Proj #7 - Activities for Mon, Dec 11

Complete the project today by 5:00 P.M.

Here are some items to keep in mind for what is needed in each of the five sections of your design folder. These are necessary but not sufficient for full marks. Refer to the areas of interaction in your blog entries. Check the MYP rubric for all of the details.

1. Investigate—Include the design briefs and design specification in this section. Describe detailed methods for appropriate testing to evaluate the product against the design specification.
2. Design—Include several feasible designs that meet the design specification.
3. Plan—Produce a number of detailed, logical steps that describe the resources and time needed.
4. Create—Document, with a series of photographs, printouts, and a dated record, the process of making your product.
5. Evaluate—Evaluate the product against the design specification, evaluate its impact on life, society, and/or the environment. Evaluate your own performance at each stage of the design cycle and suggest ways in which your performance could have been improved.

Proj #7 - Activities for Fri, Dec 8

1. Check your blog entries to make sure that they satisfy the MYP rubric.
2. Make sure that you have documentation showing intermediate work.

Note that the project is due on Monday, December 11.

Proj #7 - Activities for Wed, Dec 6

1. Review work done over the break
2. Review what is needed for the final project
   
   • All blog entries updated
   • Photos, screen prints, prints of webpages showing work-in-progress

Proj #7 - Activities for Wed, Nov 29

1. Discuss physical folders for project.
2. Everyone to print out drafts of all section that are completed.
3. Continue work on project.
4. Plan on spending time outside of class after the break.

Proj #7 - Activities for Mon, Nov 27

1. Begin organizing materials for your Design Folder. If you finish a section, print it out and put it in the folder.
2. Also include drawings, photos, and print-outs of websites and other aspects of your project that demonstrate your progress.
3. Continue working on the project.
4. Keep your blog up-to-date.

Proj #7 - Activities for Fri, Nov 24

1. Make sure that you have a copy of the rubric to refer to during the project.
2. Continue working on the project.
3. Keep your blog up-to-date.

Proj #7 - Activities for Wed, Nov 22

1. Everyone to print
   
   • a completed Design Specification from the Investigate section
   • a completed Plan
2. If not completed, then complete it first before working on rest of project.
3. Post on wall.
4. Continue working on project.

Proj #7 - Activities for Mon, Nov 20

1. Review homework. Those who haven’t completed the Design Brief and Design Specification should finish it first.
2. Paste all material into the Investigate Section of the blog.
3. Work on Plan. Lay out schedule for remaining eight classes.
4. Remind everyone to get the rubric.
5. Which AoI will be addressed in your project?
6. Include that in the Investigate.

HW: Write a draft of the Design Section.

Proj #7 - Activities for Fri, Nov 17

1. Discuss Wednesday’s homework. What is each student’s topic?
2. Have several students read their Design Specification draft.
3. Who has a copy of the rubric? The objectives (p 21 from the MYP Technology Guide). Get one by next class.
   
4. Work on the computer to write a second draft of the Design Specification

HW: Continue Investigation and post final version of Design Specification in Investigate section.

Proj #7 - Activities for Wed, Nov 15

1. Read through the project description.
2. Discuss the Design Brief.
3. Discuss the Design Specification.
4. Discuss what the final product will be.
5. List in notebook all of the tools available.
6. Write in blog three possible Design Briefs.

Definitions from the MYP Technology Guide
Challenge: A description of the task as it is presented to the students. It should describe the problem to be addressed and may refer to key features included in the design specification.

Design Brief: The student’s response to the challenge, showing how they intend to solve the problem they have been presented with. This will guide their investigation as they work to develop a more detailed design specification.

Design Specification: A detailed description of the conditions, requirements and restrictions with which a design must comply. This is a precise and accurate list of facts such as conditions, dimensions, materials, process and methods that are important for the designer and for the user. All appropriate solutions will need to comply with the design specification.


HW: Choose one Design Brief for your topic and write a first draft of the Design Specification.

Project #7

Library Project — #7

Create a project solution that is related to some aspect of the CIC Library. You may use one or more of the tools that you have learned to use this semester, and you may use any addition tools that are appropriate for your solution.

