Tuesday, October 20, 2009

My Podcast

Sounds in presentations can be applied to almost any field. In advertising, sounds can be used to create examples to be used for future presentations. For example, sample radio ads can be tested out on programs like GarageBand to give the team an idea about things such as timing. Podcasts can also be created to keep a team on track by recording their ideas and perhaps be used to demonstrate progress to the client.

For my podcast I decided to use a scene from The Lion King. Mufasa has just rescued Simba and Nala from the elephant graveyard and teaches Simba a lesson about what it means to be brave. I think this is a cool way to introduce sound into a presentation.


Josie Podcast - Josie Almazan

Sunday, October 18, 2009

My Digital Story

For the Digital Storytelling Examples Forum I made a video using Animoto.com.
I used several pictures from my wedding to create a short video to capture the most important elements of that day. Hope you enjoy!


Saturday, October 17, 2009

Week 7 - Digital Storytelling

This week we continued learning about visual literacy, but have moved on from still images to video. We watched a tutorial on iMovie which I think is such a cool program because it allows you to create videos in a short and easy way. We learned how videos can be created as a way to tell a story and viewed some examples that will help us create our own digital story. I think this is a cool way to use technology and teachers can incorporate these videos into their classrooms as a fun way to teach their students.

Digital storytelling relates to advertising because it can be used as a promotional medium. For example, companies can create short movies about how their companies got started and put it on their websites. Companies can also create digital movies about events and activities they host and post them onto social networking sites to create awareness with certain audiences.

I found this video on YouTube to further explain digital storytelling.

The video does a great job of explaining each of the following about digital storytelling:
-top 10 reasons for implemeting digitial storytelling into teaching
-the main definition used to describe it
-how digital storytelling can be applied to almost any subject
-the different types of digital storytelling
-and the different elements of a digital story
Overall the video was very informative and helped me gain a greater insight into the art of digital storytelling.

Week 6 - Visual Literacy

This week we learned about visual literacy and how it can be manipulated to distort original images. We also discovered how prevalent visual literacy is in our society, we use it everyday from street signs to bathroom signs. Visual literacy is also very important becuase it is universal. By using only images, it does not matter the language you speak because an image can portray the exact way something looks in real life. For example, a picture of an apple will be understood by anyone in any country. This week began our introduction to Photoshop which I am excited to learn because it is an essential skill to know when working in my field.

Visual literacy greatly relates to advertising because it is a crucial part of the creative side. Advertisers who create ads, especially for print, are required to know the basic design principles. In order to effctively get the message across, advertisers must ensure that the ads are easy to read and pleasing to the eye. As advertising majors, we are required to take a visual design and principles class, which demonstrates the importance of this element to the advertising field.

I chose a video from YouTube to gain a deeper understanding of visual literacy.




This video displays many images which can spark discussion in a classroom and help students relate to what they are learning. It was created to inspire teachers to use visual images in their lessons and presents several questions that can engage students in learning. I also liked the way the video incorporated different forms of visual art such as graphs, charts and scientific elements.

Week 5 - Media & Information Literacy

In this week's lesson we learned about media information and literacy. The presention we watched was very helpful in demonstrating ways of efficiently presenting information in a visual form. The four key guidelines were Contrast, Repitition, Alignment and Proximity. I think this information is usesful for our everyday lives. For example, these principles will be helpful when creating a powerpoint presentation for a class or even designing a resume. We also learned how to determine if a web site is authentic. I think this is important not only for teachers who are transmitting information, but also for students who are writing papers and conducting research. Because web pages can be created by anyone, it is essential to know that we are accessing valid information.

Media literacy is in essence a part of advertising itself because advertising is transmitted through different forms of media. As an advertising student, it is important for me to be aware of the different forms of media and how they each portray information differently. Also, in order to effectively reach certain audiences, it is critical to be aware of the different forms of media they are using.

I chose a video from YouTube called Show Your Media Literacy to explore different ways we can use media.

This video was really interesting and I thought it was cool that it mentioned several tools that we are actually using in this class. It showed blogger, delicious and podcasting as ways of transmitting or viewing information. It also talked about Creative Commons and properly citing information that you have used. I thought it was informative in an entertaining way.

Week 3 - Web Technology

In this week's lesson we learned about the history of technology. A presentation explained the history of the internet and different technological terms such as server, web browser and the different size terms used for a variety of media. We also watched a series called "Growing Up Online" by FRONTLINE that explained the impact of technology on today's youth. Many kids that grew up using the internet live hidden lives online that can often lead to problems such as online bullying. Teachers are also concerned with the amount of time their students spend online. "We almost have to be entertainers. They consume so much media. We have to cut through that cloud of information around them, cut through that media, and capture their attention," social studies teacher Steve Maher explained to FRONTLINE. I found this lesson very informative because I grew up as part of the online generation, but I see it being used more and more by my younger siblings.

Web technology definetly relates to advertising because the field is moving more towards online media. Advertising follows its consumers, and since the most targeted market is the younger generation, advertisers are following them online. Many companies set up web sites, advertise on social networking sites and produce online commercials to specifically target the audience that spends more time online than watching tv, reading the newspaper or listening to the radio. I think it is important for me as an advertising student to learn history of technology and how it is evoloving in order to apply it to my field.

I chose an article on Wikipedia about Google to explain the power of internet technology. Google transformed the way we search for things on the internet and has continued developments that constantly revolutionize internet technology. This article is relevant to this lesson because Google is a huge part of the internet and I think it is important to know about how they were created as well as their plans for the future, as they may impact they way we use the internet.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Week 2- Educational Technolgy

In this week's lesson we were introduced to technology and how it is being used to teach in today's society. While we now relate technology to the internet, in the past other mediums of technology were used. For example, I remember listening to audio tapes and using overhead projectors when I was in elementary school. While we now use more advanced forms of technology, it is important to note that technology has been used to assist educators for many years. A great example of today's educational technology is this very course. We meet in the lab once a week, and the other two hours are to be completed online. We have presentations to watch, forums to post and interact, and this blog to keep up with. This is very different from other classes because there is such a heavy reliance on technology.

Even though educational technology doesn't directly apply to advertising, I think it is still relevant because technology is becoming an everyday part of society as a whole. The skills that we learn in this class can be used in advertising in many ways. For example, while forum posts can be used to interact and teach by ordinary people, market researchers can view them to gain insight into their consumer's minds. Photoshop is also a great skill needed by advertisers who will create visual art. Even though the education field and the advertising field use technology in different ways, I think they relate to each other because the same skills are needed, it is just a matter of how you apply the technology.

I found a video on Youtube that was created to teach kids the proper way to wash their hands.

This is an example of educational technology because someone had to create a video, put it together with kids in mind, and post it on the internet for adults everywhere to have access to a fun, informative video. Instead of a chart or poster to teach kids, this video uses a cartoon to exemplify the correct way to sanitize your hands. It also uses a catchy song that will keep the children's attention and get them excited about what they are learning. I think this is a great exmaple of educational technology because the kids can learn from something they also find entertaining. Because germs help spread the flu, I'm sure this video is being used all over the country to explain to kids the proper way to wash thier hands.