Noir106

Trying to stay Straight on Down the Line

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My journey to ds106 began in a Flickr 365 group in which @cogdog (Alan Levine) was one of the instigators…..errr….founders, of the group that started mostly as people somehow connected to education and technology. The community was welcoming, supportive and structured, but not mandated structured. The way in which the originators of the group set up the context for participation and their modeling invoked positive connections. It also showed how everyone has something to give and share some of the time, some all the time, and some only when you really need it. From this group I have established deep and lasting relationships with people I have never met in person. It has been 6 years since my first photo and I am still connected to a core group even though we have all moved on to other things or directions.

OrangeThing

My 365 Albums:  2009  2010  Dailyshoot   (got busy the next years and didn’t create albums!)
365 Group on Flickr
DailyShoot on Flickr

I was already a part of an online world – but this group extended my connectedness to the globe. My professional side, I have been online in education since 1992 and started with the Freenet – bulletin boards (yeah – you #noir106 students may need to look those up in Wikipedia). I have moved through more than a dozen LMS systems, course development tools, video, and more. Most of my work was in professional development and systems with educators as the students, focusing on how to move them towards working with their students online. The problem was my job was in getting these things going and getting others to see the possibilities and a vision. It left me only time to do things as a “work hobby” in getting systems and direction started and handing it off to others to do the creating. My dream was to do the creating and see something from start to finish. But something called needing a paycheck and others deciding leadership was a better route for me to make a difference, set the direction. I enjoyed my time in that role and can look back on making a difference. 2014 brought forward family health issues. I was able to take early retirement and focus on family and take on new things that hold me only accountable to myself. I knew I wanted to jump into ds106 – I have for a few years now. It has taken me a year to get adjusted to letting work go and allow me to focus on my own passions and create again.

With the new year – I started on my own in the headless open version of DS106. If I was going to make this happen for me- I had to do it. I couldn’t use the excuse that @cogdog was having to move on with new ideas, that @jimgroom and others were now continuing in their care for ds106, that it was now not the newest kid on the block. But I believe in its foundation, methods, and philosophy. It is a game changer. It is not just a course for UMW – it is a way that connects around the world and makes a difference.

Straight on Down the Line Groupie or Stalker

Whether it was karma or dumb luck, my journey into independent learning with ds106 aligned my time in learning cyberspace creation with 3 awesome sections of students in the journey at UMW as #noir106. It also provides me some motivation and some accountability to get things done. The ds106 structure is solid, but takes themes with each new cohort. Previously student cohorts explored through Wire and other themes and genre. This cohort is exploring through Noir Films. I am not old enough to have experienced noir firsthand (REALLY I’M NOT!), but close enough to those who did that I can recognize it. I love getting to know the students and other participants and see how they grow! Because or the open format someone like me can walk along the process without being official. How life is that! But it also can cause some unsettling of traditional format students and seem like stalking or intrusion. But cleverly – it is life and no matter who drops in everyone has to figure out how to accept, include, or ignore and put aside. Students have their guides (instructors) to help them balance that as a real experience. Watch and learn from them.

I am going through ds106 as an open course and independent learner. I don’t know that I will ever take an official “education system” learning opportunity again – or at least not until the systems change some things. My last professional work was in understanding how systems need to change. I am living my convictions. So that means I am responsible for my learning, for determining my path and my greatest success. I go the route of failing forward. I believe in personalized learning, creating my path and reaching learner independence. I believe our economy and world needs people who know how to become independent learners for their success and the success of our communities.

I have created my own expectations to stay on course and be productive in this ds106 structure. I am honing my foundation skills so that I can take my personal content – family pictures, video, artifacts etc. and create digital stories for my daughters and any future family members.

Traveling along  the learning path with the noir106 for me borders on groupie and stalker. Groupie in how there are so many talented people and it is exciting to see who comes out of their comfort zone and shares their talents. I am cheering for you – talents you may not have known existed because no one else responded.

Stalker in the sense that I am not one of the students in a section, but with this format (which is totally awesome and the way many things should be) I am not confined by having to get a grade or still “in the system”. I also have the background and now time to explore, take in and respond to work being done by others. So at times that can prove to be awkward because while the sharing gives me opportunity to know others, sometimes they don’t realize they are sharing much is noticed by others. I have the luxury and freedom to be around more often too- which I suppose could get creepy – like -“why is she always there?”

Stalker in the sense that sometimes we don’t know how much we shared and when someone notices it is sort of unsettling. We thought we were saying something no one else would notice. But guess what – it is okay to share and find out about yourself.

I want to thank the ds106 community. There are #4 life folks who have embraced and welcomed. Thanks to  @mdvfunes  @rockylou22 @johnjohnston @ronaldL  The #noir106 students have been inspirational – I told my family – “these college students are kicking my ass!”,  I have to work on the next assignment! You keep me  reaching to higher outcomes, ideas and solutions.

The instructors – Burtis, Bond, Groom – examples and modeling what great educators should do – outstanding!  And I can’t go without recognizing the #4life folks. Through the Google + community I have connected with some lifers and people with some very creative talents and even more so the willingness to share and take new people into the fold. I am learning so much and appreciate the diversity and many views and directions.

