good chance that a large percentage of voters will not even hear of them. A politician putting out a good tweet that garners a lot of positive attention can do just as much for them as any television appearance can. Twitter is a criteria that journalistic outlets and politicians need to have in order to succeed in the world today.

Twitter can raise awareness for many things. One of these thing was the number of artists who died over the past year from overdosing on drugs. This has raised awareness on issues of mental illness and drug abuse, and brings into question on whether these things are glorified or not. Several artists such as rapper, Russ, goes on Twitter regularly to speak on these issues and how people should be more aware and considerate of others lives. The conversation of mental illness has never been more loud and that is in large part due to Twitter. Another event that people are becoming more aware of due to Twitter are the recent fires in California. Many people have tweeted out links on ways to support and donate to people who are struggling because of these natural disasters. Many people would not have even know of these fires if it was not for Twitter, unless they watch the news regularly. Similar to the fires in California, another event that many would not have know about if not for Twitter is the October earthquakes in Haiti. Another devastating natural disaster that many people were raising awareness and donation pools through Twitter. If it wasn’t for this app, people could easily miss big events just because they were not watching the television at a certain time. But with Twitter it is easy to stay updated because of the freedom and constant conversation on the app.

Complex (@complex), Anthony Fantano (@theneedledrop) and Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) are three different outlets that represent this time period well. Complex represents a magazine that saw the direction that journalism was heading and adapted to the times. They have an immense social media presence over Twitter, YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram. They seem to focus more on the social media aspect rather than their print magazine aspect because they have realized that is what gets them more attention and ultimately more money. Anthony Fantano and Logan Paul are two people whose success came strictly through social media.If it was not for social media, these people would not be relevant. It is a direct link. They both gained popularity through YouTube and added to that success through other platforms of social media. They are two great examples of how to market through social media and to make a high paying career out of it. It is amazing to see people make themselves successful from nothing but their own creative process and vision. Although some things that Logan Paul did in order to gain attention, such as filming a dead body in the forest, is despicable and not morally correct, one can not argue his success, number of followers, and certainly not his bank account.

Twitter is truly a unique form of social media. Focused on sharing thoughts rather than pictures or connecting with friends. One of the best parts about it is that there is a character limit of 280 characters. If people want to share their thoughts, they must fit within that word count meaning that the tweets are more calculated than a blog post, or even a facebook post where there is an unlimited amount of characters. The focus on the app isn’t to get attention or to show cool things, it is to spread information easily to the world. Twitter is convenient and has completely changed the way that people consume news forever.

Banning Technology in the Classroom

Technology is constantly evolving to benefit the people of the earth and help them communicate, learn and accomplish more tasks easier and more efficiently. Or is it? Many argue that in many cases technology distracts and worsens some behavior. This is very prevalent in many classrooms across the world, where technology is banned. Crazy, right? Not to the teachers who make these decisions, for they claim that this will help the students be more attentive and ultimately learn at a more accelerated rate. The other side of the argument is that new media is so important today, and that students need to use technology in classrooms in order to learn so they can excell. This all goes back to the usual discussion of technology and children of the modern age. Why is technology needed and used so much instead of living in the present. All very interesting points that polarize people daily.

Classrooms can be the most fun and vibrant places ever, or one of the most dreary places. This all depends on the people who fill this classroom. It seems as if teachers, before the major portable technology boom over the past 15 years, were deemed as a cool teacher by the students on how lenient they were towards them. How hard or easy they graded their work and how much they let the students talk in class. But today, the harshness of teachers is largely based on whether they let the students have things such as cell phones and technology in class. Many teachers allow this because they believe it helps the students to learn, and at the same time earns approval from the students. Some teachers and students also overestimate the ability to multitask also. So many people claim to have that skill, but it is much harder than people realize. More people do not have it than people who actually do possess this skill. It is hard to focus on listening to a teacher while watching or reading something on a bright screen. Even people who are not using technology in a classroom can get distracted by another classmate using a device. This is unfair to many students who are trying to focus. A main reason why there shouldn’t be technology in classrooms. Others argue that the technology is not needed to learn in the classroom, even if new media is the subject being taught. It is not impossible to teach new media without technology. A good teacher can explain the process and psychology of how new media works without having the technology in class. A teacher could even give the students homework assignments that need technology so they can still use it for a grade, but don’t have the option to be distracted by it in the classroom.  It is the most important thing about a classroom isn’t powerpoints, not interactive games or online discussions, but how well the teacher can convey a message to their students. A great teacher can teach just with words through lectures, and maybe even writing on a board. They do not need to have fancy equipment and allow students to bring in technology, risking them being non-involved in the class. When students are allowed to have their phones in class, it seems as if everybody is so disconnected. Nobody talks to each other or participates, they just stay in their online universe on a screen. It is important for teachers to be able to teach through their own words and actions, and to not rely too heavily on technology, even when teaching such a closely related thing as new media.

It can be difficult to be present when there is so much on a laptop or on a phone. It is almost as if the place where a person is located is just a fraction of the world, but through the internet, the whole world is in the palm of your hand. There is so much constantly going on through the internet. It moves so quickly and many feel that if they are not looking at it constantly that they will miss out on something important. It can be an anxiety ridden struggle to be off the phone for even a short amount of time after many have become so accustomed to being able to use it whenever they want. People want to feel as if they are a part of something, and social media is something that somebody can be a part of with no effort. There is no try out, it doesn’t cost money, there is no experience needed. It just a simple way to interact with others and is somewhat reminiscent of a club or a team that somebody can be part of whenever they unlock their phone screen. It can sometimes be easier for someone to be on the internet rather than in the present moment because of this. It takes no effort or skill to interact with others. This is the reason why it can be so hard to stay off the phone during class, or to be on a laptop and be focused on only the task that is supposed to be what is engaging a student. People have grown to be dependent on technology, and it has cursed us into being over reliant. If everybody could re-train themselves to be not so reliant on technology, the world may be better off.

