Web documentaries

After a lot of hard work and eleventh hour scrambling, the Tower Reflections Website is up and running. The launch event on May 18, was excellent. The reports from each student provided insight into their challenges and interesting experiences.

Some clean-up has been going on since the launch. One final session is expected to make minor tweaks and to add Toua's behind-the-scenes-video.
The biggest lessons I learned were to better control file management and template files creation. Templates must be created far earlier in the semester and have a thorough quality review and testing before they are given to other teams. At that point no changes to the editable region structure can occur. Only changes to locked template content can be changed once templates are distributed.

The file structure for each team's section must also be established before they begin work. Each team should be given a project folder containing an images folder with template graphics. Within this folder should be a folder for that section's graphics and all section graphics should go in this folder. The templates folder should also be included. A third folder should also be included that is for all content pages created by the section team. The root of the project folder would look like:

• images/sectionname [folder/folder]
• sectionname [folder - i.e. theatre]
• templates [folder containing content template files]

No files would appear at the root level. When the section is finished, the project folder would be given to the Webmaster for transfer into the main site. This transfer would involve

• copying the image's sectionname folder into the main site images folder
• copying the sectionname folder into the root of the main site

The above procedure should make the consolidating of the files from all teams work more smoothly. Less clean up would be required.

Finally, the students learned that they should have begun serious work on the site earlier in the semester. Though they were introduced to the project early in the semester many did not begin serious work until a few weeks before it was due. In some cases, those researching and prepping content started late which snowballed until those creating the pages were scrambling the last few days to get pages done. Additionally, some of the videos could have been created earlier eliminating another last minute element for some teams.

I think many of the students underestimated the amount of work needed to complete their sections. While the need to start work on the project early and interim deadlines were made known to the students, many did not appreciate their importance and had to learn this lesson through experience. Interestingly, at the end, many did acknowledge the need to begin work earlier and the value of not waiting until the last minute.

Since the student's lateness in completing work eliminated the testing phase of the project, fixing problems and making the site work fell on me and my teaching assistant. Since this was the first time for this class project I had expected there would be some problems. However, in the future I want to reduce the clean-up needed, hopefully by the tightening of the template and file management procedures. I will also work on earlier deadlines and forcing inclusion of time for review and testing the site before it's launched.

There needs to be time for me to go over the student's pages and give them feedback that will result in revising their work before it is turned in for consolidating into the site. Once the sections have ben consolidated into the main site, there needs to be a few days of testing, where each student thoroughly goes through the site and notes any problems to be fixed. Fixes will then be made and then the site will be launched in time for the final. The above suggests at least a three week period, which means student work needs to be ready for my review three weeks before the last class period.

Creationof the Tower Reflections Web site was a major undertaking. And since it was our first attempt at a Web documentary mistakes and problems were expected. Everyone involved, including myself, learned from this experience. I look forward to next year's class and refining the Web documentary process further.

Nice job guys, good to see it all come together this afternoon at the Tower Theater.

FYI, I still need your final Time Budgets itemized along with total hours spent w/ a comparison to your time budget estimates that you completed earlier in the semester. I sent an e-mail out to you last Thursday morning. Contact me if you have questions, otherwise I cannot turn in our team's binder without them.

Joe

Tuck -

I found the "Binder" assignment that we spoke about over the phone. I will work on the following and get it to you ASAP.

1. Summary of problems and your solutions.
2. Evaluation of what worked and what could be improved and how for future web documentaries.

Hollak

I have architect photos to pass along to you my friend.

I need your e-mail address.

E-mail me @ hollak AT gmail DOT com

Thank you.

The Collegian will be hosting its public Open House on Wednesday, May 4th from 4 - 6 PM.

As Photo Editor I am required to be there to greet and entertain guests. As the time period falls exactly in-line with class, I will miss class on Wednesday.

On the other hand, as a huge part of the MCJ department, the Collegian's open house is welcoming all students and faculty to attend in our new office located at the West end of SA building. Eat, drink, and be merry.

Joe Hollak
hollak@csufresno.edu

Work is progressing on the design for the home page. The first version of the graphic look can be viewed at
http://www.csufresno.edu/tower/blog/tower_site/homev1.htm . Based on class feedback this design has been further perfected. The next version will be prviewed in a few days. (Unfortunately the lead designer, Eric, is ill and was not able to get the files to us for yesterday's class.)

We decided on the banner design for the Web documentary. At Monday's class we looked at design ideas from the template team and, as a group, discussed the design. Through a collaborative effort we made some adjustments to the design. These included changing the color from gold to blue and moving the oval with the site title to the left instead of centered. Placement of the oval will draw the eye into the page more effectively. And the blue color is more vibrant and reminiscent of the neon effect previously discussed.

We also confirmed the name of the site, Tower Reflections, which was decided by myself and a couple of students during last Wednesday's class meeting.

In order to get decisions made as to the site name and the banner, I stepped in and pushed the process. Eventually, ending discussions and making the decision so we could move on. Time was getting short and we were undecided on key items so I needed to faciliate decision-making. The students actually appreciated this because they weren't sure what to do. The site name and design seemed to work well for everyone, so it was easy for the students to accept my decisions.

This experience points out the need for stepping in and facilitating decision-making when the students aren't sure what to do or are having trouble coming up with ideas. I had decided that by the end of the class period we would decide on the site design, whether it was student generated or mine. That approach enabled us to be productive and finalize the design, ultimately resulting in a banner we like.