13th Week

Week 13 of the resources class. Without wasting any time, let’s look into the major events of the day. Ok, this week we have submitted 4 things which are:

1) Module 2
2) Individual work (task 1)
3) Pair work (task 2-eBook)
4) Group work (lesson plans)

Talking about the tasks, it was a good exercise to practice what we have learned in the module. I personally learned a lot about photo editing while doing the tasks rather than doing the module itself. Although software such as photoshop was very difficult for me, later I managed to learn it and I applied it in editing pictures for my tasks. I am really happy that now I have learned and able to use various software to edit photos.

Now let's move on to the next agenda. Currently

we are working on the module 4 which is the video editing. This module is another good instrument as we can learn about video editing by using software such as Cyberlink power director, Cyberlink powerDVD, Windows movie maker, HJ-split and many more. It is really fun working on this module because now I am able to make and edit my own videos.

As we all know, each module comes with some tasks. The same goes to module 4. Pn. Foziah asked us to create a story board for the task 2 which is the pair work before the class itself. Pn. Foziah checked the story board and gave some comments on how to improve it. As for me and my partner, we choose the topic ‘humanity’ and we are still working on it. Hopefully I can apply the skills that I have learned from the module in creating the video.

That’s all for this week’s entry. Bye...

12th week

Time flies very fast. I feel like just entered this semester but it’s already the 12th week. Yes, we are in the 12th week of resources class too. Last week was about editing pictures using various tools and software. Not to be forgotten that there are tasks to be completed after the module. This week, Pn Foziah is going to check the task 2 which is the ebook. Before doing so, Pn Foziah showed us some of the ebooks that have been done by her students. The ebooks are very interesting, colourful and of course it is attractive. Pn Foziah also reminded us on some important thing about the ebooks.

She reminded us

- to chose good quality pictures

- to insert the navigation keys

- to insert sound

- to have a theme, characterization and plot

After that, Pn Foziah went around checking all the ebooks and gave her comments and opinion. The comments given by her is very useful to improve the ebooks. Later on, Pn Foziah gave 2 sets of module which is the continuation of module 2. These two sets are continuation of module 2 using the adobe photoshop CS3 software. It is quite lot, but I am sure that we will learn something new from those tutorials.

Later, Pn Foziah asked the class to move forward to the front of the class because she wanted to show us some examples on video editing. She showed the edited video of Chun and Ella. The videos are really wonderful and it gives a basic idea to me on how video editing works and its product. Although we do not get the module 4 yet, Pn Foziah asked us to choose a theme for our video editing task. My partner and I chosed ‘Humanity’ as our theme and we really hope to create a meaningful video soon.

That’s all for this week, bye.

11th Week

This week’s class is a continuation on the tasks of module 2 which is the photo editing. Pn Foziah showed her collection of edited photos. The photos are really amazing and it does carry a message or story as what Pn Foziah asked us to do. Although it is just a single piece of photo, the message is very clear and interesting. Hope I can edit a photo which carries a story too. Next, she also reminded us to place our name or signature on the edited photos. This is to show ownership and to avoid others from plagiarizing our edited pictures or photos.

After that, Pn Foziah asked us to work back on our photos and create a more meaningful photo rather than simply adjusting the brightness, cropping adding text and so on. From the input given by Pn Foziah and her collection, I decided to combine 2 pictures. Yes I decided to make a superimpose photo of myself in opera house. As Pn Foziah reminded, I have included my name in the photo to show the ownership. Below is the original and the edited photo.

That’s all for this week’s entry, See you all in the next entry. Bye…

10th Week

Week 10, It’s the submission week for the lesson plans and also the teaching aids that we have been working on since before Raya holidays. Fuh!, it is a big relief to complete the entire task and submit it.
Next, we used today’s class to complete the remaining of module 2. As we all know, module 2 is about photo editing and it is really an exciting task. While working on the task, suddenly Pn.Foziah asked us to view our senior’s photo editing collection. I was amazed looking at the product. Photos are beautifully edited and the editing is very neat as well. There were about 280 photos and I viewed all of them. It was a tour of photo editing for me. From the module 2, I have learned how to edit photos, and now I have learned where and how to apply it.

After that, Pn Foziah gave a task for module 3. First is to create a ringtone. Next to cut and combine 2 songs and lastly to edit M.Nasir and Siti’s dua insan song. The submission of module 3 and the task is on 28th September.