Said while writing on a laptop.

wikiHow: Helping The World One Article At A Time

wikiHow is a very helpful website that many people from across the world use to learn ways to accomplish a certain task. This website has around 180,000 articles and almost 1 million users worldwide! The explanations on how to complete these tasks are not made on their own. They do not appear out of thin air for the world to see. People from all over and from all walks of life are able to create and publish their own wikiHow pages to show the world how to do a certain thing. Everyone is good at something, and that is what wikiHow represents. All different types of people specialize in different things, and other people may be curious on how to do the things that someone is good at. wikiHow is the best way to show a wide array of people exactly what someone is capable of.

The most important thing in writing a wikiHow page is personal experience. Nobody can fake this and there is no replacement for this valuable tool. Anybody can take a picture or read an article, but not everybody has performed the task and has the expertise of someone who has actually performed it. This personal experience is something that is very valuable. If this experience is had, it will be easier to explain how to perform the task to other people. It would be very difficult to attempt to explain how to do something to somebody when one has never done it themselves. This experience can be passed on through other people performing the task after reading the article, and possible can help explain it better to other people after completeing and mastering.

Writing steps is a very intrical part of this process. It is what other will do in order to try to accomplish the task themselves. People will follow the information written on the website word for word if they want it to be right. This is why it is very important to be very specific while writing these tasks. Every step should be explained and dumbed down. They need to be as thorough as possible, with little to no room for slip ups on order for the article to be as effective as possible. It should be written so anybody can understand exactly what to do to perform this task. Many would prefer to have the most specific steps as possible so it is possible to follow along while performing the task, making sure a step is not missed or messed up.

Pictures are a necessity while writing a wikiHow page. These give others the opportunity to visually see how to perform a task. Many people are visual learners and would like to see how to how to do something, rather than just hearing it. These pictures make the tasks very easy to understand and to follow along with while performing. Pictures make it very possible to see how a task is performed and make it even easier for people to follow along with. The pictures are part of the identity of wikiHow. The website uses its own clip art that is incredibly unique and identifiable to the website. It would be hard to mistake the artwork from this website with anything else.

wikiHow is a great tool for people who would like to perform a task that they would previously not know how to do. It makes it possible for people to follow along, no matter the demographic that they are part of, it is easy for everybody. That is the beauty of this website. It is informative and helpful for anybody who wants to do things. There are so many different options to explore. So many imaginable tasks that many people would not even think of are on this website. It is a truly unique website like no other. The catalog of tasks is so large and new ones are getting added every single day. At the rate that wikiHow is growing, the listed articles will continue to grow at a fast rate due to people all over the world discovering, learning and inventing new things every single day. It is a cool feeling publishing a wikiHow article that has not been written before, and passing knowledge to other people. It is a great way to share information to people across the globe. It is the most effective way to spread instructions to a mass amount of people. It feels good knowing that the articles will help people complete something that they previously did not know how to do.

My wikiHowarticle: wikiHow To Sumo Deadlift

Citations:

“How to Do Anything.” WikiHow, WikiHow, www.wikihow.com/Main-Page. 

wikiHow. “How to Be Good at Art.” WikiHow, WikiHow, 1 July 2018, www.wikihow.com/Be-Good-at-Art. 

Double Edged Media

Social media is huge part of society today. It is continuously changing and evolves day to day with updates and different features. This evolution of social media that is witnessed daily is something that many would have deemed impossible a decade ago.  Whether it is an app for sharing photos, news, thoughts, videos, social media has so may different platforms that reach so many different audiences across the globe. Everyday social media improves itself, but just because it is improving does not mean that it improves people's lives.

In 2012, social media was bigger than it ever was before. With the incarnation of Snapchat, Facebook being at its peak, and Twitter coming into the scene as a mainstream form of media, people did not know if it could ever get much bigger. These apps allowed people to get inside looks at others lives, spread news at the tap of a screen, but also hide behind their phones and their laptops. Everyday is a new peak of innovation in social media. 2018 is now the pinnacle.

The best parts about social media can also be the biggest reasons why some hate it. It causes a bunch of strife through being able to share opinions, people can pretend to be completely different than they actually are, and overall many people on social media lack basic self control. It is easier to say something on social media than face to face because a person can't see what the other is feeling over a screen. It is much easier to be less empathetic through social media than in person.

Many argue that social media numbs people to real life interactions. While many are so focused on their phones and apps, they do not take the time to explore and appreciate what is in front of us. Others argue that because it is so accessible and easy to talk to others over a phone, talking to people in person is somewhat of a lost art. This can be true. Maybe not with the current generation that, but the generation to follow can be so caught up in screens that they never learn how to efficiently communicate to others face to face. This is a great worry to many that social media can very well be ruining generations to follow.

A time where social media was used in a beautifully positive way, was in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy. Social media was a main player in raising awareness, and ultimately funds of relief efforts to those impacted by the storm. According to bufferapp.com, during this storm, ten thousand pictures with the hashtag "sandy" were uploaded per second, many with geotagged locations.

Social media is a great tool, like anything, in moderation. It should not be used 24/7. It can should be used as an effective tool to spread news and to communicate with others, but should never be used as a valid replacement for in-person communication. It revolutionized communication, but it can also be hurtful to how we communicate. The tempting addiction is something that many have fell victim of so far, and it will only continue to happen as social media grows more accessible to a wider audience and gains a higher platform. It will not slow down anytime soon. Social media truly is a double edged sword, so be careful where you grab it.