CMOD6001 DNET/DCOM Class

I talked about the structure and tone of the papers.

There were some group adjustments.

I reminded students that they will need to attend all classes next week and that they won't be admitted late and won't be permitted to leave early. Students in the habit of doing one or the other may need to reschedule their other commitments.

CMOD6001 Digital Pollution

This blog might be useful for students working on the Digital Pollution topic.

http://www.greenm3.com/

CMOD6001 QR Game Specification

I updated the game spec.

CMOD6001 Paper Drafts

I went through the five draft papers that had been submitted by the deadline.  I was disappointed that there were so few. It took way longer that I thought it would to go through them though. So in the end I was actually grateful there were so few.

Those students should be able to see the comments I made by logging into turnitin.

All students are free to submit drafts to the FINAL folder. But there is no certainty that they will get feedback in time to be any use.

CMOD6001 DNET/DCOM

I gave out the results for Assignment 1. Students who feel they didn't get an appropriate are welcome to ask for a re-check.

I gave out a handout on academic writing. We will discuss this in the next class.

Group CA will probably be disbanded tomorrow morning. There may be some other moves also. Tomorrow morning's class is the last opportunity students will have to reorganize groups before the presentation. People had better be in or out by then.

Once group showed me what they had in mind for the QR Game and I completely shot them down. I did my best to be gentle.

I reminded students that for the presentation they will have to attend all classes in which the presentations are happening, and that they will have to be present for all the presentations. They will not be permitted to leave early.

CMO6001 DWEB1 Class

I gave out the results for assignment 1 (job exercise). Any student that feels they got a mark that was not appropriate me should e-mail me and I will re-check. There is no need to make a case or anything. A simple request will do.

I asked students to check the group list to make sure it is accurate.

I talked about the structure and tone of the papers. I clarified some points on plagiarism.

I gave out a handout on academic writing.

CMOD6001 Update to Assignments Page

I updated the Assignments Page on foot of some questions asked in classes

CMOD6001 ITS/ITM Class

I answered some questions about the presentations.

I gave out the results for assignment 1 (job exercise). Any student that feels they got a mark that was not appropriate me should e-mail me and I will re-check. There is no need to make a case or anything. A simple request will do.

I asked students to check the group list to make sure it is accurate.

I talked about the structure and tone of the papers. I clarified some points on plagiarism.

I gave out a handout on academic writing. There weren't enough to go around. I will put extra copies outside my office.

CMOD6001 Draft Papers

The deadline for submitting draft essays for feedback is today.

After today students should submit their papers to the "final" dropbox. If I get time I might be able to provide feedback on these papers also. Students may re-submit as often as they wish before the deadline.

"Finding Your Academic Voice" booklet

This is a useful booklet with some exercises and tips for writing.

SOFT7001 A List Apart

If there was a website that was the sponsor of this module it would be alistapart.com

It's full of information about the main issues this module deals with.

There are articles on CSS, fluid layout, and mobile design. Students looking for tips and design ideas for their assignment should definitely check it out.

SOFT7001 Class 20

We discussed the assessment for this module. The website is to be delivered in two part according to the assessment schedule for the module descriptor, but given that it is now week 08 it doesn't make sense for it to be in two deliverables. I will be providing feedback though on a on-going basis.

Students need to make a start on their websites soon.

We looked at the learning outcomes of the module descriptor. Students' websites should demonstrate competence in all of these areas. I also discussed other things that I expect to see in the websites.

• Fluid design that allows the page to display in at all (reasonable) dimensions
• Images on the page should reposition and resize as the page dimensions change
• A mobile phone version of the site that displays well both horizontally and vertically
• minimum of 15 pages. but 25 would be more like it
• nested list based CSS menus
• a style sheet for print

Students are free to show off who much CSS they know

Students will lose marks for over use of classes (users of Dreamweaver beware)

I met with students individually to discuss their plans for their sites

audio: soft7001-20020111101.m4a

CMOD6001 COM Class

We talked about the structure the papers might take and took them topic by topic. I talked about the appropriate tone for science writing and I gave out a handout. I also talked about the importance of paragraph structure.