9th Week

Pn. Foziah is away this week but she had already assigned the task for this week. It’s MODULE 2. Module 2 is about editing pictures. As in the previous modules, this module does require some software such as Adobe photoshop. Adobe photoshop CS3, Photoscape, Iphoto, ACDsee, Microsoft paint, Photobucket and Triscape Fxphoto.

This module is also exciting as the module 3. There are many things that can be done to the photos using the software above. The pictures can be cropped, resized and we can reduce noise, adjust brightness, add text and frame and many more. Adding frame to the photos captured my attention as the Photoscape software provides wonderful frames to be added to our photos. I have used the software to edit some of the pictures in my own collection too.
Since this is the first time I am using most of the software, I do face some difficulties. Firstly, I found difficulties to identify the icon mentioned in the module. It was quite hard as some of the modules just show the icon but does not show where to look for the icon. Secondly, I found difficulties in making the effects as mentioned in the module. This module requires a lot of patience as I need to explore the functions of the software in order to complete the software. If one step is missed, the expected effect will not turn out. After a long exploration on the software, I managed to identify all the icons and complete the tutorials.

For the time being, I have completed most of the tutorials and I am still working on the rest. The deadline for this module is 27th September 2010 and I really hope to complete it before the deadline because we will be receiving another module on the 27th.

8th Week

There is no class for this week BUT there are a lot of things to be done. Firstly, we have to complete module 3 which is about audio editing. Next, Pn. Foziah assigned us to prepare 3 half an hour lesson and a 1 one hour lesson. Lastly week need to prepare teaching aids.

When I saw module 3, there was a small relief in me because this module is not as thick as the module 1. Module 3 is basically about audio editing using software such as Audacity, Wavepad, Sony Vegas, Karaoke Anything, Music Editor, Nero Wave and lastly Sound Forge. Fuh!!! It seems that there are a lot of software to be explored in order to complete module 3.

Working on this module is much more exciting and fun compared to module 1. This is because in module 3, we are creating something on our own not merely getting something from the internet. Through module 3, I have learned how to make ringtones, making minus one, changing speed, cut songs, combine 2 songs and many more. That was really exciting and fun working with this module.

The next task assigned to us was the lesson plan. We were required to prepare four continuous lesson plans for a particular year. My group have chosen Year 4 as the target group and the topic was about food.

Lastly, we were also required to choose a topic from the syllabus for each year (year 1 to 6) and prepare teaching aids. The teaching aids include both technological and non-technological materials. Since the teaching aids are prepared for young kids, we used colourful and attractive pictures, videos, powerpoint presentations, puppets, task sheets, and big book.

In conclusion, lesson plans and teaching aids are very essential in carrying out a lesson successfully. Therefore we have prepared appropriate lessons and teaching aids which can really aid in carrying out the lesson.

7th week

Last week’s 'fever' is still on till this week. Yes, I am still working on the module 1. As Pn Foziah said, I kept on thinking about the module wherever I go and I spent a lot of time working on it.

While working on the tutorials in the module, I realised that there are many things that I am unaware or do not know about internet and internet skills. The module was an eye-opener for me into the world of technology especially internet skills. Through the module, I was exposed to many software and also websites which will be useful for me as a future teacher.

The software such as Audacity which is used for the encoding tutorials is amazing. YES, there are a lot of things that we can do with this software. Since this is the first time I am using this software, I was really excited to explore the software and learn new things from it.

The websites such as ‘Photobucket’, ‘4shared’ and ‘esnips’ are totally new and unfamiliar to me but with the examples given by Pn. Foziah, I managed to sail through the tutorials with very less difficulties.

There was some confusion while doing the tutorials but it was not a big deal as I still managed to complete the tutorials. The confusion may be due to some changes in the websites as they upgrade the websites. Whenever we face any difficulties or confusion we were required to write comments beside the slide and I did so. The comments will be very useful to improvise the tutorials in the future.

The only part where I found most difficulties was the file conversion part. In this part, we were required to convert files into different formats such as MS WORD to PDF, PDF to PPT and so on using software and also some online conversion websites. This was a real new experience for me; I do not know anything about these till the time I did the tutorials. Besides that, some of the conversion could not be done exactly as in the examples given by Pn. Foziah which makes me to look for different alternatives to convert those files. At last I managed to complete the tutorials.

Although the module took a lot of time to be completed, when I look back at the completed module, I feel so happy. I can see my hard work on each and every slide. WOW that’s really amazing.