I wish for the traditional students – you find the nugget of gold in this experience and carry it forward. It is not just a 15 week course – it is a model of how life is full and how you can create and give to community. My challenge to the grad students and the other open course followers – QUIT staying on the sidelines and let us know you are there!! You are missing the energy. Connect with more than just the open line feed.

Can’t wait to see the #noir106 character transformations, and the creations. I am looking forward to staying connected with you past your course if you see the opportunity – you have a fan for your work and your life!

and some days I am a groupie – in awe of your work,
some days a stalker just viewing, learning, and feeling left in the dust –
and some days just not there at all – but never you are never out of mind. I will be back or just a post/tweet away. Keep creating, learning, and sharing. You can make a difference. Wishing you all continued growth and success.

These comments in Twitter were totally making me red faced and wondering how I could slide back into the shadows!  It is just what should be done to respect the work of others and their learning even if it reminds me that I can’t do it quietly without notice. But thanks for the shout out – now back to focusing on the students! Sometimes I can forget that there is a whole world out there watching the interactions.

Thanks to all for your acceptance into the community.

Post script to Bond: Heretic! LOL – first time I have been called that! Kinda like the role HA! Tend to think of myself just more accepting of many things and not one way – always open to the next view. Hence chasing shiny objects category – I consider not being able to say “no” at times a character strength and not a fault.  Also a reason for a couple of masters degrees instead of doctoral studies – I didn’t want a narrow path  – diversity is rich – just an opinion. 😉

So Sorry to miss Noir106 Radio

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tdc1122:  Make a picture with words on them. Your theme: I’m sorry.

I'm Sorry Noir DS106Radio

Click picture to enlarge

Unit 4 is Audio-listening and learning about sound in storytelling and how to use tools to create those sounds and effects.

Sound takes a lot of time to work with – LOTS! Listening, cutting, re-cutting, mixing, layering, compressing….lots of time. Only 2 daily creates completed for this unit and I thought during the day this would be one I would skip.

But then I became time challenged for the second night in a row. I am in the Central time zone and the Noir class is originating from the Eastern time zone. There is no reason for communications to show the time zones when the credit students are all located in the same place. The link is there for the radio line up and independent learners should figure this out. But – I didn’t. Or actually I did, but it didn’t stick in my head and I didn’t change my note that said 9pm.

I opened up Twitter and saw the flood of tweets! OMG – yep an hour late. Reading through the stream it sounded like it was a good one. So I then went to listen to the archive of the radio show. It was good – but what was missing was that back channel talk and interaction. Some activities need real-time interaction with others and not asynchronous.

So my creative energy began flowing. My husband has restored an old radio cabinet. I used a photo I took of it without a flash and the lighting and angle seemed right for this apology picture.
Daily create done!
Under 20 minutes.
Now back to audio work.

Luckily I have two more nights to try and get in on the party!

ds106.ioAnimatedNewOldFriend_290

 

http://ds106rad.io/listen/
#noir106 Live Tweet Hour
Feb. 2-4, 2015
9-10pm EST

Visually Consumed – Unit 3 Summary

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So many happenings during this week and unit. As I am connecting with #noir106/#ds106 students I find that I am completely absorbed and consumed by this work and not have it feel like work or exhausting. But I do run out of time!

I am so glad I am now an independent learner who must plan and develop out a learning path and not be doing these tasks and challenges to “make the grade”. #ds106 through a university system has it still needing to keep one foot over the fence in the current education system. However, the format, delivery and process of #ds106 can transform a learner towards independence and personalized learning whether it be as a student or a professional.

The open course framework allows for flexibility, choice and voice, but still provides a well thought foundation for building skills and understanding over the span of the units. Since using social media as a professional (or personal) learning community is an integral part, that there are 3 sections of university students working as classes creates opportunities for learning from a wider group. In order to stay relevant and appreciate what I can gain from these students in my development I need to engage and to follow some of what they are attempting.

The #ds106 model has a general frame of how it approaches skill building. The instructor led sections follow a theme within that framework. Spring 2015 is NOIR. Looking at digital storytelling and building the personal infrastructure skill sets through study and use of NOIR films and stories. I am dabbling in NOIR to have some common experiences and opportunity to learn from others. I am also sticking to some of the headless course assignments and flow to use my theme or context. My reason for embarking on this journey was to build skills and experience to begin to use family content to build digital stories.

Unit 3 – Visual
Assignments

This unit begins to look at photography in storytelling. The open course assignments were to use flickr and do some 5 photo stories – no words. I used my own photos and not random ones from flickr to begin to see what I may have or not have in my content resource. Since I don’t have things scanned or organized yet – it was still limited choice. I used pics that we gathered when my dad passed away for his memorial. (July 2013).

INSERT STORY

From here I created my path by doing some of the assignments from #noir106.

Without my creating a character to build I had to use others for the reference starting point. What’s in My Bag?.

