Blog # 14: The End Is Near

So I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's still a way's away. I have just about completed everything but the actual website, something which I hope to accomplish by the end of this week or (absolute latest) beginning of next (I'M GRADUATION--THAT MEANS NOOOO IP).

I appreciated the last class we had, where we went through the entire process together, however I am still waiting on Jim for some questions I emailed him at the end of class last week. I am also concerned about whatever Java Script that needs to be on the site because I missed that class due to Passover.

Anyway, I would like to share that this class has made me see design in everything I do and create, not just digital media. I just put together a culminating portfolio of my graduate work (in hard copy format) and found myself following many of the same design principles I learned in this class; for instance, I was about to group all my pictures together but then I remembered that part of the recipe of good design is to spice things up by adding flavorful extras weaved throughout the document, not just grouped together in one section.

Blog # 13: Attractive Things Work Better

I find this reading to strengthen what Shedroff mentions in his two readings, about how sensorial design is in fact important because there is a link between fuction and aesthetic. Norman's article simply provides the research to back up Shedroff's points. And as I mentioned in a previous blog, I am most interested in this relationship between emotion and aesthetic/function, because I am a dancer and strive to tap into people's emotions through the aesthetic of the body form.

I found the article to be super dry, though. Talk about trying to appeal to a reader's emotions! Ugh!

Blog # 12: Practice in Self-Promotion

I just wanted to get the word out that I am a member of Emancia Dance Company, which focuses on modern and jazz dance, and our Spring series is this weekend!

Fri April 21st @ 9pm, Sat April 22nd @ 8pm and Sun April 23rd @ 7:30pm.

Tickets are $25, or $15 with student id or professional dance card. they can be purchased at the door or you can call 917.507.5972 for reservations.

Location:
Merce Cunninghan Studio
Westbeth Building
55 Bethune Street, 11th Floor
NYC 10014

Hope to see some familiar faces there, and Tawn, it'd be awesome if you or someone for you wanted to write up a review on the show!

Blog # 11: Recipe for a Successful Website

To start, I appreciate the whole metaphor--made this reading easy to read and relate to, once again making me view web design in a more tangiable light than before. I guess one can make a case for the metaphor to reach to the readings we've been doing. The six ingredients mentioned can be applied to writing, which is apparent in many of our reactions to the readings. Did the author ask rhetorical questions of the reader, making it interactive? Did it have visual models like the last reading, which showed venn diagrams, appealing to visual learners?

It seems the times we as a class respond positively to a reading, it's because it's contained these same elements Shedroff discusses in this article. The ones that are dryer for us have been the ones that leave out a few of the "ingredients." The use of this metaphor is helping me see the value of good design on the web and in everything else we create.

One minor point that speaks volumes to me is the point about having a voice and some subjectivity. Without it, the site has no personality and well, I'm not one to have no personality.

Shedroff lost me a little at the performance and compatability aspects, only because they don't really apply to me for the purposes of this class. I understand what he was saying but really didn't care much (although I am just curious to know how one can adapt his/her website to work optimally on different browsers that display content and visuals differently).

I greatly appreciate the lists of sites at the bottom of each page, especially those on the visual design page. They give me a deeper understanding of what Shedroff is saying by showing actual examples of good and bad design, as well as the kinds of good and bad that exist--do I want my site to be "cool" or "quiet"? Like, who ever knew this existed? I think it's a valuable tool that he supplies us with.

I don't know how to feel about the interaction design part of the reading. I want my site to be interactive but really don't see how promoting myself lends itself to that. I was picturing my site as a virual portfolio of my work. I want to present my work to various audiences within my dance and education fields, but how can one make that interactive? Any ideas?

Blog # 10: Information Interaction Design

I love the fact that this author speaks my language; he doesn't make everything into a complicated science or artform, and plainly admits that a lot of this stuff is common sense, which is what I've been thinking much of the time. Respectfully, however, he states that while a lot of design is indeed common sense, it is important to understand why-- that humans respond to particular forms of design for specific reasons.

Shedroff mentions three main types of design: information, interaction and sensorial. Pretty much self-explanatory, the sensorial design is what held my attention the most, since I am of that blood (meaning I'm a dancer and intrigued by appealing to an audience through different senses, emotions and mediums. I do think the information design will probably wind up being more useful to me in terms of the final project, since my site is very content-based.

I like that Shedroff articulates design as creating an experience versus simply spitting our information in a coherent manner. If that's the case, why not just forget the aesthetics and focus solely on content? It's a good point that he brings up and certainly puts design into perspective. (I probably will not be using him as a theoretical underpinning for my final project because my site is really data-based.)

Shedroff's paper is one of the more well-rounded all-encompassing readings I think we've had in this class. It focuses on design (duh) but covers so much--types of design, organizational issues, and even theoretical opinions, yet does so in a down-to-earth and non-snooty way. Me likey!

Blog # 9: Information Architecture

Wow I am a huge fan of Squishy! At first I was lke, wtf--this is retarded that I am about to take advice from some idiot who actually named himself "Sqishy" (note: this was before I read the fine print atop). Once I opened up my myopic mind and read on, through the lessons about the details of information architecture (I generally knew what it was), I felt the article clarified a lot of little things that would have tripped me up along the way.