Some students asked for an extension of the deadline for drafts. I'll consider that. The main worry I have is that I might got get back to students in time if the drafts come too close to the final papers.

I gave out results for the job assignment. Students who feel like they should have done better are free to e-mail me to ask me for a recheck. I might be able to provide some feedback too.

CMOD6001 COM Lab A

I asked students to ensure that there were contact details on their group blogs so that potential partners could find them. I distrubuted e-mail address and asked student to get moving on finding a Metropolia student.

I gave out some results for the job exercise. Some students asked why they didn't get 100%. I didn't really have a satisfactory answer.

Group B

• 2/3 students in
• nothing mucgh has happened since last week

Group W

• 3/3 students in
• down down to 3 students now
• work seems to be progressing

Group X

• 3/4 students in
• ork finally started
• group working OK

Group Y

• 1/4 students in
• made a start

Group Z

• 1/2 students in
• only 2 students in the group as far as those present are concerned. Officially down to 2 now
• The student in class has not been able to contact the other group member in the past week
• I advised him to find another group and he did
• This group now only has one peron in it

CMOD6001 ITS/M Lab Clas canceled

I turned up for two minutes just to explain that I had to leave campus use to a small family emergency.

CMOD6001 DWEB Lab A

I asked students to make sure that there was enough contact information on the group bogs to ensure that potential Finnish partners can find them.

I gave out e-mail addresses of Metropolia students.

I'm a bit worried about the groups in this part of the class. There doesn't seem to be much get up and go in evidence.

Group WL

• 2/4 students in
• found Metropolia student

Group WM

• 3/3 students in class
• still looking for Metropolia student

Group WN

• 4/5 students in
• nothing much happened since last week
• still looking for a Finn

Group WO

• 1/4 present
• set up a google doc
• but not much else has happened since last week
• no attempt made to find a Metropolia student

SOFT7001 Class 18

I asked the students to work on media queries and to make different pages for desktops machine and phones. This requires tha pages be hosted somewhere however.

Example

mystyle.css:

@media screen and (orientation: landscape)
{
body {background-color:yellow;}
}

@media screen and (orientation: portrait)
{
body {background-color:gray;}
}

CMOD6001 ITS/ITM Class

There was no one waiting for us online. There are no classes this week at IUT Lannion, so our planned Skype sessions didn't go according to plan. I was told this way back, but I forgot. Some IUT students were online anyway.

A large number of CIT students took the mere possibility that their partner might not be available as a cue to leave. That degree of commitment is shocking.

CMOD6001 DNET/DCOM

QR mystery demo. I didn't get a feel for whether or not the students were very interested.

CMOD6001 Dropbox

Dropbox is a great way to share files between computers if you use more than one. It might be a useful way to share the files you are using for your group projects. You can signup here

CMOD6001 Withdrawals and RPLs

A number of students have left the course or left the module. Either way they are no longer in their groups. I will update group list as information comes to me.

If you have information that I don't have please get it to me. If there is someone nominally in your group who is long gone, you may need to formally eject them. Otherwise their absence from the presentation could be costly.

CMOD6001 DNET/DCOM Lab

I met with the project groups for an update

Group CA

• 2/2 students in
• nothing on the blog
• because nothing has actually happened yet
• only 2 in this group now
• looking for a Metropolia student

Group BC

• 4/4 students in
• everything seems to be going OK
• group working well
• still looking for a Metropolia student

Group CD

• 3/4 students in
• recent addition to the group
• everything seems to be going OK
• group working well 
• Metropolia student on board

Group CE

• 2/3 students in
• no blog URL sent to me yet
• Nothing much has happened yet
• group working well 
• Metropolia student on board

Group NA

• 4/4 students in
• Seems to be going OK but progress is slow
• group working well 
• Metropolia student on board and contributing to the presentation. If this students contribution to the presentation is demonstrable, this group will get good "international" marks

Group NB

• 3/3 students in
• slow start. but work progressing well now
• group working well
• not clear on Metropolia student.