Document your work in your blog. Proper spelling and clear writing style are important. Your blog should have five posts for the design folder (one each for investigate, design, plan, create, and evaluate). Each post should have “MYP Library Project” and the section of the design folder in the title to make it easy to identify (e.g. MYP Library Project—Investigate).

Refer to the MYP descriptors to understand what is expected in each section. The project will be evaluated based on the MYP technology rubric. You will also need to document the progress of your project with photos and/or other supporting material.

This project will be submitted to the MYP as part of your portfolio for your MYP certificate. If you are not a candidate for the MYP certificate, you must complete the project and will be evaluated using the same rubric.

The project is due on December 11.

Proj #6 - Activities for Mon, Nov 13

1. Complete the website
2. Complete the evaluation section. Be sure to check the MYP rubric so that you include the necessary evaluation.
3. The project is due by 5:00 PM. If you were involved in SAMUN, it is due by 5:00 PM on Friday, Nov 17.
   

Proj #6 - Activities for Fri, Nov 10

1. Continue work on website.

Proj #6 - Activities for Wed, Nov 8

1. Continue work on website.
2. Complete Design section of blog in class.
3. You must use your design blueprint while you are creating your web pages.
4. Discuss naming conventions for web pages.
   
   • All lowercase
   • Home page must be “index.html”.
   
   

Proj #6 - Activities for Mon, Nov 6

1. Discuss the Design Specification. “A detailed description of the conditions, requirements, and restrictions with which a design must comply. This is a precise and accurate list of facts such as conditions, dimensions, materials, process, and methods that are important for the designer and for the user. All appropriate solutions will need to comply with the design specification.”
2. Each student to rewrite his storyboard in more detail with four web pages on an 8.5 x 11 page.
3. Consider location of text, graphics, tables, and links.
4. Each student to complete and get it signed-off before continuing.
5. Work on websites and design folder.

HW: Keep up-to-date on Design Folder entries.

Proj #6 - Activities for Fri, Nov 3

1. Discuss each student’s topic.
2. Discuss elements of good design

• Color scheme
• Fonts
• Layout
• Navigation

3. Investigate templates in File/New Page/Grade 5 Student Website/Starter Web Pages
4. Everyone to develop a storyboard showing the overall organization of the site and links between all of the pages.
5. Work on Investigate section of DF.

HW:
1. Complete the Investigate section of your Design Folder.
2. Bring materials for scanning or photography.

Proj #6 - Project Description

Website Project — #6

Create a website using appropriate software. The subject of the website should be one that is related to some project you did for another class at CIC this year. This should limit the amount of research that you will have to do. You need to get your topic approved by me before you begin. You should include graphics, photos, and text as is appropriate to your topic. There should be at least four pages with appropriate links. You should use the techniques of good design in your website. Consider the intellectual property laws in choosing the materials you include. Cite your sources using MLA format.

Document your work in your blog. Proper spelling and clear writing style are important. Your blog should have five posts for the design folder (one each for investigate, design, plan, create, and evaluate). Each post should have “Project #6” and the section of the design folder in the title to make it easy to identify (e.g. Project #6 Investigate). Refer to the MYP descriptors to understand what is expected in each section. The project will be evaluated based on the MYP technology rubric.

The project is due on November 13.

Proj #6 - Activities for Wed, Nov 1

Project #6
1. Describe the project.
2. Discuss web terminology: WWW, browser, HTML, rendering, website home page, webpage
3. Popular browsers: MSIE, Firefox, Safari.
4. Discuss HTML and show source code for a web page.
5. Popular web development programs: Dreamweaver, Contribute. Describe what they do.
6. Begin to explore the templates of Contribute.

HW:
1. Decide on the subject for your project and put it in your blog.
2. Complete the “Plan” section of your Design Folder.

Proj #5 - Activities for Mon, Oct 30

1. Include a link to your Web Album in your blog.
2. Include captions under your photos in Web Albums indicating the sources of each photo (Creative Commons, scanned, or taken yourself).
   
