Advice for Future Students

I am so glad that I took this class. I came in thinking that I wouldn't learn anything knew, but I really did! I advise future students to be sure and do they're homework- it really helps you to study for quizzes and tests, but also helps you to really master the information. Good luck in class!!!

Student Websites

All of my fellow students' website were really great! I enjoyed looking at them all and learning a little bit more about each one of my classmates. I particularly enjoyed Brittany Flores' site. I think that it's so cool that she added some comments in Russian on her home page! Her imagemaps and especially her email me button are very interesting, and it's obvious that she worked hard on her website.
I also really enjoyed Sara Hansen's page. Her navigation bar was really interesting and colorful, and I really liked that she put all of her pictures on her site as thumbnails so that you could pick out certain ones to enlarge for a better view.
My third favorite site is Andrew Gill's page. It really looks professional! You can really learn a lot about Trinity University from his site. He should consider sending it into the dean! He could help out with the official Trinity site!
If you would like to check out my website, go to http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~ehoward

HTML Code or NOT?

These days, there are several programs that can help you expertly design webpages. It is still important, however, for web designers to know HTML code. First of all, someone has to design the designing programs in the first place!
Also, it is important to know the idea behind what you are doing. For example, if you are using a calculator for a math class, you should know the basic idea behind what the calculator is doing. The same goes for designing websites. Even if you have sophistocated software to create the code for you, you should still know the principle behind it.
Another reason to know the basic code is if there is a glitch in the programming software. It might be necessary to change the HTML code by hand to get the type of result you want for your website.
It's always important to know the basics behind the shortcuts!! Otherwise it's kind of cheating! :)

Powerpoint Presentations

Recently in Essential Computer Skills, we listened to our classmates give Powerpoint presentations about their areas of interest and study. There were definately some great presentations!!
I particularly enjoyed the presentation by Alisa Dill about Pompeii. I have always been interested in this part of history, and it was great to learn more about it. I thought the animation was great, and the images were very stimulating.
I also liked Ellie Leeper's presentation about her uncle, Henry Guerra. I loved that she put a personal spin on her presentation, and was able to relate to someone in her family that shared the same interests as she has.
All of the presentations were great! I don't think that there was a bad one. :)

Powerpoint Tips

I have only made a few powerpoints in my life, but I have see a lot! My professors and teachers have used them to lecture in the past, and my fellow students have often used them for projects. I know now that there are definately some guidelines when creating a good powerpoint project. Here's a list of five guidelines:
1. Keep it simple! Don't use too many animations
2. Keep the color theme consistant and readable
3. Don't use too many bullet points...your audience will get bored
4. Visual images often work better than text in terms of keeping attention
5. Don't make the presentation too long...you will definately lose the attention of your audience!
I hope these help my classmates!!

Chris Nolan

Chris Nolan gave a very interesting presentation. I was unfortunately ill the day he came to class, but I have recently talked with classmates about his talk. I learned from him about judging whether or not particular websites are legitimate or not. It is going to be very useful for my future research projects.
I learned that often websites ending in .gov, .edu, etc are often more reliable than simply .com sites, and that, although google can be very useful, the websites that it brings up are not always the best to use for research.

Copyright Issues

It may seem pretty easy to download a digital file illegally, but the fact of the matter is, it makes many peoples lives very difficult indeed. It may seem like little or nothing, but imagine if everyone in the world only downloaded without paying. Music artists and the like would earn close to nothing, and therefore become nonexistent! Ok, that may be a little extreme, but we all love music. I think the important thing is to consider the long run consequences of illegal downloading. Imagine you are short on cash, so your burn all of your friends CDs for Christmas. It seems simple enough, but in fact, it is considered a felony to commit a copyright infringement involving more than ten copies! You could be fined, or sued, or worse! It is really worth such consequences?
You can even get caught at school. It may seems like some protocols are safe, but no matter what you have heard, not even Bit Torrent is going to make you invisible to the law. Trinity has actually been forced to hand over names of students who have downloaded illegal digital files, and they will certainly not pay for the legal costs.
My advice is to just take the time and make your friends a gift, and download a program that lets you listen to your favorite songs legally! It's all for the best.

