BYOD... to school?

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has been a part of the leading IT culture for a few years... but it is now becoming more mainstream. Last semester I completed a project focused on the use of Audience Response Devices in the classroom. As part of my project, I actually got a set of "Clickers" working in my room with one class. The time it took me to set up the students with the devices then design the activities to use with the devices was much longer than the activity itself. While using them, two stopped working - fortunately my class didn't need them all so I was able to put that student's name on another device. I could not use the set with my other classes because the set did not have enough devices for all of the students in the class. The more I tried to use them, the more the idea of BYOD appealed to me.

Right now in my building, the students are not supposed to be carrying their cell phones at all. The handbook states that they must be stored in lockers or in their cars. We teachers know that nearly every student is "packing" a device of some kind. Instead of playing the "hide the cell phone" game, why not put the technology that they already have to use? Attached is a video about a school in Texas that has its own BYOT (technology) policy. It seems to be working well for them. They even supply lap tops for students who do not have their own. I'd like to see how well their policies are working after a year - and if they change them at all. What do you think?

Bring Your Own Technology to school

Renee Peterson

80-20 revision

After reading some of the comments made on my visual design I decided to revise it.  I added the comparison visual and fixed my boxes.  I hope that this is an improvement from the last visual.

Renee's Junk Mail revision - Activity 4

After reading the comments, I darkened the print on the blue arrows. I also moved the pile of mail from behind the text. I thought about a neat pile of mail but opted for just a clean look behind the text instead because if the mail is sorted and taken care of there will be no pile! ;-)

Web Activity 4

I decided to use the middle school classroom because it is applicable to my future career and this is something that seems to happen frequently. Usually only a small portion of the class will ask most of the questions, even if the other 80% are more confused and are the ones that need questions answered.

I decided to keep the diagram in white and box off the percentages with the red to make them stand out. I also wanted to add some color and did so by adding a background to the text. It was also important to box in the entire graphic because without it, it looked like the desks were floating.

Web Activity 4

For this web activity, I tried to show how 80% of the population only reads 20% of the newspaper. I attempted to make it simple but with some personal aspects. I highlighted around 20% of the newspaper in red and also put the description of the 80/20 relationship in red, so the viewer knows they relate to each other. By highlighting a 20% section of the newspaper it allows the viewer to visually see how much newspaper is read and to better comprehend the amount. I first attempted to include repetition in the image, but I struggled without making it look too busy, so I decided to add one image. I tried to pick a subtle picture of someone reading a newspaper and place it in the bottom left corner that would not take away from the understanding of the 80/20 rule, but would rather make it more personal. The color scheme of red, white and black was used to grab the attention of viewers by adding contrast to the image without overdoing it.

Revised Web Activity 4

After considering the feedback that was given I can see how the basketball boarder added little meaning to the message the image is trying to display. I also see that having an image with more people and the other with less supports the concepts visually better, than just having a team Logo representing a multitude.

Completing Web Activities and Providing Constructive Feedback

When you are completing your weekly design activities and providing feedback to your peers, it is really important that you consider (and employ) design principles, actions, and tools, as described in our textbook. Without these considerations, your visuals will lack the features necessary to make them understandable by the viewer.


At a minimum, you must pay attention to the page layout. This includes positioning of elements on the page and page margins. 


Below are 5 examples of page layout. The first example has problems with the margins and with the choice of type font. An outline font isn't a good choice for a header, in this case. 

The second example provides an example of a modified 3-column format. 

The third example uses a more dynamic layout, which can be useful depending on what you are trying to communicate. 

The fourth example adds some color. 

The fifth layout has been shifted up slightly so that the image does not appear top-heavy. When your bottom margin is the same size as your top margin, it can appear smaller. The solution for this is to make the margin larger at the bottom to avoid the appearance of a top-heavy image.

In each of these examples, it is important to pay attention to the choice, size, and color of font, size and shape of images, position of images on the page, use of color to direct the eye, and page margins. Obviously, these considerations expand when you introduce blocks of copy, photos, clip art, etc. because then you also must pay attention to image quality. 


When providing feedback, please analyze your peers' posts in terms of contrast, alignment, proximity, repetition, type, color, space, shape, and depth. Remember, when using color, it is a good idea to stick with color families unless you are trying to focus attention on a single element, in which case you can use a complementary color. Notice in the examples above, all colors are warm.

