Today (15/5) was a bit of a disaster. I had my day scheduled out. And gave myself double the amount of time I needed for setting up the exhibition, and timetabled the rest of the day around that.
However, there were some complications with my space that were entirely out of my control and I got almost nothing done that I needed to.
For this reason, my key stage 3 presentation's character has less animation than I would like. I'm not happy with the amount of work I produced today, and it's a shame that factors out of the class' control had to get in the way...
Wednesday 15 May 2019
Digi-Lessons
Tonight I finally finished filming and editing my digi-lessons. I'm so so happy with how they turned out. To me, these were one of the most crucial parts of my project, especially as I haven't been able to present my work to an actual school. I based my video style on a cross between a TED Talk, and a casual vlog. You can see all three videos below...
Whilst I am really happy with how my digi-lessons worked out, and they definitely succeed my expectations of my own work, there were a few issues. Firstly, my microphone didn't work for KS2 video, which means the sound is slightly to the other two video. What's worse is that this also happened towards the end of the KS4 video, so there is a point at which the sound quality just gets slightly worse.
Another issue I had was that my camera overheated and cut out a few times. When it did, it erased some footage, and I didn't notice. This meant there was about 30secs of information missing from the KS3 video. However, I decided not to reshoot, as it would be difficult to replicate the same shoot, and that would ruin the continuity of the video.
Other than this, I do think I need to work on my delivery a lot. I feel like I haven't 100% found my presenting style and it really shows, as I'm very inconsistent in my tone.
But still, overall, these were a fab success!
Tuesday 14 May 2019
Useful Links
Last semester, I used a blog post to collect and casually reference sites and sources that helped throughout the development of my project. I hadn't intended to do this again this semester, as I didn't think this project would require as much research. However, a few weeks in, I am realising how much research I am finding myself doing. This list will be re-dated every time it is edited, so as to keep it at the top of the blog.
Below is a list of sources that have informed the progress of my project:-
- Social Media Kids Are Using; www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/16-apps-and-websites-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook
- Ofcom Kids on Social Media Stats; www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42153694
- How Are Children Using Social Media; www.cobis.org.uk/blog/how-are-your-children-using-social-media-the-facts
- Social Media Explained; youtu.be/SgNIIUD_oQg
- Do's and Don'ts of Social Media; youtu.be/hqezbib5qpQ
- Social Media Rules for Kids; youtu.be/w9vF_b4F2wI
- Social Media Addiction; youtu.be/VJcxbOmV6Do
- Kids and Social Media; youtu.be/RAFSrGX0mxk
- Social Media Safety; youtu.be/TZP9A5tl1lw
- The Dangers of Social Media; youtu.be/6jMhMVEjEQg
- Popular Kids' TV Shows; www.ranker.com/list/best-current-cartoon-network-shows/ranker-tv
- Best Animated Series of 2018; filmschoolrejects.com/best-animated-series-2018/
- Top 10 Cartoons of 2018; www.thetoptens.com/cartoons-2018/
- Stegosaurus Wood Cut Out; www.amazon.com/Stegosaurus-Dinosaur-Unfinished-Variety-Nursery/dp/B014E9XEAK
- Dinosaur Art; http://thecontentcompany.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/dinosaurs-coloring-pages-simple-page-dinosaur-cartoon-the-good-pictures-pa.jpg
- Dinosaur Outlines; http://vocal-r.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/simple-dinosaur-drawing-easy-dinosaur-drawing-at-getdrawings-free-for-personal-use-ravens-coloring-pages.jpg
- Dinosaur Temp Tattoos;
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1AY1eaWzB9uJjSZFMq6xq4XXaW/Water-Transfer-Tattoo-cute-cartoon-dinosaur-egg-cat-bird-tattoo-Waterproof-Temporary-fake-Tattoo-for.jpg
- Pixel Dinos;
https://i.etsystatic.com/18401359/r/il/2c3ac2/1692606037/il_570xN.1692606037_8vn3.jpg
- Dino Phone Stand; www.amazon.com/Plinrise-Phone-Dinosaur-Silicone-Creative/dp/B06XXPZR2M?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3
- Dinosaur Silhouettes; https://fscomps.fotosearch.com/compc/CSP/CSP709/dinosaur-types-signed-name-icons-set-stock-illustration__k54178677.jpg
- Requirements for DBS Check; https://www.crb-check.com/types-of-crb-checks/required-documents-for-a-crb-check