My New Knowledge of Excel!

I started learning about Microsoft Excel in high school when I needed to use it to record data for Phsycis. I actually only learned what I needed for the class, so there was a lot missing. The Essential Computer Skills Class has taught me so much about Excel!! For example, I have learned how to put data in order, highlight important statistics, and format my workbooks. I have actually thought about using it to keep track of my general finanaces in the future, as well as the costs that it takes to take care of my horse. Also, I may use it to keep track of my internet account user names and passwords, because I seem to constantly be forgetting!
I think that my new knowledge of Excel will really help me a lot in the future. At my job over the summer, which is as a camp counselor at a youth camp in Colorado, I plan to offer to use my knowledge to help organize important paperwork.

Pictures that LIE!

This is a picture of Clement Hurd, the illustrator of the popular childrens' story, "Goodnight Moon", by Margaret Wise Brown. In older copies of the book, this picture, which is located in the dust cover, features Hurd holding a lit cigarette, but in later editions, HarperCollins, the publisher of the book, eliminated the cigarette. I personally believe that this was a wise choice. It is inadvisable to show children pictures of people whom they look up to doing things that can be harmful to their health, such as smoking. I believe that the picture was altered in order to set a better example for children, and therefore was worth the editing. (this picture was found at http://www.news.com/2300-1026_3-6033210-24.html?tag=ne.gall.pg)

WAY TO GO WIRELESS!!!

The wireless capabilities on the Trinity University campus are great! I can go pretty much anywhere I want on campus, and still be able to connect to the internet with my laptop!! I often take my computer to class and use it to take notes, and if I want to sit on my bed and study, rather than my desk, I can take my computer and not have to worry about internet access. I can also take my computer to the library, and sit drinking coffee and studying at the same time!! I can check grades, homework, email, and sometimes my professors post powerpoint slides that are accessable through the internet. With wireless internet, I'm not tied down anywhere on campus! When I'm finished with school stuff, or even to take an occasional break, I can use my wireless for recreation such as games and facebook.
Other college campuses are following close behind Trinity's advancement, including Hendrix College, where some of my friends go to school. To learn about their wireless network, visit http://www.hendrix.edu/it/it.aspx?id=11988.

Microsoft Word

When I was in about fourth grade, we were required to take a computer class. We learned all the basics about Microsoft Word, and I am generally pretty good at using it. I would certainly, however, like to review some of the topics that I learned, and learn some of the new features associated with the lastest editions of Word. I want to learn how to make pictures move exactly where I want them to, instead of just where the cursor is. I actually had this problem with my last homework assignment. I made it work the best I could, but I'm definately looking forward to learning some new techniques. I would also like to learn how to make charts and columns on Word.

Computer 911!

It's Monday night at 9:00, and I have Essential Computer Skills early on Tuesday morning. I sit down at my computer to do my homework for class tomorrow (because I'm such an awesome student!) and I see only "the blue screen of death"! Here's what I would so in this situation. First of all, if my roommate was around, I would ask to borrow her laptop for the evening. If she wasn't in the room, I would check with my suitemates. If no one could lend me their computers, I would head over to the Murcheson study room and use one of the computers over there. The next day, I would take my computer over to the computer help center in Witte to ask for their help to repair my computer.

My Background!!

Hello! My name is Emily Howard and I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here is a link to my hometown: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.133354,-95.975663&z=13&t=h&hl=en. In my spare time, I love to spend time with my family, play with my four dogs, and ride my amazing horse, Jesse. I am planning on majoring in Spanish, and hope to go to medical or veterinary school after I graduate from Trinity. I am involved in the Trinity Equestrian Team, and I am rushing this semester, and hope to join a sorority.
As for my history with computers, I think it was probably very similar to most other students. In early middle school, I was taught to type and use Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and other common programs. Last year I took an introductory programming class as an elective. In this class, I hope to better my understanding of modern computer software and programs so that I may be successful in my college career. I am excited to get the semester started!!