Originally Posted:
Friday, August 4, 2006
2:43:00 PM CDT
Feeling Happy
I am a goofball. I make projects up for myself to do. As if being assigned homework by my professor is not enough, now I'm making missions up for myself. Actually, this one has a purpose... Before I assign projects to my own students I try to do the assignment myself just to work out the kinks and make sure it is possible to do. It also helps to reduce confusion and the "I don't understand what you're asking me to do" looks students tend to give. So, I got this idea for the Creative Problem Solving class I'll be co-teaching for the first time in Spring 2007. The course needed an overhaul and we need to integrate Photoshop lessons into the curriculum somehow and this seemed to be the best place for it, so I volunteered (WHY!!!???) to teach Photoshop the first half of the semester and then another teacher will teach the second half of the class and the students will be required to produce their project presentations using their new PShop skills.
Basically, students will have to go around campus, the city, or where ever on a scavenger hunt for the entire alphabet represented in architectural or natural details. This will teach them several things: it'll be a jump start into looking at your surrounding with a different perspective (look at the symbols we are surrounded by everyday but don't realize it), how to use their digital cameras which I've found that they all have one but don't know much about using them (let alone what a megapixel is or how it affects image size), and how to use Photoshop. In the end they will have to transfer the images into Photoshop, resize them, possbily manipulate them to enhance the letter, create words, etc. I think it'll be a fun, first "getting used to Photoshop" assignment.
Sheila, Kat and I had a blast seeking letters yesterday. As they would pop up right before our eyes, one of us would scream in excitement, I would slam on my brakes, throw the car in reverse, jump out to take a picture, then get back on the road.
I still have several letters to find, but here's the start of what I've collected.
We were making the rules up as we went along. So far the rules are:
1. You may not manipulate the situation to make a letter (Meaning: The letter must be obvious as is. You may not rearrange, move, or alter the item or its surroundings to achieve a letter).
2. You may not manipulate the image in Photoshop to achieve a letter (Meaning: The image may not be mirrored or rotated to face the letter in a readable direction).
3. Letters must be formed from architectural or natural forms or shapes. You may not use an image of a pre-printed letter (Meaning: You cannot take a photo of a stop sign and use the "s" from the pre-printed word).
4. Letter forms may not be duplicated in materials (Meaning: Each letter must represent an individual source. A prime example of this rule is the "U" and "W" I got from a bike rack. I can use either the "U' OR the "W" form from the bike rack, but not both. I'll need to find an alternate for one of them.)
This entry has 5 comments:
#5 Comment from menaughtykat
8/7/06 11:15 PM
I can't believe it, Sheila, you're still doing the alphabets going home to Kentucky. Honestly, I can't believe how dedicated you two are to your work! Your students must be really blessed to have the two of you as their lecturers.
#4 Comment from tracypace
8/5/06 10:09 AM
The bird made me laugh out loud when I first saw the photo on my computer screen and I could tell what it was. On my little camera screen it just looked like a black dot. I love how it looks like a stuffed bird that was just tossed into the air the second I took the photo.
#3 Comment from tracypace
8/5/06 10:00 AM
This is better than the license plate game!
#2 Comment from ssflener
8/5/06 8:49 AM
The "A" is so funny, because none of us remember the bird landing.
#1 Comment from ssflener
8/4/06 11:21 PM
A great letter "V" is in Atlanta: after you leave downtown going North. The street lights make a "v"
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