Unit4

Four Units Done- No Way!

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Well, I used to think time flew bye when I was busy at work and that calendar just flipped at warp speed. I had some time where the time seemed to be taking a long time to move forward. Then I jumped into this ds106 life and I am seeing the calendar fly again! But it is in a good way for sure. Flying by, but rich and satisfying.

Having this adventure run along side a group of students at UMW using the ds106 model with a theme of Noir has kept me focused and on track. While I am working through at my pace and timeline, having 3 sections of students in a traditional model with weekly deadlines keeps things moving and energized. I guess there is value in having some structure and explicit accountability to someone to keep things moving until everyone in the world is truly on the far end of the learning continuum and has achieved independence.

My path is part open, part noir106. I choose what I want to do. Although the basic infrastructure of ds106 focuses on a framework and sequence that builds and ensures success so the major difference is that open course is not themed.

Unit 4 is Audio. Working with audio in manipulation, storytelling and most of all listening.

A radio bumper was required as a prep for radio assignments in the weeks ahead. I thought I might do a Noir bumper – but the sections were hot on the topic and had to do a bumper in the genre so I chose to do a generic ds106 radio theme bumper. I kinda missed the thought of “bumper” and pushed this one to the 30 second extreme. But I love the song and to me it seemed to fit in the spirit of the open radio station.

The details are here on how I built this assignment.

One assignment that had me really regretting I didn’t go full #noir106 and create a character was the sound effects story. Having a character to build and define through the weeks is really a plus. In some ways it may feel constrictive, but when you don’t have one – you can really see that it helps focus and as it builds depth it puts to rest having to figure out what your story is because it is already directed. I think this assignment could/would have been more focused on using the audio to make the story if I had a character.

I am okay with my outcome and have notes on what I will do to include the sound effects in my family stories to be created.

I was going to push myself to complete the same number of stars as the student groups – but hey – life happens and I didn’t get to it. I did gather audio clips and some music for creating  a speech to music – but didn’t get to putting it together. I am coping out and sticking with the open course syllabus for Unit 4. I still want to do the assignments I picked out – they just won’t make this timeline.

Being able to take part in a couple of live tweet events while listening to ds106radio was rocking! The first one I missed because I was time zone challenged. Didn’t register that the announcement was EST and was na hour late. I could listen to the program, but it was minus the back channel.

The next two evenings I tuned in. It felt like talking while the movie was playing but not getting any dirty looks or sushing sounds directed towards you. The range of experiences and ages of those who were tweeting made it a richer experience. The radio ads were a hoot!

All I could think of was MacGyver and duct tape. LUX did everything for a woman! LOL

Daily creates this week were a nice mix (thanks @mdfunes). The puppy caption took off quickly and by the time I figured something out – it seemed not worthy because of all the brilliant submissions. That was one that was great to be a viewer.

I did 3 as suggested this week and feel pretty good about that. Daily Create makes me feel like I need to do one every day – 3 in a week suggested makes me feel like it can be accomplished but still lets me do more when it works.

The first one was paper sculpting and making a video to show it.

The ruin-porn photo would have been more adventurous if we hadn’t just had a foot of snow fall that needing clearing. So I had to use a photo I already had instead of finding a new subject. But it worked.

What were those doors leading too?

I'm Sorry Noir DS106Radio

The I’m Sorry daily create worked in perfectly with me missing the radio broadcast.

Make your Dot! tdc1126

And I submitted an idea for a TDC which came up – so felt the pressure of having to submit!

The other part of this week is that I moved my blog from wordpress.com to my domain through ReclaimHosting. This took some time – but not extensive in exporting and configuring. I am happy with the move to http;//konarheim.com. The format gives me options for setting up things the way I would like instead of limiting. I still ahve some trouble shooting to do. My Twitter timelines don’t seem to stay live. I also have not been able to get the ds106radio widget to work as an embed.

How’s it going?

I love it! Having purpose and having community to share creations with and learn from is key. Having responses to posts and feedback is worth a million bucks. It really does show how publishing, being public and sharing with others makes your work real. It drives you to do better and to complete.

I am thankful for being able to meet others, interact and engage with them as they create or publish. In some ways it has felt like being a groupie of a stalker. In the Google + group it seems I am posting more than others – but it is just that others have already done the things I am just starting. I could have stopped – but figure eventually there will be others and it be helpful for them to see there are posts.