Group NC

• 2/2 students in
• 1 student recently left this group because of inactivity
• nothing on blog yet. nothing has happened
• this group discussed a merger with Group CA but didn't merge
• suggested group consider a swap with one of the available alternatives
• no Finnish action yet

I asked students to install QR code readers on their phone is possible

I asked students to take a look at the assessment breakdown on the bolg under quick links. But everyone was kind of wrapping up for the day at that stage.

CMOD6001 ITS/ITM Class

QR game demo

video: cmod6001-itm-20111026.m4v

CMOD6001 DWEB Class

QR game demo

News | Tech savvy Irish students headhunted by US company

News | Tech savvy Irish students headhunted by US company

SOFT7001 Class 17

We looked at web safe font, and web fonts.

I asked students to use google fonts to use some strange font on a webpage.

resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web-safe_fonts
http://www.ampsoft.net/webdesign-l/WindowsMacFonts.html
http://www.google.com/webfonts

I talked a little bit about the assessment. I don't know if it makes sense to assess students so soon. I don't feel like we have done enough for that to be meaningful.

audio: soft7001-20111025.m4a

CMOD6001 COM1 Class

I set up the European Federal Police crime scene by way of introduction to the QR game project. Students were thoroughly underwhelmed by the whole concept. I'm hoping it will grown in them.

I explained how QR codes worked and how short URL redirects work. I answered questions about the project. Again students very unimpressed.

CMOD6001 COM1 Lab A

I met with the groups for a progress report.


Group B

• 3/3 students in
• down to 3 students
• group working OK. But feels like one person is doing more than the others
• need to get a move on

Group W

• 3/4 students in
• work progressing. well done
• problem with 1 student not pulling his weight. I advised students to sort this soon one way or the other

Group X

• 3/4 students in
• nothing really done yet
• group knows where it's going though
• group working OK

Group Y

• 2/4 students in
• haven't done anything at all yet
• need to make a start
• students confident the group will work out OK. But it seems to me too soon to tell

Group Z

• 2/4 students in
• only 2 students in the group as far as those present are concerned. 1 definitely appears to have done a runner. I will investigate the other
• nothing done yet. need to get a move on

CMOD6001 IST/M Lab

I met with each of the groups for an update on their progress



Group Q

• 4/4 students present
• seems to be going OK. making progress
• IUT students is well integrated into the group
• Group working well

Group R

• 4/4 in
• Not much happening according to the blog
• Not much has happened yet in reality
• IUT student not yet fully integrated into the group
• group needs to sit down and discuss the topic
• Group working well

Group S

• 4/4 in
• plans seem to be well advanced. well done
• outline of presentation all sorted. working on slides next
• IUT students not yet fully integrated into the group. Interaction is limited

Group T

• 2/3 students in
• problem with one student in the group. As far as the group is concerned there are only two members
• This is a tough topic to explain. I gave some examples.
• IUT student working out
• This group would like some more members. There may be a second IUT student joining. I may find another CIT student

Group U

• 1/5 students in
• This group isn't working
• The one student who was in left to join another group
• Remaining students in this group need to get their act together soon

CMOD6001 ITS/M Job No. 24

On Monday 17th an ITS/M students talked us through Job No.24: Technical Writer in Paris. I have no record of that job being assigned to an ITS/ITM student. So I need that person to get back to me so I can put the marks with the name.

CMOD6001 DWEB1 Lab A

I met with the project groups for an update. In the meantime students worked away on various things.

I asked students to install QR readers on their phones.