Web Activity 4: Revised!

Here is a revised version of my web activity 4. After questions and suggestions from Dr. Wilcox, I tried to make the 80% box larger and the 20% box smaller to more accurately depict the 80/20 rule. I also tried to make the font smaller in the 20% box to contribute to its overall effectiveness.

Web Activity 4

My depiction is rather simple. I toyed with a lot of ideas, but thought that for this particular assignment that simplicity was best. The represented 80% of employees are squeezed into 20% of the graph, while the reciprocal is shown underneath. For me, this visual makes the important information obvious.

images:

http://clipart-for-free.blogspot.com/2008/08/free-stick-people-clipart.html

http://www.clker.com/clipart-29734.html

Web Activity 4

As Thoreau said, "Simplify, simply." What better way to show a ratio or percentage than with a simple chart? The original image was much too cluttered and confusing. This is much easier to understand.

Web Acttivity 4- 80/20 Rule

The Miami Heat are the second leading scoring team in the NBA. However as the image displays there are three players who are responsible for the majority of the teams scoring every night. This was the first thought that came to mind when I think about the bulk of productivity being accomplished by a small amount of contributors.

Web Activity 4

For this web activity, I decided to create my own image depicting that we use 20% of our phone capabilities 80% of the time. I chose this because a lot of people have some kind of smart phone these days, and I find it to be true that we rarely use more than 20% of our phone's applications on a regular basis.

I tried to keep it simple by having the image in black and white, aside from the main focus on the 20% of phone capabilities. I think leaving the 20% of the applications in color will draw the viewer's attention to what this image is trying to portray.

Web Activity 4

Here is a simple depiction of the 80/20 rule. I didn't do anything fancy, I kept the image very basic. I started with a box, which is of course 100 percent. The blue area represents 80 percent, while the pink box in the middle represents 20 percent. Now, one thing I left out is a depiction of the salesmen. This would make the image a bit more relevant and 'fun'. However, I liked this idea and because it is so simple and at first glance can be understood without your eye having to scan the image.

Activity 4-80/20

After reading all about the PAT principle I decided to focus on simplicity with my color scheme. Sometimes images can be too overwhelming with TONS of colors to sort through. I am a HUGE fan of black and white so these images really stood out to me. I also tried to make it more appealing then the example by using the same character and symbol on each side and sticking with identical images.

Junk Mail - Renee's Web Activity 4

PAT= Principles, Actions, and Tools
This visual encourages the viewer to keep his/her home free of mail clutter with instructions on how to do this. Typically 80% of the mail we receive is junk, and 20% of the mail we receive needs some attention: a bill to pay, a letter or card to read, information to file. If the receiver sorts the mail on a daily basis, that horrible pile of mail on the dining room table will be eliminated. The design is very simple showing the two kinds of mail and what needs to be done with them. The arrows demonstrate the action that needs to happen with the different kinds of mail listed in each arrow. The visual even encourages the viewer to recycle the junk mail rather than simply throwing it into the garbage. The color scheme of blue and tan was used for continuity and easy viewing. The words "avoid clutter" are placed on top of a pile of mail clutter to demonstrate the goal of avoiding the mess. The only thing I think I should have found a way to do is demonstrate a clean table or surface without the mail clutter - but I'm not sure if that is necessary because the result is implied.

Images:
http://cdn6.fotosearch.com/bthumb/FSB/FSB435/x10708836.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRrL5ubb8Erd9b_-iXEAvLLlF_PY8I96sCUM-fEPYW8d0PBLAw-sw
http://cdn5.fotosearch.com/bthumb/CSP/CSP364/k3646691.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQBxEAUsMPgPX4Tm4gMO3OOtwtRgvxU-2rg7M-W7T0dgFzIHkSyNw

Renee Peterson

Facebook IPO?