- DBS Checks Explained; https://www.ucheck.co.uk/dbs-checks-in-education-ofsted-requirements/
- DBS Checks and School Trips; https://www.ucheck.co.uk/dbs-checks-and-school-trips/
- DBS Check Guide; https://www.qaeducation.co.uk/content/guide-dbs-checks-education-sector
- Working Without DBS; https://crbdirect.org.uk/starting-work-without-a-dbs-check/
- Ofsted and DBS; https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/ofsted-say-disclosure-barring-dbs-checks/
- Enabling Custom Thumbnails on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzna4puSuwE
- Bullying Stats; http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
- Why Isn't Bullying Reported; http://yth.org/teens-dont-report-cyberbullying/
- Bullying Victims; https://www.verywellfamily.com/reasons-why-victims-of-bullying-do-not-tell-460784
- Social Media Stats; https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-to-expect-in-your-social-media-manager-career-2315328
Below is a list of sources that have informed the progress of my project:-
- Social Media Kids Are Using; www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/16-apps-and-websites-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook
- Ofcom Kids on Social Media Stats; www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42153694
- How Are Children Using Social Media; www.cobis.org.uk/blog/how-are-your-children-using-social-media-the-facts
- Social Media Explained; youtu.be/SgNIIUD_oQg
- Do's and Don'ts of Social Media; youtu.be/hqezbib5qpQ
- Social Media Rules for Kids; youtu.be/w9vF_b4F2wI
- Social Media Addiction; youtu.be/VJcxbOmV6Do
- Kids and Social Media; youtu.be/RAFSrGX0mxk
- Social Media Safety; youtu.be/TZP9A5tl1lw
- The Dangers of Social Media; youtu.be/6jMhMVEjEQg
- Popular Kids' TV Shows; www.ranker.com/list/best-current-cartoon-network-shows/ranker-tv
- Best Animated Series of 2018; filmschoolrejects.com/best-animated-series-2018/
- Top 10 Cartoons of 2018; www.thetoptens.com/cartoons-2018/
- Stegosaurus Wood Cut Out; www.amazon.com/Stegosaurus-Dinosaur-Unfinished-Variety-Nursery/dp/B014E9XEAK
- Dinosaur Art; http://thecontentcompany.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/dinosaurs-coloring-pages-simple-page-dinosaur-cartoon-the-good-pictures-pa.jpg
- Dinosaur Outlines; http://vocal-r.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/simple-dinosaur-drawing-easy-dinosaur-drawing-at-getdrawings-free-for-personal-use-ravens-coloring-pages.jpg
- Dinosaur Temp Tattoos;
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1AY1eaWzB9uJjSZFMq6xq4XXaW/Water-Transfer-Tattoo-cute-cartoon-dinosaur-egg-cat-bird-tattoo-Waterproof-Temporary-fake-Tattoo-for.jpg
- Pixel Dinos;
https://i.etsystatic.com/18401359/r/il/2c3ac2/1692606037/il_570xN.1692606037_8vn3.jpg
- Dino Phone Stand; www.amazon.com/Plinrise-Phone-Dinosaur-Silicone-Creative/dp/B06XXPZR2M?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3
- Dinosaur Silhouettes; https://fscomps.fotosearch.com/compc/CSP/CSP709/dinosaur-types-signed-name-icons-set-stock-illustration__k54178677.jpg
- Requirements for DBS Check; https://www.crb-check.com/types-of-crb-checks/required-documents-for-a-crb-check
- DBS Checks Explained; https://www.ucheck.co.uk/dbs-checks-in-education-ofsted-requirements/
- DBS Checks and School Trips; https://www.ucheck.co.uk/dbs-checks-and-school-trips/
- DBS Check Guide; https://www.qaeducation.co.uk/content/guide-dbs-checks-education-sector
- Working Without DBS; https://crbdirect.org.uk/starting-work-without-a-dbs-check/
- Ofsted and DBS; https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/ofsted-say-disclosure-barring-dbs-checks/
- Enabling Custom Thumbnails on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzna4puSuwE
- Bullying Stats; http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
- Why Isn't Bullying Reported; http://yth.org/teens-dont-report-cyberbullying/
- Bullying Victims; https://www.verywellfamily.com/reasons-why-victims-of-bullying-do-not-tell-460784
- Social Media Stats; https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-to-expect-in-your-social-media-manager-career-2315328
Creating My Website
Surprisingly, one of the parts of my project that took the longest and that I'm most satisfied with is actually my website. I am so so satisfied with how my website worked out! Below you can see a video walk through of the site, but you can access the site itself at...
https://maxiegeemail.wixsite.com/socialmedia
https://maxiegeemail.wixsite.com/socialmedia
In this post I will very briefly run through my choices on each page...
