Making your Dream Website with Dream Weaver... and other neat software.

With an ever-changing technological and competitive world, it is important to be savvy and trained. The display of a personal website is a way to show you are ahead of the typical paper resume, and perhaps ahead of a lot of your competition. Websites promote yourself by giving you a cutting edge in the communication world and an easily accessible biography, portfolio, and contact information for job prospects and clients.

Though a website may be a highlight of your Internet repertoire, it is important to keep all of your social media accounts professional as well. The COM 336 social media projects provided a solid foundation to build a professional social media portfolio. Learning about the clear and concise language of Twitter allows you effectively display your promotions, conversations, and ideas while remaining in the 140-character limit. Operating a Blogger account is practice on sharing your ideas in a more elaborate manner to anyone interested in your subject manner.  Having experience in operating social media websites professionally now will assist in connecting professionally with prospects in the future.

Being consistent is a staple in the professional world. While your website may promote your communication expertise, your social media pages must match up to the claim. Showing your ability to communicate on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, LinkedIn, etc. will prove your skills, and encourage others to "follow" you on social media, and perhaps get in contact with you.

Designing a web site is an extremely tedious, yet rewarding process. The Adobe software Dreamweaver has so much to offer once one learns how to use it properly. To someone who is not familiar with html, Dreamweaver provides a "Code and Design" tab so you can see what you are doing on a split screen, and how your design corresponds with the html.

Having an html base provided to the class was very helpful in building the website because a lot of students have never encountered a web design experience before.

Though there was a template already made up, organizing the content of the website was open for personalization by adding a header photo, a personal photo, creating our own biography, and organizing our portfolio page.

The portfolio page of your personal website is a part of your portfolio itself. Organizing the page to develop your websites look is a key point in displaying your work. If your portfolio page is hard to navigate and doesn't look clear and concise, there is a possibility that whoever is looking at it will not be interested in seeing what your work is like.

While on the portfolio page, organizing photographs, articles, PowerPoints, etc. together by file type, date, or topic helps the viewer know what they are looking at. Adjusting the height and width of your tiles allows you to be creative and organized while making your portfolio page.

Learning how to design and navigate files is a tool that will continue to give back to you as you develop in the professional communication world.

Tweet, Tweet, Tweet

According to webopedia.com, Social networking sites can be used to describe community-based Web sites, online discussions forums, chat rooms and other social spaces online. Twitter, like other social networking platforms, is accessible by the public and provides the freedom to say whatever you would like within the 140-charecter limit.

The "Social" part in Social Media is not only for socializing and marketing. Twitter in particular is a large news outlet today. TheGuardian.com states that, "Twitter has often been touted as the first with news." In their article, "How the Boston Marathon explosions reveal the two sides of Twitter", Twitter is described as a "funnel turned upside down". Often times within the first few minutes of an event, twitter is instant and concise. Within a few hours, it has the potential to get skewed and irrational. Within hours of the Boston Marathon bombing, there several "facts" that were tweeted that proved to be untrue, such as, "A Muslim, with shrapnel wounds is being guarded in hospital as a person of interest.", and  "It was Patriot's Day. This is when rightwing supremacists consider their time to act. After all, Timothy McVeigh committed the Oklahoma bombing at the same time in 1995." These pieces of information all may sound authentic individually, but again, were never proved to be true.  Twitter can be used to give news to the people instantly, without much regard to accuracy.

As per a journalistic, political, and/or organizational tool, Twitter is extremely useful. Berkeley College states that for "journalists, it’s a way to keep a pulse on and engage with communities, locate sources, and to report on the world new and unique ways." They state, "Twitter has emerged as a powerful news tool, alerting the world about natural disasters, hostage standoffs and even revolutionary uprisings." Journalism and Twitter go hand in hand in creating a following base, seeing new information, and sharing new information with the world instantaneously. Twitter forces Journalists to be short and concise, getting right to the point. If a media outlet is unable to give all of the information the want in 140 characters, Twitter allows users to attach links, photos, and videos to their tweets.

Politically, Twitter is used frequently. Micro blogging has a rapidly increasing speed and scope of events, campaigns, and scandals. Twitter has also enabled direct communication between politicians and the public.  The most retweeted tweet ever was Barack Obama's tweet showing a photograph of him and the First Lady, Michelle Obama in an embrace. The three-word tweet stated, "Four more years." The short and concise tweet on November 6, 2012 began a huge interaction with the public.

Organizationally, Twitter has its perks.

