Tag Archives: Spring 2015

Weekly iPad Reflection – Katherine

This week I discovered new ways to use the iPad to improve my productivity. Last Thursday, I helped set up and assist with SBU-TV’s Film festival as an intern. Part of my duties that night involved checking people in with their names and ID numbers. In order to speed up the process, I used my iPad to set up a spreadsheet using Google Sheets while another intern used a laptop to open up the same Google spreadsheet. I was able to have people sign in with their name and ID number and type it themselves using the iPad which made the process a lot faster. It was convenient to have both a laptop and an iPad and be able to have people sign in on both.

Google Drive and Docs have been a lifesaver this semester when I’m not able to physically meet up with the other interns or group members in person. Being able to work in Google Docs and have each group member highlight their text with a chosen color has greatly helped to organize notes and blog post ideas all in one place. Before the iPad, I rarely made use of Google Drive and had never used Google Docs/hangouts/sheets/slides in such a productive and fast manner.

The iPad as a Global Broadcasting Tool

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One of the main ways my use of the iPad has evolved thanks to CDT 450 is that my mind is beginning to develop a deeper understanding of the iPad as a MOBILE GLOBAL BROADCASTING TOOL, and the implications for education in general. I can read, take notes, sketch, record video, audio, research, etc. I’ve been doing that for years – But now I’m thinking more about how the iPad can help me to communicate and share my creations, ideas, and discoveries with a global audience – especially when I create something compelling enough to grab and maintain people’s attention.

For me some of my most productive learning comes through interacting with other students and experts. I know that my understanding is increased when I am required to create something related to course material and present it, or creatively share it online. As I mentioned above, I’m learning new ways to do this throughout my learning experience, from collaborating online, to presenting to a group.

Weekly iPad Reflection Chris W

After almost a full semester of occupying the iPad, I don’t know how I am going to live without this thing.  All my assignments and a majority of my internet browsing are done using the iPad.

Stony brook University uses a website called Blackboard to distribute assignments, post grades and weekly reminders, and have the students interact with one another. I navigate blackboard exclusively form my iPad. The layout is nicer. The design is nicer. Everything is nicer on the app end of Blackboard.

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Web version of Blackboard

imageApp version of Blackboard

The main difference between the two is the active panel the app version has. It is easy to navigate the different tabs as well as see exactly where you are.

Oh Back Button, I Hearken Ye

It’s been a while since I posted an update on what apps I currently have on my iPad. I’ve definitely increased the number of them that I use. Only the highlighted ones are used without fail every day, but I will definitely say that I still use most of them on a weekly if not every other day basis. I have now used the iPad for about three months, and have finally gotten used to not having a keyboard. Granted, I could never imagine writing a paper without a dedicated one. Other than that, I have noticed that I am much more productive throughout the day–I always have access to materials and tools for each of my classes.

I still want a back button. You think I’m joking, but I’m not. There are so many apps that you cannot simply go back one step; you must completely start over.

Apps As of 4_20_15

Technically Yours,

R.

P.S. I assure you that the game “8bit Doves” says exactly that. Image compression is a bit dirty..

 

Kate's Weekly Create

Reese & Roxie
This week’s create involved using the Slate app to tell a story. Since I used slate last week, I wanted to try something different from what I usually do and though I had several ideas that I will be trying on my own time, I decided it would be interesting to see how slate could be used by students to help the community. I volunteer at a local animal rescue center and wanted to use the platform to feature the story of their adoptable pets. After visiting the dogs, hearing their background, and making a few paintings for a personal touch, this app is fantastic for quickly putting together a finished product and I could see this being very useful for student work. I was able to produce everything including the watercolors on the go which was really helpful. My only issue with the app is that though I love the one option that allows you to have the window move over the image, it’s height depends on the screen dimensions which is not always obvious if you are doing it on the iPad. This may make the content not look right on all devices or orientations. I would love a bit more flexibility.

 

Too Disruptive Design Challenge for InteGreat App

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Too Disruptive Design Challenge:
How can we create an engaging social media platform / campaign called InteGreat, which will promote cross cultural events and activities at Stony Brook that encourage the diverse community at the university to develop an easy appreciation of, and deep respect for cultural differences within the community?

We are convinced that through social interaction, people from different socioeconomic backgrounds can get to know each other and at the same time participate in a nationwide movement to increase awareness that communities across America need to engage in activities that improve race relations.

We decided to focus on this app after discussing the pros and cons of the other app ideas put forward by:
Richard – Educational App to replace Blackboard
Katherine – App to airdrop notes to other students in close proximity
Chris – Task manager app that allows delegation and progress reports

One reason we decided on InteGreat was that the other three apps have certain areas that overlap, but we could not figure out how to combine these common features to create a compelling design challenge phrase. InteGreat seems like the most feasible app to create, and it has practical applications that are needed in the SBU community and in American society on a large scale.

Regarding INTEGRATION at Stony Brook, this is what we think we know:
SBU is an extremely diverse campus (but not necessarily integrated).
The diversity extends beyond each category into tons of sub-categories.
Students at SBU come from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds:
– Variety of ethnicities – the percentage of each ethnicity that attends SBU.
– Variety of countries.
– Variety of places within those countries.
There are dozens of USG-funded clubs / groups based on religion, origin, interests, music, sports, art, academic areas, gender issues, politics, etc.
Number of members and funding that each club has and which clubs are most popular.
Integration is different than inclusion.

Here’s what we DON’T KNOW:
What efforts to increase integration at SBU already exist?
Do students, teachers, staff at SBU perceive a problem with integration?
What is Student Activities doing? Office of Cross Cultural Affairs? Study Abroad? International Students Services? Faculty? Advising (undergrad. colleges, ATAS, Honors, WISE, Scholars, Athletes)?
Are certain academic departments more aware of the state of the integration situation? Sociology? African Studies? Philosophy? History? Etc?
What is EOP doing (Educational Opportunity Program)?
What events have gone on in the last year at SBU to promote improve race relations?
What events are planned?
Have these events had an impact on individuals/communities and their integration within the community?
What is the general feeling of the SBU population to how different groups interact and work together?
What is the actual turnout from these events and is there any follow-up built into these types of meetings?
Do people want to break out of their shells and meet others?
Is the problem segregation or exclusion? These are two very different, but somewhat related terms.

This discussion and brainstorming is guiding us as we develop specific research questions, goals, and methodology.

Hello My Name Is [insert artsy photo here]

Richard J. Smith

 

My project using Adobe Slate is intended to  serve as a mock visual bio that I could incorporate into a website. Of course the photos are not high enough quality to be used in an official setting, but it is a good starting point for thinking about what my biography can say aesthetically and vice versa. It is also helpful to show how design must be built with multiple platforms in mind. I created this on my iPad, but it looks quite different on a desktop computer and my older iPhone 4S. It is definitely something that I would like to pursue further in the future.