Crafting Social Media

"Social media is becoming our new first impressions". (Hicks, p. 138) This statement speaks volumes in regards to the how people meet and communicate these days. Although first impressions are based on ones first mental perception, the use of social media can become more and more betraying. I truly enjoyed this chapter on Crafting Social Media. As, a classroom teacher I was able to better identify the importance of social media as it relates to my students. I, for a long time contemplated on establishing a social media class website to add a 21^st century support for communication and projects. Yet, my main concerns were becoming more apparent with the utilization of filters. “In five years, the filters will be gone whether we like it or not” (Hicks, p.138) that’s a scary revelation.

Hicks elaborated on the use of social media within a classroom, its uses, and how crafting digital texts are utilized. Yes, it sounds great, but the content and the way of communicating needs to be thought out thoroughly. Crafting digital writing for social media use was identified as something quick and not that thought provoking. Time is limited for witty insightful texts. (Hicks. p. 140) Utilizing this platform in my view, users tend to use coding, slang, images, and other non-thought provoking text to express themselves because of the informal atmosphere. I believe the term “social”

Twitter was one of the social media sites reviewed as a mentor text.

After reviewing the Mentoring Text on Twitter it became more apparent that microblogging had become one of the norms I  exercise when inserting text and utilizing social media. Twitter on the other hand limits the use of characters and text due to the maximum limit. this feature made me question the reasoning behind that.

1.      Davis, V. (2014, February 27). A Guidebook for Social Media in the Classroom. Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/guidebook-social-media-in-classroom-vicki-davis

2.      Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing texts across media and genres.

Crafting an Audio and Video Text

My very first assignment in ED: 529 was to create a video introducing myself to the class.  As I prepared for this assignment, I thought to myself, this will be so simple. In the past I've created videos numerous times and thought I would be able to complete this assignment with little to no extra effort. Well the assignment was completed. Yet, it wasn't until I reviewed Troy Hicks, Crafting Digital Writing chapter 5 and 6 that I began to realize that I was completely wrong on the production of this assignment.

In chapter 5 of Troy Hicks, Crafting Digital Writing, he reviews the importance of audio text and the considerations the creator can acquire to create a meaningful audio presentation. One particular key point is the beginning of an audio. The beginning of audio audio text must capture the listener’s attention and give some sense of what’s to come. Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting Audio Texts. In Crafting Digital Writing p.90. The beginning of video, audio and books are the most important aspect of a presentation to me. This takes prominence on not only what’s to come, but grasps the audience’s attention. Many times when I read or view a digital text, if it seems uninteresting, my attention is already lost. I may put the book down, go to something else, and may not even think twice about that text or audio again.

Chapter 6 of Troy Hicks, Crafting Digital Writing explores the crafting of video texts. One key feature that was prominent in my reading is the revising and editing of digital video texts. This is one key feature that determines the effectiveness of ones video.  Troy Hicks stresses that “this is an important stage digital writers make final adjustments to their images, videos, clips, narration, timing, and other elements. Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting Audio Texts. In Crafting Digital Writing, p.118 This is where the magic happens. The continuation of the editing process allows the producer to make changes where needed, identify content that is effective and rearrange slides, animation and other audio features.

In my re-submission video, I was sure to incorporate intro music to gain the attention of my audience. I also incorporated the transitioning feature when transitioning from one picture to a video or video to picture. These features enhanced the quality of my content.  I added text to explain some of the pictures and slowed down some of the pictures that was displayed in the video. My intro also was black and white to give more of a dramatic take at the beginning. 

Below are the first two links to different tips for video editing.

Below is my updated re-submission video of my introduction

Crafting Presentations

Tech Tips for Crafting a Presentation

Crafting digital presentations require a through thought out plan. One feature that became prominent in my readings from chapter 4 are the assessments that are formulated to identify what is an effective presentation. This feature allows students to identify the quality of the presentation instead of focusing on the bells and whistles added to the presentation.
Utilizing evidence for reasoning allows the viewers to fully grasp the topic at hand. Displays and data should be simply used to enhance the presentation. When assigning a presentation, the teacher should thoroughly review with students the proper and effective way to craft a digital presentation. Rubrics play an important role because it simply aids as a guide for the formulation of the presentation. Questioning also plays an important role because it can be served as a guide when formulating a presentation.
Chapter 4 also offers numerous examples that reviews design principles that add to the presentation. With the combination of the design principles and effective content the presentation goes beyond the sharing of student work. It provides a model for how to look at the digital compositions of students presentations, and make sense of why specific design principles play an active role in the effectiveness of a presentation. By doing so, teachers can then better guide the composition practices of learners who formulate digital presentations.
Troy Hicks went on to review highschool presentations and differentiated between making use of templates provided by the presentation website or creating one on their own. Although this is a minor feature in formulating a digital presentation this may minimally enhance the presentation.I though this was quite interesting. My reasoning is due to the fact I find that quite challenging even as an adult learner.
Below are two links that provide information about formulating digital presentations in a school setting.

1. https://cooltoolsforschool.wordpress.com/thing-5-digital-storytelling-presentation-tools/
2. http://www.emergingedtech.com/2011/07/8-great-free-digital-presentation-tools-for-teachers-to-try-this-summer/

Click me to view my presentation!

The C.R.A.P. Principles of Design

When crafting a digital writing Troy Hicks of Crafting Digital Writing elaborates on the C.R.A.P. Principles of Design to follow. (Retrieved on page 34)

Contrast- If Elements (colors, font, shapes, line, sizes) are not exactly the same, make them distinctly different in order to add visual interest to the page. 

Repetition- Some element should be repeated to provide a pattern within the piece.

Alignment- Every element on a page should have a visual connection with other elements on the page to give an overall sense of order.

Proximity- Group elements that are alike in terms of size, shape, or color, and put other elements at a distance.

I truly agree with the C.R.A.P. principles of design. This can add or take away the value of the websites purpose, or a student's content. Identifying the visually appealing factor can increase traffic to any website and allows readers/viewers to better understand writers rationale. 

Posted below are urls to different webpages and digital writing that may have misunderstood the C.R.A.P. Principles of Design.

1. www.dokimos.org/ajff/

2.    http://www.gatesnfences.com/

3.  http://www.arngren.net/

The C.R.A.P. Principals of Design include but not limited to 

• Ads
• Websites
• Resumes
• Term papers
• PowerPoint presentations
• Spreadsheets
• Graphs                                                                                                                                                                                          Frost, R., & Pike (n.d.).Designing Business Information Apps and Websites

Troy Hicks goes on to elaborate on other elements that are specific to web-based text: 

-Color schemes, background, fonts and textures.

-Useful of navigational links or buttons

-Destination of internal and external links

-Use of media, imbedded images, and videos

-Design gallery template

Utilization of the C.R.A.P. Principles of design is a great principle to make use of. Creating spaces for viable information to spread, digital class assignments, and presentations are often dependent on the meticulous aspects of engaging the attention of the viewers/readers. As I researched more about the design principles I realized simple strategies can improve the visuals of writing web-based texts.  

http://www.thinkaroundcorners.com/2011/10/c-r-a-p-principles-design/

Writing Digitally

Welcome to Writing Digitally! This blog will be used as a resource guide and reflective publication for Crafting Digital Writing. Feel free to agree, synthesize, fuse, oppose and elaborate on any ideas  posted within this blog.