Twitter accounts create jobs for organizations; typically a team of people is running the organizations Twitter account. An organization can decide how viewers will see them by how formal or informal they are, if they interact directly with followers, and the content of their tweets. Twitter can be used to give announcements, promotions, and different points of interest involving the organization. Your organization staying active on Twitter can show your followers that you are always there, ready to help them and your cause. Twitter makes your organization available to the public.

Twitter is often used as a communicator during events. The "Moments" tab on twitter allow the user to scan popular World News instantly.

On April 2, 2016, an aircraft crashed onto Interstate 15 in San Diego, where it collided with a car. Reports say that at least one person has died and five are injured. Several accounts such as The Associated Press, San Diego Press, The Union-Tribune, and NBC San Diego, all verified accounts, all tweeted slightly different facts regarding the crash. One accounts states that the driver of the Nissan sedan was "Pulled over trying to sync his Bluetooth when hit by plane", while another states "small plane crashed on a California freeway and strikes car, killing one person and injuring five." From these two tweets we got two different facts, from two different sources.

12 days after the Brussels terrorist attacks, the airport was claimed to reopen. While some accounts like Brussels Airport, and Bloomberg state that the airport will resume passenger flights on Sunday, April 3rd, Sky News states that the airport will be fully open by the end of June. All verified accounts again providing information to the public, though some of their facts were conflicting.

The Chicago teachers' strike has their own hash tag on twitter, #CTUstrike. When searching for the hash tag, there are several photographs with comments about the event. Without even knowing background of the protest, the short and concise tweets, along with their photographs, it is obvious that the public school teachers are protesting about budget cuts and changes to there contracts. The picketing signs seem to be poking fun at Governor Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel with Star Wars and Harry Potter quips. The hash tag gives several insightful opinions on the protest to those who may know nothing about it.

Following different organizations and groups on Twitter is important to broaden your horizons and learn about new things. Following unrelated accounts such as Applebees, The New York State Fair, and Tim Hortons allows you to interact and learn about new events and lifestyles. Applebees does a lot of advertising, but also participates and comments on popular events and comments on feedback. The New York State Fair Twitter account posts daily on event calendars, current events, and planning opportunities. Tim Hortons is a local company that is very popular in Western New York. They relate to local levels and advertise.

Micro blogging is a different experience than regular blogging, or using different social media platforms. Twitter having a 140 character cap forces you to think about what you want to get across, and choose your words wisely. Word choice creates phrases are more powerful than others, and creates different meanings to things. Regular blogging you have the chance to elaborate on your thoughts and opinions, using several links, video's, and photographs. Micro blogging you get the chance to use one video, one photograph, or one link.

Twitter encourages you to tweet promptly after an event, however it is important to stay accurate, objective, and neutral in your professional tweets. The Twitter project was an extreme learning experience for someone who is not familiar with the social media platform, or someone who has never used Twitter in a professional way.

60 Seconds of Fun

Professor Maria Pabico assigned her COM336 class to create a 60 second video of themselves, whilst incorporating a theme. As with any type of videography assignment, there is bound to be struggle, as well as triumph.

One may believe that the physical shooting of the video is the biggest task. Set plans need to be made before shooting the film including framing, video camera operators, and content. Once the plans are made, filming enough footage is important as well. If there isn't sufficient footage when you get to the editing stage, this could potentially really backtrack your progress. It is always better to film too much, than to film too little.

Also when shooting film, make sure to think outside of the box. Are you sitting in your living room filming inanimate objects, or are you out in a setting that captures the viewers attention? These things need to be kept in mind while filming.

Editing a video requires a particular set of skills. For this  assignment, the students in COM336 were assigned to use iMovie, a Mac specific software. Getting acquainted with iMovie if you were not already is the first step. Once you figure out how to use the program, you need to figure out how to convey your message to your viewer in just 45 seconds (15 seconds were allotted to students for credits.) For example, trimming 10 minutes of good film into just 45 seconds can be daunting. One must decide which clips are more important than others, and leave other things completely out.

Splicing several clips together is a tool that has the potential to completely change your theme. There were several groups that had explained that they had one idea while filming, and once they began editing had a completely new one. Editing opens the doors for filmmakers to really get creative, and spread their message any way that they want.

With editing also comes music choice. Audio is a very powerful tool in the communication world, and must be used accordingly. Choosing an appropriate song can either strengthen your project, or distract the viewers from your content. One has to make sure that there song flows well with their video, and doesn't take away from it. Also, fading in and out with your video clip is important. Synchronizing the music to your film is always a good idea, for this contributes to a steady flow. Smooth video is a work of art!

