Update on the last 3 weeks

I've been learning a lot in these past few weeks in ED 421. For one, we spent a good amount of time studying Photoshop, and how to use flickr.com.

I've owned my MacBookPro (which my dad had put Photoshop on) for over three years now and I never once learned how to use it. My friend, who goes to the Art Institute of Portland, is a pro, and I always marveled at how well she utilized the program. To me, Photoshop always seemed like a daunting application, with a multitude of different features. I didn't think that I would ever be able to successfully use it, and so I never tried. However, after these past couple of weeks in class, I feel a whole lot more comfortable with the program. I now know how to manipulate images, incorporate other images onto backgrounds, and play with color schemes.

Another program I've had on my computer, but never bothered to learn how to use, was iMovie, which we've been using in class recently. Again, the thought of editing a video was something that I didn't think I would be able to do. But, I'm slowly getting more familiar with iMovie, and editing the video that my group is making for class. As I work in the program more, I feel like I'm getting better at using it.

Both of these programs are things that I know I could use in my classroom. Although, I don't think I would be having the younger students working on their own Photoshop and iMovie projects, but I could use these programs in order to make visuals or videos that could enhance student learning. With older students I can see them learning about these applications in a technology class, and then being able to use that knowledge for class projects.