Home.
The home page was the first page I designed, and was how I decided on my house style for - not only my website - but also my logo, which I was designing at the same time. I wanted the home page to be strong, stark and minimal. So I went for a slogan and a blurb in the central space, and below, a list of relevant facts that fade in as you scroll down. Considering this was the first page I completed, I am still so happy with it.
About Us.
The About Us page carries a theme that almost all the other pages also do - a big, bold greeting as the title with a teeny tiny thin underline. This was something I came up with when resizing my text and was a total accident but I am so happy with it.
The About page also really showcases the tone of voice I decided to go with on my site. My site is very silly and casual and I hope it can help engage my audience by not making the subject matter too serious.
The choice of photos here was also a coincidence. I was playing around with my camera, viewing files, and I really liked how the portraits looked stacked up.
Digi-Lessons.
The main Digi-Lessons page is one that I hadn't planned to spend too long on, as it wouldn't be used too much (I have a dropdown menu). I just threw on my video thumbnails and put text over the top, then added a hover animation.
Key Stage [x].
The actual digi-lesson pages are exactly how I always had in my head - sticking to the theme, short and too the point, and with a fact file so the viewer can just skim.
Resources.
The Resources page was really fun to do, as I got to use a slider for the first time! However, it did take me a lot time to get the positioning of it right, as I kept dropping it onto the footer...
Contact Us.
The design for my Contact page changed slightly after consulting with Gareth. I had originally planned to have a submission form on an otherwise blank page, but when having a totally unrelated conversation with Gareth, he mentioned that these forms sometime just... don't work? Because of this, I added lots of clear text to point to my email address to give my audience that option.
What Happened to My Print Products?
Recently, I had a meeting with Claire and we discussed my choice to produce print products. I explained that I wasn't really feeling the purpose behind them, and felt like I was just giving myself extra work that would detract from the quality of my main pieces. Claire agreed that I could just give teachers a copy of the slideshow, instead of giving them one flimsy printed version that could get damaged and wouldn't be so easily shared.
However, there were elements of my print work that I want to maintain. One of those elements was the choice to have guides available for the students in case they're struggling to set their profiles on private (as I state this as really important, but different apps can make it very difficult).
Below, you can see these guides, as well as the like to where they're stored on my website...
https://maxiegeemail.wixsite.com/socialmedia/materials
However, there were elements of my print work that I want to maintain. One of those elements was the choice to have guides available for the students in case they're struggling to set their profiles on private (as I state this as really important, but different apps can make it very difficult).
Below, you can see these guides, as well as the like to where they're stored on my website...
https://maxiegeemail.wixsite.com/socialmedia/materials
Exhibition Details
For information on my presentation choices for my exhibition space in the degree show, please check this link to a post centred on my design decisions...
https://degreeshowdiary.blogspot.com/2019/05/central-designbuild-tracking-post.html
https://degreeshowdiary.blogspot.com/2019/05/central-designbuild-tracking-post.html
Sunday 12 May 2019
YouTube Channel
As I needed somewhere to host my videos, I thought I'd make a full YouTube channel for my brand, instead of just hosting them on mine. I think this looks really professional, and I'm really glad I made that little choice...
Something that came with the YouTube channel was the fact I had to take my videos' presentation a lot more seriously. This meant working to use the right tags (incl. trigger warnings), but also creating custom thumbnails. This was something I hadn't done before and took some research to figure out (see; Useful Links). Below you can see the original photos, and the thumbnails I turned them into...
Link to channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBFKetzhNtOUDbf7-dK7wgA
Something that came with the YouTube channel was the fact I had to take my videos' presentation a lot more seriously. This meant working to use the right tags (incl. trigger warnings), but also creating custom thumbnails. This was something I hadn't done before and took some research to figure out (see; Useful Links). Below you can see the original photos, and the thumbnails I turned them into...
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