3. Complete the project by 5:00 PM.

Proj #5 - Activities for Fri, Oct 27

1. Review MYP terminology in Evaluate rubric
2. Continue work on project.

HW: Work on other DF sections as needed.

Proj #5 - Activities for Wed, Oct 25

1. Review MYP terminology in Plan and Create rubric
2. Discuss what needs to be in a DF entry and what is not needed.
3. Work on Design section of DF.
4. Discuss Creative Commons.
5. How does it work?
6. Do you need to cite?
7. Take photos as needed.
8. Work on project

HW:

1. Complete the Design section of your DF.
2. Work on other DF sections as needed.

Proj #5 - Activities for Mon, Oct 23

1. Review everyone’s project.
2. Discuss scanning. Resolution for printing and for the web.
3. Review basic adjustments in Picasa
4. Straighten
5. Crop
6. Adjust Color
7. Adjust Contrast
8. Sharpen
9. Discuss the use of the scanner.
10. Scan
11. Crop
12. Save in Common
13. Move to your home directory.
14. Review project specs.
15. All photos on one topic.
16. Make sure photos are available in Creative Commons.
17. Review MYP terminology in Investigate and Design rubric

HW:

1. Complete the Investigate section of your DF.
2. Scan your photo.

Proj #5 - Activities for Fri, Oct 20

1. Discuss results of Project #4.
2. Why were some articles removed or heavily edited?
3. Is Wikipedia a useful and reliable source of information?
4. Describe the basics of using the digital cameras.
5. Turning on and off.
6. Leave the memory cards in.
7. Taking the photos—composition, flash, focus, orientation. Use the viewfinder, not the LCD.
8. Take photos in class for 5-10 minutes.
9. Download photos to your directory. Use the Wizard to delete after downloading and save in your home directory.
10. Import photos into Picasa.
11. Edit photos using Auto Contrast, Crop, Effects (BxW and Sharpen).
12. Export final photos to Picasa Web Albums
13. Publish one photo to your blog in the Investigate section of your design folder.

HW:

1. Bring in photos to scan on Monday.
2. Continue work on the design folder.

Proj #5 - Project Description

Digital Graphics Project — #5

Create a library of graphics using Picasa Web Albums. Your library should have at least one scanned photo, two photos from a legal online source such as Creative Commons, and two photos that you have taken yourself. Edit the photos using Picasa so that they are all 4” x 6”. At least two should be in color and two in black-and-white. All of the photos should be on one particular topic.

Document your work in your blog, and upload your photos to your blog. Keep a design folder for this project in your blog. Each post should have “Project #5” and the section of the design folder in the title to make it easy to identify (e.g. Project #5 Investigate). Proper spelling and clear writing style are important. Your blog should have five posts for the design folder (one each for investigate, design, plan, create, and evaluate). Refer to the MYP descriptors to understand what is expected in each section. The project will be evaluated based on the MYP technology rubric.

The project is due on October 30.

Proj #5 - Activities for Mon, Oct 16

Project #5

1. Describe the project
2. Research Picasa. Learn to use the basic editing features: Crop, convert to black-and-white, Sharpen, adjust contrast and color
3. Research Picasa Web Albums.

HW:

1. Decide on the subject for your project and put it in your blog.
2. Complete the “Plan” section of your Design Folder.

Proj #4 - Activities for Wed, Oct 11

1. Complete project.
2. Use proper formatting for your wiki entry.
3. In your Evaluation be sure to review your Plan and compare to what actually happened.
4. In your blog include the link to your wiki entry.

Proj #4 - Activities for Mon, Oct 9

1. Continue working on project.
2. Review drafts with me before posting.
3. Work on Design Folder

Proj #4 - Activities for Fri, Oct 6

1. Try out the sandbox in Wikipedia.
2. Read the article on the Wikipedia sandbox at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sandbox.
3. Continue working on project.
4. Continue working on your Design Folder

HW: Continue working on project according to your plan.

Proj #4 - Activities for Wed, Oct 4

1. Everyone should have an account on some wiki by the end of class.
2. Review what Wikipedia is and is not. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not and discuss.
3. Complete first draft of your article during class. This should be written as an MS Word document.
4. Continue working on project.
5. Continue working on your Design Folder

HW: Continue working on project according to your plan.