Group WL

• 2/4 students in
• group has set up a google doc for gathering info and ideas
• contacted Metropolia students, but none got back

Group WM

• 3/3 students in class
• meeting regularly online
• set up google docs

Group WN

• 4/5 students in
• still gathering information
• advised students to make sure blog reflects what they are doing

Group WO

• 2/4 present
• some students had never met before
• one student is rarely in. I proposed the students meet to issue a red card, but they want to hear from the missing student first
• group hasn't really done anything yet
• needs to get sorted soon

SOFT70001 Media Query Resources

• http://mediaqueri.es/
• http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-mediaqueries/
• http://www.alistapart.com/articles/responsive-web-design/
• http://reference.sitepoint.com/css/mediaqueries
• http://stuffandnonsense.co.uk/blog/about/hardboiled_css3_media_queries
• https://developer.mozilla.org/en/CSS/Media_queries
• http://webdesignerwall.com/tutorials/css3-media-queries
• http://designshack.net/articles/css/20-amazing-examples-of-using-media-queries-for-responsive-web-design

SOFT7001 Class 16

We looked at using different stylesheets depending on the conditions under which the page is displayed. We used window.innerWidth as the determining factor. But JavaScript media queries are even better.

I asked students to write two stylesheets for a page: one three column layout for wide views and one single column version for narrow displays. To really push the boat out students could use the horizontal and vertical menus developed in earlier classes.

some code:

<html>
<head>
<link id="stylelink" rel="stylesheet" href="style1.css" type="text/css" />
<script type="text/javascript">
function resetcounter()
{
        document.getElementById("counter").innerHTML = window.innerWidth;
if (window.innerWidth < 500)
        {
        document.getElementById('stylelink').setAttribute('href', "style2.css");
        }
        else
        {
        document.getElementById('stylelink').setAttribute('href', "style1.css");
        }

}

</script>

</head>
<body onresize=resetcounter();>
<div id="counter">000</div>


</body>

</html>

CMOD6001 ITS/ITM Lab

I asked students to talk us through the jobs they were assigned to research. Students who went last week were given a change to go again. It was a bit rushed and a bit short with people, but in the end we had plenty of time. So I offered anyone who wanted it, a chance to say a bit more about their job. No one took me up though.

I outlined the break down of the assessments.

I asked students to log in to turnitin.com and enroll for this class.

I asked students to install QR readers on their phones

CMOD6001 DWEB1 Lab B

I showed students how google docs works. I started a story, shared it with the class, and asked them to finish.

I met with project groups for updates.

Group WA

• 2/4 students present
• There is nothing on the group blog. This seems to be an arrurate reflection of what has happend so far
• I advised students that at this rate of progress they are unlikely to pass
• Group members don't even know each others names

Group WB

• 4/5 students present
• Not much on the blog.
• Group has found a Metroplia student. Well done!
• No real work has been done yet
• I advised students that at this rate of progress they are unlikely to pass

Group WD

• No one from Group WD was in class

Group WE

• 4/4 students present
• nothing on the blog
• Group emailed some Metropolia students but didn't hear back
• No real work done yet
• I advised students that at this rate of progress they are unlikely to pass

Some groups still haven't decided whether or not to keep the topic they were assigned or to do a swap. It's getting late in the day.

CMOD6001 Attendance

I e-mailed 12 students today about their attendance. Some students seems to have disappeared.

If you have applied for this module by RPL and have been successful please let me know. That way I can stop worrying about you.

CMOD6001 Helsinki students

Metropolia students are unlikely to be available to work on the presentations. So groups should expect them only for the game.

However groups that have a Metropolia student already in place should ask them if they are prepared to work with them on the presentation. It could be a good way to get the ball rolling.

CMOD6001 COM Lab B

I asked students to take a look at the breakdown of the assesments and the schedule. I will provide more detail on the game assignment in class during the week.

I asked students to enroll for this class at turnitin.com

I met with the groups for a progress update

Group E

• 2/4 students present
• told me everything is going OK
• I reminded them to update the blog so that it reflects what's actually going on. From the blogs it looks like nothing is happening. But in reality everything is fine.