I always think in terms of metaphors and in this case, I see information architecture and blueprinting (aka storboarding) the same as lesson plans. Make your goals, objectives (and outcomes if you're ambitious) and then decide your audience, and everything else follows in a commonsensical order. While it certainly seems like it will take a while to plan this out, it's the same as outlining a paper, which only organizes one's thoughts more effectively than attempting to write an entire paper at once. And in the end, all the mistakes that would be prevented from this is certainly worth the planning time.

This tutorial will be my best friend when doing the design document for this class! It literally takes me step by step through exactly what Jim wants! And I already feel like I have a foot forward since Jim had us write a design prospectus.

One thing that baffles me about Jesse James Garrett's site is how all over the place it seems. For someone giving me advice on how to plan out and design my site most effectively, he can sure use some tips I have on cognitive loading! Not only that, but it just doesn't seem too organized in general. All those links and the poor contrast between white and light blue was distracting and tacky. To be honest, I didn't really read what he wrote because of all of it.

Blog #8: Anchored Instruction

While I felt a bit like I was being hit over the head with a hammer over and over and over again in this article, I found Bransford's points to be strong and accurate and supported by extensive and persuasive research, along with common sense. I really appreciated how he was able to use common non-technological metaphors and examples to relate his points to the reader, thereby allowing for the reader's transference of knowledge and internalization of his ideas. I understood what he meant by anchored instruction when he mentioned the riddles about the priest and psychic as well as the example of logorhythms.

I agree with what Bransford discusses in this article, about anchored instruction; that it's not enough just to obtain knowledge but we need to know when it is appropriate to use it and how. Context is key. I was a little skeptical at first when he was suggesting that technology was the best way to get to this place but once he explained the benefits of video instruction, etc. it became very clear. While there will always be points that the devil's advocate can play upon, I ultimately think Bransford made it clear that technology is the best way to instill achored instruction within our students, evoking feelings and appealing to senses that the printed word often cannot.

Blog # 7: Draft Prospectus

Background-What are your learning objectives for this site?
I would like this website to show the culmination of my completed work here at NYU (like an online portfolio) as well as any other information that promotes my work to further my career in dance and dance education.

I want to inform my audience of who I am, what I do and how I can be of service to them, whether it be as a dance educator for a NYC public school, private studio, institution of higher education, a private dance tutor for specialized performing arts programs (and even weddings) or as a performer. I envision my site as being of a hierarchical layout, so that employers can find the information that most pertains to their specialty in the dance or education field.

Who is you target audience?
Originally I was only going to target principals of NYC public schools looking for dance educators, but I was recently asked for my web address by a student at a private studio I was teaching at. I was excited that she wanted to know more about me and where else I teach and perform in the city and therefore decided to expand my website to address these inquiries as well. I am therefore targeting principals, current and future students looking for a dance tutor or instructor with my background, private studio owners and camp directors looking for instructors, professors in institutes of higher education who are looking to hire a dance educator, etc. Basically, employers in the performance and dance education field.

What do you know of their background knowledge in this area?
Their background knowledge in this area is strong. If they are employers seeking employees, they know what they are looking for. I do not need to teach them anything about dance education per se, but should make them aware of my personal belief system in conjunction with dance and dance education, as well as my professional background, etc. They know nothing about me and I must show my versatility.

What is the level of their technological proficiency?
This varies. Older, more seasoned principals in the NYC public educational system are probably not very effeicient when it comes to technology and feel more comfortable with hard copies of this information. Younger and more progressive principals (like those found in charter schools and private schools) probably have a higher level of technological efficiency, or at least appreciate it versus being afraid of it. Employees of insitutes of higher education have a high proficiency in technology and expect professionalism such as this. Therefore, the short answer is varied.

Blog #6: CSS Questions

The main problem I had with this past exercise was that the static positioning div tag did not do what you said it would when I added it to the h1 tag. It stayed exactly the same.

My problem with computer design and technology in general is that it just takes an exceedlingly long time for me to get it right. I literally follow your cheatsheats to the exact word and instruction and even then I am soooo careful with what I am doing, so as not to make a careless mistake and screw everything up, forcing confusion and frustration within me (been there, done that).

That being said, it takes a long time for me to do everything and I haven't quite yet internalized each concept from the previous week to the next so when we get to class and are asked to make a CSS or a table or div tag, I find it nerve-wracking and significantly more difficult for me to do because I'm not working on my own time. I do not believe there is a solution to this, as it is just a pacing problem, having nothing to do with your teaching but with my internalizing the material. I wouldn't ask you to change the pace you teach at to meet this need because you would then be teaching at a snail's pace. It's just a personal thing I need to deal with and judging by the comments from other classmates during the past few classes, it may be a theme, so I thought it would be helpful to share this, although I am only speaking for myself.

And just a sidenote, your cheatsheets are extremely helpful but are a bit different from working on a PC, which causes more confusion for a novice like myself. And because I then figure it out on a pc and then come to class to work on a Mac, it's once again comfusing.

Ok, done venting.