Proj #4 - Activities for Mon, Oct 2

1. Review everyone’s topics.
2. If the topic has not been selected, then work to develop one and make a blog entry.
3. Discuss Plan section of design folder and work on blog entry to lay out a day-by-day plan
4. Review each student’s plan before continuing.
5. Continue with project according to plan.
6. Review evaluations on project #3.

HW: Continue working on project according to your plan

Proj #4 - Activities for Fri, Sep 29

Project # 4—Wikis
This is a project that focuses on writing and the MYP Design Folder.

Find a topic about which you are knowledgeable. It needs to be an area about which there is relatively large audience of interest. Investigate various wikis, and find one to which you can add an entry. (There are many other possibilities besides Wikipedia.) Get an account for that wiki. Research your topic, write a draft of your entry and post your entry on the wiki. Learn how to format your entry properly. Track changes to your entry.

Document your work in your blog. Keep a design folder for this project in your blog. Each post should have “Project #4” and the section of the design folder in the title to make it easy to identify (e.g. Project #4 Investigate). Proper spelling and clear writing style are important. Your blog should have five posts for the design folder (one each for investigate, design, plan, create, and evaluate). Refer to the MYP descriptors to understand what is expected in each section. The project will be evaluated based on the MYP technology rubric.

The project is due on October 11.

1. Discuss the project.
2. The focus is on writing and the Design Folder
3. Group discussion to begin identifying a topic. Everyone should have two or three possibilities.
4. All students to research and find a wiki that is appropriate to the type of topic that they will write on.
5. Work on computer to begin the Design section of the DF.

HW: Pick your topic and make an entry in your blog describing it.

Proj #3 - Activities for Wed, Sep 27

Completing your project

1. Reread the project specifications to make sure that you have completed all parts of the project.
2. Complete all five sections of the MYP Design Folder. In your Evaluate section you should discuss the Areas of Interaction that are relevant to this project.
3. The project is due by midnight tonight.
   

Proj #3 - Activities for Mon, Sep 25

1. Discuss the contents of each section of the Design Folder. What is necessary?
2. Review the sites in CIC10 to show which are acceptable links and which aren’t.
3. For your Evaluate section examine ways in which del.icio.us would be useful for future research projects. How effective were you in setting up your del.icio.us account?

HW:

1. Continue working on the project.
2. Have at least five completed links on your del.icio.us account for Wednesday's class.

Proj #3 - Activities for Fri, Sep 22

1. Reviews terminology.
2. Discuss the project.
   
   • What are you supposed to do?
   • How many entries do you need? Duplicates don’t count. First come, first served.
   • Find websites related to Wikis.
3. Bookmark, note, tag.
4. What will be in each section of the Design Folder?
5. What are the Areas of Interaction in the project?
6. What is the social significance of social bookmarking?\
7. Everyone to continue working on del.icio.us and Design Folder in blog.

Proj #3 - Activities for Wed, Sep 20

1. Discuss social bookmarking and del.icio.us.
2. Create a del.icio.us account with the format of “cic10jimp”. Save the name and password.
3. Learn to add bookmarks to the toolbar.
4. Log on to your account and investigate what’s available.
5. Examine the “help” section.
6. Discuss in last 10 minutes of class.

HW:
Begin the "Investigate" post for the Design Folder for this project.

Proj #2 - Activities for Mon, Sep 18

1. Review grading
2. Discuss social and ethical issues of podcasts.
3. Everyone to subscribe to CIC Podcasts, download two podcasts, and listen to them.
4. Discuss in class

HW:
In preparation for Project #3, research “social bookmarking’ and “del.icio.us” and write a post (under a Project #3 title).

Proj #2 - Activities for Mon, Sep 11

1. Check to make sure that you have five posts for your Design Folder. Copy and paste anything from your other posts that can add to the Design Folder posts.
2. Delete all other posts. You should have just five posts now. One for each stage of the Design Folder.
3. Have someone else listen to your final MP3 version of your podcast to make sure it is good enough to publish on the CIC website.

