Half Way Reflection

I am actually fairly surprised at some of the things I have learned this semester. I find CSS to be really interesting. I remember coding simple HTML websites back in the day and things have changed so much. I remember having to change font colors for every single < font > tag I used when I wanted to change them; it was a real headache, especially as I started adding in a whole bunch of pages. I wish CSS had been around then. I like the idea of designing my websites to look the same and only having to create one style sheet. To be honest I always considered CSS to be something I would never try learning, because honestly, I don't need it. Nevertheless, I am enjoying learning it and plan to try using some of the coding to enhance my Weebly site.

I have also been really excited to learn about FTP. I remember when I had my site it had a built in editor (I think it was AngelFire) and I always used that. I preferred using NoteBook for my coding but couldn't because I didn't know how to upload it using FTP protocol. After trying it in this class I have found that it is actually really easy and would have made things easier for me in the past. The built in editor for AngelFire was so small it was hard to see all of the code at once. I remember also having to create a website for an anthropology class and I had to go back and create it in AngelFire instead of doing it through the CPP server, it was a headache; I wish I had known how to do it.

Summary: Most difficult, truthfully is attending class, I don't get back home after work so I'm essentially busy from 6:30 when I get up to 10:00 in the night. Nevertheless it is interesting once I get there.

Most rewarding: finally being able to use FTP successfully and understanding it.

Favorite Lab: Adding the gradients to the navigation button and having them change when a mouse is hovered over it. Really cool!

http://www.csupomona.edu/~rrgarcia/Labs.html

Journal #5 - Twitter

I really do not like social media, including Twitter. I don't see the point of posting little blurbs about what you're doing or how you feel and I am even less inclined to follow other people to see what they're doing and how they feel. I think there are better things to do with my time and I don't find anyone interesting enough to follow. This particular social media app really has me confused, at least FaceBook is more involved; really don't understand how anyone could use this on a personal level, not to offend.

Nevertheless I can kind of see how it could be used in the classroom, I just feel like the particular benefits listed would be suitable for a single classroom or for my classroom in particular. I think it would be great as a communication tool but it still puts the teacher at risk for disciplinary action if a student does something stupid. I'd rather use Remind101 which practically eliminated any risks and works just as well; I personally don't want the students to be able to communicate with me whenever they want, so Remind101 fits my needs best.

I think I just have a natural aversion to social media apps and this one in particular really strikes me as being quite useless. I understand it could be beneficial for a classroom, I just think the benefits aren't worth having students sign up for another account or the teacher having to manage another account.