First off let me apologize for this being 2 days late. I have a huge post it note on my fridge reminding me it was my week to start the discussion and it wasn’t until this afternoon that I saw the post it again and realized I was late. Mrs. Robinson is in desperate need of some snow days to get her act together. Over the past few weeks we have been discussing issues such as SOPA and even Pinterest. When I realized it was my turn to get the discussion started I went the CNN tech page. I felt like this was the best place to start and since CNN is such a trusted site it seemed like an excellent place to begin. I was amazed at how the entire site was swarming with Facebook gossip. I must really be out of the loop because I had no idea what any of this means. I typically use Facebook to spy on my sister and see what the neighbors are having for dinner. It’s completely a social thing for me. I knew there was a movie out and that Mark Zuckerburg was making millions but I didn’t understand what Facebook was covering the CN page. After some more investing and reading I discovered that Facebook has finally-as the article put it-decided to make the site public and your average Joe can begin to buy stock in the site.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/31/opinion/rushkoff-facebook-ipo/index.html?iref=obnetwork

I will be honest I don’t know much about buying stocks and the difference in public and private companies but what really overwhelmed me was fact that this IPO has taken over CNN. It’s a big deal. The more I read into the articles the more I realized that Facebook is no longer just a way to find out what your friends and family are doing. Below you will find the last few paragraphs from the article that state that Zuckerburg held off on this IPO for as long as he could.

“By all accounts, Zuckerberg was trying to delay this eventuality as long as possible. He knows that becoming the CEO of a public company will not be nearly as much fun, or as free, as running an Internet startup. However much we may not like his vision for our future, his primary purpose was to change the world. He wanted to create the operating system on which human social activity took place. What he has ultimately succumbed to, however, is the fact that Facebook was running on top of another operating system all along. Instead of revolutionizing our reality, by filing an IPO Mark Zuckerberg is finally getting with the program.”

Any comments on this, someone with more experience in stocks want to further explain. Basically, I am taking that we could all be part owners of FB if we wanted. This IPO is taking over CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/TECH/

Web Activity 4

The PAT principle in the Malamed text caused me to think of a way to simplify and improve the design shown for activity 4. As you can see, rather than having characters that seem detailed, I decided to use a male and female silhouette. The use of both doesn't allow for gender bias. I also used green on the percentage columns to depict money or "sales". The color choice of the male and female was chosen to contrast with the use of a white background. Overall this design seems a lot clearer and easier to understand.

Image Source:

http://www.designworkplan.com/design/symbol-signs.htm

Activity 4 - 20/80

I chose to work on the idea of 20% of your clothes are worn 80% of the time.  I used a graphic of a closet and kept 20% of the graphic in focus. 



It took some getting used to with Sumo Paint and I will continue to practice with this site.

Activity 4 80/20

 

 After reading the PAT principles of design I decided to focus on color and repetition.  As you can see for each portion of this visual the characters are equally spaced out and organized in its own box.  I chose two colors that were complementary to one another and I decided to repeat those color choices in the statistic explaining the picture.  Lastly, I chose two different pictures that were similar to one another in that they were both cartoons.  

Works Cited

Salesman picture

http://jokesprank.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/cartoon_salesman.jpg

Eric - Web Activity 4 "80/20"

Wow, I made 6 prototypes of all kinds of shapes and figures before I developed this one! I think sketching with pencil works great for the initial process. I chose to remake the sales example for the 80/20 rule. First, regarding the PAT principles, I selected the same basic functions of people figures and boxes indicating each area. I used 2 people as the 20% and 8 people for the 80% but also, I proportionally used the green boxes as the inverse 80/20 part for the principle.

 I tried to make this visual better than the proposed example by turning the visual layout vertically rather than horizontally as the original has. This helps to show more of a contrast in amount of sales compared to each other when scaled vertically. I think it is easier to see as 'towers' rather than in rows. I also was thinking about the Actions part of PAT and I addressed the contrast more so than the original visual by making the sales area green (money). Looking at the Lohr text, I saw since green is a cool color then, I should also contrast it with a warmer color, so I chose orange. Also, I used lighter people figures to contrast the orange helping them to stand out more. Using the repetition concept, I made them all the same size for each side so as to indicate normalcy in both sides of the graphic.

I think of this shape as vertically measuring sales and amounts of people on a graph so I used columns to illustrate this which I think helps to better illustrate the 80/20 rule better than the original. Both columns are also equal in height because the 80/20 rule is showing the differences in proportion and the inverse and everything equates to being 100%.

Stick figure image taken from: http://www.clker.com/cliparts/r/t/T/2/B/0/gray-stick-figure-md.png

Web Activity 4

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