HW:

1. Final version of your podcast should be completed by 5:00pm Monday, September 11.
2. Final version of your Design Folder should be completed by 5:00pm Tuesday, September 12.
   

Proj #2 - Activities for Fri, Sep 8

1. Edit your podcast
2. Refer to the project specifications to make sure that you are completing the project appropriately
3. Project extension - the podcast and all blog entries are due on Tuesday, September 12 at 5:00pm.
4. Refer to the guidelines for editing your podcast posted on my blog.
5. Note that you must convert your podcast to MP3 format and save it in your directory with the name "FinalYourname"; e.g. FinalCatherine.
   

HW:

1. Edit podcast
2. Continue with other posts

Proj #2 - Guidelines for editing your podcast

1. Make a "safety" copy as a backup.
2. As you edit, save regularly.
3. Cut out long stretches of silence unless they add to your podcast.
4. Cut out distracting noises, clicks, "ums".
5. Don't cut out something that would affect the integrity of your podcast.
6. Make sure your podcast meets the guidelines of the project.
7. Adjust the volume judiciously. Changes should not be abrupt.
   
8. If you add music to the introduction and/or conclusion, it must be legal. (just because you bought a song, doesn't give you rights to use it in your podcast).
9. When you think the editing is all finished, listen to the entire podcast as a final check.
10. Save your final version.
11. Export file as WAV.
12. Import into iTunes.
13. Convert to MP3 format as mono with a birtrate of 64kbps.
14. Export your final version and save it to your home directory with a name of "FinalYourname"; e.g., "FinalCatherine".

Proj #2 - Activities for Wed, Sep 6

1. Discuss problems with podcasts
2. Continue work on design folder posts
   
   • By the end of class everyone should have completed Design Folder entry for Investigate and Design stages
3. Work on editing podcast if recording is complete.

HW:

1. Record/edit podcast
2. Continue with other posts

Proj #2 - The Design Folder

For this project you need to complete a Design Folder. This is the MYPs term for an organized set of writing on each of the five steps in the Design Cycle. You will need to have one post for each of the five steps (Investigate, Design, Plan, Create, Evaluate) Each entry needs to be several paragraphs longs. They must be original writing, not material taken from others sources.

Here is what the MYP says about the Design Folder:

"Once a project is complete, students are required to compile their evidence for each stage of the design cycle in a more formalized manner by producing a design folder. Students take important entries made in their process journal and add value to them by way of discussion, critical evaluation and commentary. For example, experimentation with colour may be briefly mentioned in the process journal, but here students would be expected to discuss why they chose a particular colour over another.

Despite personally preferring a subtle blue as the background for my web site, my research has indicated that a significant proportion of successful sites on the Internet use “white space” to provide the contrast needed for important content. I therefore decided to go with this convention in my final design.

The design folder needs to be clearly separated into its constituent parts according to the technology assessment criteria, even though, very often, entries made in the process journal will not follow the same pattern. Thus the design folder will begin with a report on the student’s investigation and end with the evaluation."
Process journal and design folder, September 1, 2006, http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/tsm/tech/content/public/index.cfm?HierarchyID=514

Proj #2 - Activities for Mon, Sep 4

1. Review schedule of interviews
2. Hand in interview questions
3. Demonstrate recording using laptop and microphone.
4. Discuss in more detail the design folder. Show an example of a design folder entry.
5. Begin work on the Investigate section of the design folder.
6. Complete other posts.

HW:

1. Record podcast
2. Continue with other posts

Proj #2 - Activities for Fri, Sep 1

1. Discuss each of the steps in creating a podcast episode.
2. Begin writing your interview questions.
3. Try recording a short interview with the person sitting next to you. What problems do you encounter? How will you solve them when you record your interview?
4. Discuss recording resolution.
5. Research on the web and find out the appropriate settings for your podcast.
6. Learn how to make these settings in Audacity and try recording.
7. Discuss Murphy’s law.

HW:

1. Schedule a time for your interview.
2. Write your interview questions. These are due, to hand in, at the beginning of class on Monday.
   

