Week 10: Clear

This weeks assignment was on Databases. When I first saw this topic I thought it was going to be a breeze. I am pretty computer savvy and I am a quick learner. Unfortunately, I have never in my life used Microsoft Access before. I watched all the lectures and did all the required reading for this section and was amazed to see how this new program worked. I am very familiar with excel and while learning about access I couldn't help but relate things back and forth.

The first thing that stood out to me in this section was the explanation of the differences in Data, Database and Information. I know a lot of people including myself have thrown those three words around interchangeably not even realizing they are completely different things. Data is a collection of unprocessed items. A database is where data is organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval and use of the data, and information is processed data. All three terms are connected but are not the same thing. 

I also learned a lot about the query language of databases. It's amazing that each query language has its own grammar and vocabulary. Also, I love how simple it is to learn the different processes of access like queries through the specialized wizards. Another interesting thing about this weeks topic was learning how Microsoft Access can be broken down into different types of information such as reports, queries, tables and forms. The way that access makes external data importation and exportation simple is another plus the program has to offer. 

Programs used to manage databases are called Database Management Systems (DBMS). Data is normally organized in a hierarchy with the smallest layer (fields) leading up to the biggest layer (files). In the business world I think that databases are extremely important. Time is money, and if your entire staff is spending hours on end looking through file processing systems at tons of redundant information then your company is losing money. Databases and a database knowledgable staff are essential for a smooth running of a company. Most companies have some form of database for organizing important documentation. Normalization, integrity, maintenance and security are absolutely crucial for the upkeep of a professional business.

The following is a tutorial I found on how to create a simple database. This tutorial helped me to better understand Microsoft Access because it was targeted at beginners and I have no experience at all. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPtXq-3qf6U

I am looking forward to doing this project I think it is going to be something new to try and extremely fun!

Web 2.0 Project

The following is a link to my project.

Overall the Web 2.0 project proved to be extremely stressful to me. The storyboard, idea, and actually making my presentation were extremely easy to do with powerpoint. However, when it came time to actually upload my work to the web, I went to at least 20 different websites and my audio wouldn't play on any of them. Eventually, I had to record my desktop with the project playing in the background on screenjelly.com.

Presentation Evaluation Rubric

Name of Presenter: Rebecca Barnes

Your Name: Rebecca Barnes

	Missing or lacking	Meets the minimum but could be improved	Excellent
Is there a logical flow and sequence of content? How could it be improved?			Yes. The flow of information is logical.
Does the presenter anticipate questions and answer them in the right place? At what points did you have questions that were not answered?			Yes. I answered the questions before they were asked.
Did the presenter grab your attention in the first 30-60 seconds?		I feel like I could have done a better job of a WOW factor at the beginning of my presentation.
Did the presenter ask questions and spark your curiosity?			I didn’t ask many questions, but instead fully explained things.
Did the presenter set the context with a concise explanation? Is it clear what the presenter is trying to share?			Yes. My presentation was extremely simple, concise and clear.
Did the presenter validate any claims?			Yes. Most of my presentation was validating claims and statistics for my audience.
Did the presenter avoid inconsistencies and errors, typos and unbelievable claims?			Yes.
How well did the presenter avoid clutter?			Very well. Many of the slides were simple. They had lots of space and some even had three or four words.
What did the presenter do to ensure readability?		Used a great font and size type, maybe should have used different colors.
Did the presenter say it, and then show it or did he/she read the slides?			I read the presentation as it was given and added facts that were not shown.

                 

I did my presentation on the Relay for Life at UF. I wanted to tell people about how scary cancer can be and let them know the real statistics of how it affects people everyday. I also mentioned when the university was planning it's relay and encouraged my audience to participate and donate to the cause.

After watching multiple videos from classmates and seeing all the different ways to create projects it has been a truly mind-blowing experience. The project was a lot of fun for me, I just wish that the web sharing would have been a little easier to do.

This project takes a lot of time and planning out and I am glad I didn't wait till the last minute to complete it. I had no idea that uploading certain presentations to the web were so hard to do. If you do not have the perfect combination of files and the correct website the whole presentation can fall apart. 

I have provided my rubric in my blog. 

Week 9: Clear

Week nine was all about the Internet and the World Wide Web, which before now I thought was the same thing. However, to clarify the internet has been around a lot longer than the world wide web. Having used computers all my life I thought that this topic would be a breeze after the Web 2.0 project, however, there were many new terms and statistics that I found to be extremely interesting.

For instance, I had no idea that the What is my IP Address? website even existed, and how simple it makes locating your IP address. Also, while reading the Don't Make Me Think! chapter from Steve Krug, I was amazed at how often I do the things they explained while browsing the web. I'm so use to scanning pages, closing any pop-up before it is completely loaded and being upset when I find webpages with tons of writing and no empty space I don't even realize I am doing it.


One thing I was very familiar with this week was the difference between dial-up access internet and broadband. I am originally from a small town out in the woods where connecting to the internet took at least 30 minutes. Now that I live in Gainesville and have high-speed broadband internet it makes researching for projects and communicating with friends back home a pleasant experience. 

Another topic discussed this week was Wi-Fi "piggybacking" or "war-driving" that are actually recognized as Wi-Fi Crimes. This occurs when people drive around with their wireless devices and try to connect to other people's unsecured wireless signal. I know that this happens all the time, but I was astonished by the number of people who have admitted to doing it and how it is considered a felony.

The following link clarifies the Wi-Fi crimes a little more.

http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/237

Week 7: Clear

Week seven explained the process of creating presentations. The terms this week were simple to follow and I learned about some great new devices that can be used to build presentations. I am fairly new to the Mac world but after watching the video tutorial on Keynote I will never use regular powerpoint again. The simple template selection and the build option to create slide effects were simply astonishing. The tutorial created a simple learning environment that even beginners to the program could relate to. 
I also found the lecture on design and layout and the video from Duarte.com to be extremely useful in starting my project. 


As a photojournalism major one of the parts of the lecture that stood out most to me was talking about graphics and photographs. The list of image mistakes to avoid were a little shocking to me because I have seen a lot of presentations with clip art graphics and random placement. During High School using clip art was one of my favorite things to do, but that doesn't cut it in the business environment. 


I feel that learning the different ways to create presentations and to present them are extremely important for the future of any student. Being able to capture an audiences attention and really convey the meaning of a product or idea is what most modern day businesses are looking for. The keys to a great presentation is to be creative, have fun with it and put yourself in the audiences shoes.


A recap of the list of image mistakes are below.

• Images that are too small
• Placement that is random
• Image use that looks accidental
• Pixelated images
• Watermarked images
• Distorted
• Clip art
• Cliche images
• Too much going on in the image

While searching the web for more information I found the following links that give tips and help with building great presentations. One of the most important things I learned from these websites are to relate and connect to the audience in the presentation. The last thing people want to watch is a boring slideshow that is read word for word by a robot. 

In the end its all about finding that happy medium when creating a presentation, something not to cluttered but not to boring. 

http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2005/jan/31present.htm

http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-make-a-great-presentation-a280199