Your purse, bag, packpack, murse, whatever, is your constant companion throughout your adult life. What are the essentials in your bag that get you through the day? Take a picture of the items and detail each of them with a description.

My Bag

Animated GIFs were two other assignments and one an improvement and greater learning on process from Unit 2.

Glitch Art Gif and Say it like Peanut Butter.

output_2sCbtvnightmare3xcf

There was also a Photo Safari of which I accomplished with some actively sought shots and some safari through my photo collections. This method worked as life and weather became constraints under the deadline of happening within the timeframe.

I used a Google slide presentation and not just putting the images in a post or linking to a photo album. I could not find a cat.

Daily Creates Unit3

I attempted to keep up with the students and do at least 3 daily creates this week. Creating a 2048 game board was a challenge as I couldn’t find details on what the purpose of the game was – only that it was addicting and based on math patterns. It was addicting to play the different boards – but I still don’t understand what you are supposed to try to do! I used my donkey planters as the subject.

Planting Asses 2048

The other creates were:

Droodle Call

Liberate Art Cards

 

In the bag – No surprises

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I am not creating a character as the Noir106 sections are – so to do this assignment it is my bag.

This first picture shows the contents that are standard in my bag no matter which season it might be.

My Bag

My first attempt was to place each item as a photo on its own within the post, but when embedding from Flickr I have not determined how to size the image to present in a better format. So I took the items and created a collage with Picasa. Each item can be seen as a photo of its own in my Flickr album for ds106.

Whats in my Bag

Contents of My Bag:

  • My loyalty cards from restaurants, food stores, and other retailers. keeping them all on one ring helps me keep them in order and available. They are also fun to play with this way. 🙂
  • My wallet – usually empty of cash, but holds drivers license, credit and debit cards, identification, insurance cards etc. I almost called it a pocketbook – that sounds like my grandma!
  • The top right picture is my purse hook. This attached to the edge of a table and allows me to hang my purse. This way it is not on a dirty floor or hanging off the back of a chair where it can get knocked off or I can’t see it. Love my purse hook!
  • Phone – how did we manage without these before? That is my grandpuppy, Teddy, as the screen picture.
  • Coin purse. An old-fashioned idea, but when dealing with parking meters, tolls or vending machines comes in handy. Saves wear and tear on my wallet too. Not to mention – if it is full it can act as extra weight and be bordering weapon status if needed.
  • I wear glasses for reading and computer work – so the hard case protects them when not wearing. This is an established habit. When I think of how much my glasses cost – there is not another option but to protect them.
  • Mini brush – fluff and puffs the hair as needed. I find a brush works better than a comb for my fine hair.

Visual Assignment “What’s in Your Bag?”  VisualAssignments1556 –3 stars

Your purse, bag, backpack, purse, whatever, is your constant companion throughout your adult life. What are the essentials in your bag that get you through the day?Take a picture of the items and detail each of them with a description.

GIF Mania on Nightmare Alley

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nightmare3xcf
Doing this again I would constrain to jus tthe head movement and cut the frames of the hands.

Nightmare Alley 

The animated GIF process needed more practice for me to begin to get a better feel for how it can create message and meaning. The first one I did in Unit 2 was accidental in that I didn’t do much more than click, fumble and go “ahhh – okay!”. So with this next unit focusing on visual I am opting for a few of the assignments and paths from #noir106 and the Burtis prompt to create a Noir animated gif, along with my open course challenges. Finding some Noir films on YouTube, I settled on Nightmare Alley with Tyrone Powers. Mostly because I new his name and that he was considered a hunk of a man for the time.

tyrone
I chose this section because I just liked the way his eyes bug out and he goes from talky to serious.

This time around the download software didn’t work – so I needed to find a new app that was free. It worked! From there I used the Jim Groom tutorial as a guide and used the Streamclip editor and Gimp. I LOVE GIMP! While I do have Photoshop, it keeps needing upgrades, has far too many features it will take me a life time to explore and I believe in open source and sharing as a business and cultural premise. So using GIMP and finding it as developed as it is was wonderful.

I feel more accomplished after these 4 animated GIFs and their outcomes and ready to move on to another visual assignment task. I am most excited about moving forward with my own content and applying the methods.

one
Trying to capture just the blinking – but with this one still couldn’t figure out how to retain the speed I set it to before exporting.
output_AOIcVd
This one I pulled what I had in the other tools and then went to the gifmaker app and was able to slow down the speed, but not crop the picture.

But do you want to know the real eye opener? This creates a really loaded up desktop!

I need to establish some habits for creating folders and spaces for saving, uploading, etc. instead of using my desktop as I usually do. This process creates tons of files! And for someone who tends to save rather than toss – I won’t be successful if I keep trashing my desktop and then lasso it all and put it in a folder called “To Be Filed”. Some of the learning in this #ds106  #4life experience is to learn strategies for efficiency and organization so that time is spent creating – not following the elephants in the parade. The tagging, the blog structures, categories – all help as habits so that focus is on creation. Thanks #ds106er’s for sharing.

What strategies have you begun to make a habit?

Assignment: Say it Like The Peanut Butter   and is 3 STAR

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