What technology skills I have learned in the instructional technology program?
Technology skills are important for me to incorporate my instructional method for delivering an efficient course or training. Each ETEC 500 and 600 level course gave me an opportunity to apply a technology skill to create teaching materials and a project in the IT program. I have learned many basic technology skills, including graphic editing, video production, and web development skills from my ETEC courses which will help me create instructional websites and teach others to create instructional websites. Refer to my specific technology skills below.
Web Development
In ETEC 500, I enjoyed learning how to use HTML to practice creating my ePortfolio by hand coding, which is the original way websites were designed in the past. Although HTML uses many codes, it is useful for me to be aware of all of the functions from the w3schools.com and my professor’s video tutorials. There are four different HTML codes that are important for me to design my web pages:
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<center></center>
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<div><p><h3> </div></p></h3>
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<a href="files/644analysis.pdf" download="644analysis.pdf ">Analysis</a>
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<footer> </footer>,” and “<div><img src="images/mypicture.jpg"></div>
Applying HTML and website templates will assist me in web development which is one of the important technical skills of my future career in designing an efficient instructional website and implementing an online course. An example of my work can be seen below:
ETEC 500: HTML Coding
In ETEC 692, I did an internship where I served as a web developer to help companies to design websites. I helped design e-commerce and corporation websites and roll out its business-to-business marketing strategy. This experience supplemented my basic knowledge of web development to design efficient websites. The technology tools that I used in creating websites, provided by the company, are as follows:
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InMotionHosting: I selected InMotionHosting as web hosting for developing websites.
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Photoshop: I edited and incorporated images of products/items of technology.
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WordPress: I used WordPress to create the company’s website. The URL of the companies' websites I developed: https://www.allyglobalgroup.com
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WooCommerce: I usedWooCommerce to create an e-commerce website. The URL of the e-commerce website I developed: https://www.powerchum.com
In EDUC 605, I used Wix.com to develop a school website with my teammates. The URL of the school website I created with my teammates: https://educ605csusb.wixsite.com/school
In ETEC 501, I used WordPress to create my personal blog for posting my homework. The URL of my blog: https://michaeleducation.wordpress.com
Video Production
In ETEC 546, I used Windows Movie Maker to create my digital storytelling project. The most important functions are creating a cover page, credit page, editing text, recording narration and uploading music for my project. This project gave me an opportunity to gain basic knowledge of video editing in this class. Refer to my digital storytelling project below.
ETEC 546: Video Editing
Graphic Editing
In ETEC 546, I learned how to use the specific functions of graphic editing with PhotoScape, which provides many useful functions. I watched the tutorial videos my professor provided: http://www.photoscape.org/, which could clearly guide me for each specific function such as line gradient, paint brush, clone stamp, and adjusting brightness/darkness. I chose a free photo and edited it so that it is different compared to the original photo. I utilized ten different skills in the edited photo from PhotoScape:
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Resize the original image
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Add text
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Crop the photo
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Adjusting brightness and darkness.
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Applying a photo/film effect
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Add a Clipboard image or an icon
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Clone Stamp
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Paint Brush
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Add an object (Rounded Box)
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Line Gradient
Refer to my graphic editing below:
ETEC 546: Graphic Editing
How will the technology skills influence my future career?
These technology skills from the ETEC 500 and 600 level courses are useful for me to become a full-time instructional designer or web developer at an educational institution or corporation. However, I am aware that I must be familiar enough with operating Web 2.0 tools to develop efficient curriculum and teaching materials within short time periods due to how rapidly Web 2.0 tools transform. For my future career, I must devote additional effort to learn new Web 2.0 tools’ functions to efficiently implement an e-learning or hybrid course. An educational institution or a corporation should provide an efficient technology training to help me. I have an opportunity to obtain advanced knowledge of how to apply new Web 2.0 tools for creating efficient teaching materials. Through an efficient training, I can be more confident to effectively make decisions for implementing their instructional plans and online courses.