I do like seeing others attempts at assignments and the write ups. I have to confess – my preference is a link and shout out in Twitter more than going through the RSS Feed on the website.  The tweets are more focused and direct and allow for wandering and immediate connection for me. Until everyone has tagging down better – you can miss things in the feed. If they are in Twitter – they seem more accessible.  I have come to follow a few because they are present and post- hoping more start engaging through Twitter and blowing their horn when they do something so we all can learn. We want to see what you are doing!

No complaints.

I am enjoying being able to be in the role of learner and one of the “class” instead of having to facilitate or lead. At the same time I am so appreciative and awed at the great examples the instructors are setting and the broader application of this model and process in professional learning as well as student learning. So many good lessons for others to learn.

Can’t believe it is Sunday already? Looking forward to the #noir106 weekly video on Monday and moving to next steps and unit 5!

 

Messy Winter Wreck

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Unit 4 Audio Assignment – Sound Effect Story

Back to Audacity after being away for a long while. I think if it was completely new I might catch on faster, but instead I ended up with former version shortcuts etc. needing unlearning. It was the simple things right in front of me. For the what seemed like eternity, I was staring at grayed out menu items and thinking I installed incorrectly. The help page, while detailed seemed like too much info to absorb, so I headed to Lynda.com for some tutorial help. DUH! I trapped in play mode so I couldn’t do anything. One click of that yellow button and I was finally on my way!

Using freesound.org, I drifted into lots of listening and searching trying to think of a story to tell with sounds in 60-90 seconds. With the current winter weather and storms every other day lately the winter wreck was the way to go for this assignment.

I chose 11 different sounds for this creation to portray the winter storm, leaving the house and walking to the car, trying to start the car, out on the road and then the crash ending with the rolling hub cap. I layered sounds and not linear so that the car starting and crashing were background by the wind. Some fades and lots of cutting unwanted parts of clips. I had selected a female vocal that I originally laid into the background to give it a cinematic feel but it seemed too much and detracted for this assignment.

A better path would be to think of a story first then look for sounds. I chose sounds to spark ideas in this attempt which may have limited me to one idea too quickly.

Happy to be back and working with audio. Creating clips for layering with visuals will be exciting in the future units. Spending time on the parts before the really helps in tuning up how important each is in an effective final story.

So does anyone have solutions for headset hair?

Audio Assignment70 3.5 Stars

Tell a story using nothing but sound effects. There can be no verbal communication, only sound effects. Use at least five different sounds that you find online. The story can be no longer than 90 seconds.

Sound Files used from freesound.org

  • 36831__csproductions__car-leave-3.wav
  • f50910__rutgermuller__in-car-driving.wav
  • 72914__jobe55__car-keys-and-start.mp3
  • 73199__snardin42__hubcap2.wav
  • 126042__mhtaylor67__getting-into-car-and-starting-it.wav
  • 131385__musicmasta1__carstartskidcrash.wav
  • 136629__smmassuda__crashing.wav
  • 262321__klankbeeld__fence-storm-hydrophones-150111-0498.flac
  • 262680__ylearkisto__henkiloauto-tyonnetaan-kayntiin-a-car-push-start-in-the-winter-footsteps-on-the-snow-car-rolling-motor-starts-steps-motor-stops-saab-900.wav
  • 262699__mamos2__walking-on-snow.wav
  • 262705__pfranzen__opening-a-heavy-door-and-bounding-in.ogg

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

Watch that first step out the door

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Daily Create

tdc1121: Ruin-porn photography today
Andre Govia describes himself as “addicted to decay.” Try it today!

 

What were those doors leading too?

Feb 2, 2015 – working on things for ds106  and not able to get far because of snow. Any decay around the house is under a foot of white stuff! So I went back in my files to this pic. I had thought about using a filter or something, but thought the idea of finding things in decay and seeing the beauty and interest was more of the challenge than just messing something up to look dingy and  decayed. Reading about Andre Govia made it clear it was to find the decay and photograph its beauty – not created imitation decay that was not real. At least that was my take on the info I found.

These are downtown buildings built upon each other probably 80-100 years ago. I am not sure if they connected through these doors or what? Brick outer walls built upon each other and buildings right up against each other.The doors are visible  because the attached building was demolished and now there is an empty lot between this building and another.

Fond du lac, WI is the scene.

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