Group F

• 3/5 students present
• blogs needs to be fixed. It can't be read. Changing the design template will probably correct this. The students who were present couldn't fix it because they don't have admin rights
• There are issues with one of the mmebrs of this group. I recommened that the members present today have a meeting to discuss it. But they wanted to wait for the 4th member to be present. This should probably be sorted very soon.

Group D

• 4/4 present
• told me everything is going fine

Group C

• 4/4present
• told me everything is going fine
• advised them to keep blog up to date to reflecting what's going on

CMOD6001 Assignment Details

I have published a breakdown of the assessments for this module and the delivery dates.
http://colinmcit.blogspot.com/p/cmod6001-assessment-details.html

CMOD6001 DNET/DCOM Class

I talked about plagiarism. I gave a demo of turnitin. I gave out an exercise that students did in groups.

I asked students to install QR scanners on their phones.

CMOD6001 COM1 Class

I talked about plagiarism. I gave a demo of turnitin. I gave out an exercise that students did in groups.

I asked students to install QR scanners on their phones.

CMOD6001 DWEB1 Class

I explained what plagiarism was. I gave a demo of how turnitin works. I gave a handout on plagiarism and students did an exercise in groups.

There was some group maintenance.

I asked students to install QR scanners on their phones in time for the next class

Colin is out today

Actually I'll probably be back some time after lunch. So check my office if you are looking for anything.

No classes though 'cause I can't say for definite when I'll be back

CMOD6001 DNET/DCOM

I got students to talk me though the jobs they were assigned to research. Students who were missing for good reasons should advise me.

CMOD6001 ITS/ITM

On Tuesday last half of the class went through their job assignments.  I attempted to do the other half of the class on Monday but students didn't know their job numbers. I propose to try again next Monday. So all students in that group must attend if they want to get a decent mark for that assignment. Students who were supposed to be in class on Tuesday but were not, should provide details if they want the absence to be excused.

I will be at a funeral tomorrow. Students should plan to meet their IUT project member online, or tell them in advance that you will not be available.

Today we talked about plagiarism. I gave out an exercise on plagiarism. Not many people took it seriously.

Please keep all condoms in their wrappers in future classes.

CMOD6001 COM Job Assignment

I will have the marks for the job exercise sorted out soon. If you were missing on the day and have a medical cert or some other good reason please let me know.

I have notes on the student who had job no.28 and who spoke about it at the end of the full class. But I have no records of a COM student being given job no.28. Can this person contact me please.

Classes with Colin canceled on Thursday

I am going to a funeral on Thursday. I don't expect to be at any classes. Except maybe the 0900 one. Check back here for an update

Google Docs has upgraded the Presentation App

It might be worth checking out. It still looks fairly basic though.

CMOD6001 COM, DNET, DCOM, DWEB Blogs

Tonight I spent a good while reading student blogs. I had planned to read all the first year blogs, but guess what? If you open up 100 webpages all at a time your machine gets really slow. I should have expected that. So maybe I'll check out the other classes another day.

I noticed that a some students have very short posts. It annoyed me though to see so many people using lower case i for the first person. I thought I totally made that point very forcefully. Oh well.

topsecretgovernmentsecrets.blogspot.com can only be read by the people who wrote it. Ironic, but not much use.

Some students have colour schemes that make it really hard for old people like me to read.

I left a load of comments but they didn't seem to appear on the pages at all. If people didn't get them I'll be annoyed 'cause that means I was wasting my time. I could have been watching TV or something.

SOFT7001 Class

We looked a color and text. I spoke a little bit about the different kinds of fonts and how they can make a different impression. The interaction of background and font can impact on readability. I stressed the importance of relative sizing.

I referred students to fonttester.com to experiment with the different font properties

We finished up around 1730 instead of 1800