Proj #2 - Activities for Wed, Aug 30

1. Discuss the MYP Design Folder: “A compilation of evidence that accompanies the final product for a unit of work. Students formally organize the results of their investigations, their various designs, plans and evidence for creation, their reflections during the creation stage and their evaluations of the final product/solution.
2. Demonstrate the Audacity software
3. Show basic controls for recording and editing.
4. Try out Audacity
   
   • Make a short recording of yourself
   • Play back
   • Make some edits
   • Play back again
   • Save in your folder (not on the C drive)
5. Research interviewing and interview techniques. How will you conduct your interview?
6. Begin writing your interview questions.
7. Begin work on the “Investigate” entry of your design folder.

HW: Complete your interview questions

Proj #2 - Activites for Mon, Aug 28

Project #2 - Create a podcast episode

Create an episode for CIC Podcasts in which you interview one teacher for 3-5 minutes. Write a script of questions. Clear, correct pronunciation is important, so rehearse in advance of recording. Edit your recording to minimize distracting artifacts while preserving the integrity of the content. Adjust the volume as needed. You must give the teacher whom you interviewed the opportunity to review the final recording before posting the episode on CIC Podcasts.

Document your work in your blog. Keep a design folder for this project in your blog. Each post should have “Project #2” in the title to make it easy to identify. Proper spelling and clear writing style are important. Your blog should have five posts for the design folder (one each for investigate, design, plan, create, and evaluate) plus at least five posts in which you discuss daily activities. In one of the posts you should discuss each of the steps involved in creating an episode for a podcast from start to finish. The project will be evaluated based on the MYP technology rubric.

The project is due on September 11.

Class activities

1. Define podcast: “a method of publishing audio programs via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new files (usually MP3s).” Wikipedia
2. Define terms
   
   • Podcast
   • Episode
   • Player
   • Feed
   • Subscribe
   • File format
3. Go to the CIC website and follow the instructions on subscribing to CIC podcasts
4. Set up your blog for this project and make your first post.
5. Answer the question: How does a podcast differ from an audio file?

HW: Complete your blog post

Proj #1 - Activities for Fri, Aug 25

Review the following questions to complete Project #1.

1. Check the project definition compared to what you have done.
2. Have you completed all of the requirements?
3. What areas of interaction were involved in this project?
4. Reflect on your work. What could you have done better? What problems, both expected and unexpected, did you encounter?
5. What would you do differently next time?
6. Which types of projects and activities are suitable for blogs? Which aren’t?
7. Using the MYP technology rubric, evaluate your work on this project.
   

Proj #1 - Activities for Wed, Aug 23

1. Give Gmail IDs to me
2. Discuss blogs
3. What problems are you experiencing?
   
4. What stage in the design cycle are you in today?
5. Discuss features of Blogger.
6. How to get the time to show properly?
7. What is a template?
8. How does the template affect the content?
9. What other aspects of your blog can you change with the settings?
10. What is the difference between a template and a profile?
11. What information is OK to put in your profile and what shouldn’t you put in? Why?

HW:
Finish your post.

Proj #1 - Activities for Mon, Aug 21

Create a blog.

Create a series of posts in which you discuss the MYP design cycle and the technology rubric. Follow the design cycle as you do this project. You will have to do some research on the design cycle. You should discuss each of the stages of the Design Cycle. In your posts discuss which stage you are in and what activities you are doing. What Areas of Interaction are relevant for this project? Use the various features of Blogger to make your posts readable and easy to understand. Also, discuss the MYP approaches to learning. Which ones apply to this project? In addition, post a comment to the blog of at least one student in the class.

Each post should have “Project #1” in the title to make it easy to identify. Proper spelling and clear writing style are important. You blog should have at least three posts.
The project will be evaluated based on the MYP technology rubric.

The project is due on August 25.

Proj #1 - Activities for Fri, Aug 18

1. Review course description
2. What is a blog?
3. Important terminology

• Blog account
• Blog
• Post
• Blog host

4. Set up blog account using Blogger.
5. Create accounts with the naming convention “CIC10jimp”.
6. Call the blog “Grade 10 Technology”.
HW: Make your first post and comment on someone else’s blog.