Depending on your internet connection, posting the video can be the easiest or worst part of the process. Buffalo State College dormitories are notorious for their slow internet connection speeds. The COM336 Class project videos being 5 minutes long all together, is a large file. Uploading the video to the internet can take anywhere from 10 seconds to 10 hours. It is also important to convert your file to the proper format before uploading. A website may take a particular format that another one does not. It is best to save the original copy of your video to your iMovie theater, so you can export the film into several different formats.

Also with uploading the videos, one must make sure that there videos do not participate in any copyright infringement. Every video site, for example YouTube and Vimeo, have the right to remove your video if you have not given credit to artists work. In some cases, even if you have given the proper credits they can still take your video down. Be sure to completely read the Terms and Conditions before accepting. Breaking rules on particular websites will do nothing for you but get your video reported, taken down, and potentially have your account suspended.

Using video as communication instead of writing and/or photographs has a bigger impact today than it did say, 30 years ago. In today's society, the attentions span of people is no more than a couple of seconds. Our minds are trained to the fast pace of advertising and modern television. With modern day television networks really doing the thinking for us, it is safe to say that the medium really is the message. Neil Postman explains in his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, that video is often a used as a medium because there is minimal critical thinking involved. For a more abstract approach, a communicator may choose a photograph or writing. Video provides a direct message yet is able to use subliminal cues such as audio, visuals, and themes. There is a lot packed into one, enabling video to be a popular medium in today's day and age.

The Politics group had chosen to portray the Politics of Meeting New People. For their assignment, each of the four members went into a public area and actually met people for the first time. Their subject matter was greatly affected by the public nature of the video, as it was a main area of interest. The group had to make sure they did not offend anyone in public by recording them, as well as getting permission from business owners as a courtesy.

Depending on the person, a self-portrait assignment can be either daunting or joyful. We are often so busy analyzing others that when it is time to analyze ourselves, it can be a new experience. Creating a video that represents who you are is a great self-exploration task, as it makes one think outside of the box and really ask yourself, who are you? A video provides several ways to show who you are such as visuals, audio, and context of the film.

Creating a video is something that one will never really fully understand unless they do it themselves. This project has enabled the class to critically think about the things that they see on a day to day basis. A certain appreciation was given to each other in the classroom for the videos, because each student had experienced a similar struggle and experience. Though creating a video for the first time can be a tough task, they do say that practice makes perfect.

Creating a WikiHow

Creating a WikiHow is a huge learning experience. Many have no idea that so much time and thought goes into creating anything published to the web, especially an instructional guide. You must think of several approaches to communicate what you are trying to say using different mediums, and simultaneously to keep in mind the possible comprehension of the audience that would be viewing your article.

 To start, what are you going to write an article about? The WikiHow environment does not allow any duplicate articles, so the pressure to be unique and original can be daunting. However, you may find an article about your original idea, and then tweak it so your article is original. For example, you may find an article that is about making a particular recipe, and you can then make your own with gluten free ingredients. There are thousands of ways to be original in the Wiki world, you just need to come up with ideas that no one else has done, or maybe innovate a previous idea.

 The photos used in an article must be taken to be simple, clear, and self-explanatory. In WikiHow articles that are designed to be a Do It Yourself (DIY) activity, clear and concise pictures were a must. Photos must be taken in even lighting and cannot feature any distractions, allowing the user to focus on the steps at hand.

 Referring to other WikiHow pages are extremely helpful, especially when one is not familiar with the WikiHow environment. Two articles that are helpful as a reference when writing a WikiHow article are How to Punch a Hole in a Belt  and How to Make DIY Mason Jar Chandelier. Both of these articles are Do It Yourself articles, with corresponding pictures and simple steps. These articles provide a basic outline (as well as HTML hints in the editing section) to create your own WikiHow page.

 When you do not collaborate with anyone else on this WikiHow project, the experience has the potential to be extremely personal. You must sort out your thoughts to provide instruction on something that you already know how to do. If you happen to be a Do It Yourself advocate yourself, you may often read what others have to say, but have never provided instructions for someone else to read. The experience of categorizing a WikiHow article in several steps id a complicated experience, yet a fulfilling one.

 Sharing the information on a webpage you are not previously familiar with is a challenge. When publishing to the World Wide Web, you have to keep in mind who will be viewing your article. Though you may be capable of writing at a collegiate level, not everyone who will be reading your article will be able to comprehend at the collegiate level. It is suggested to compose your article at a fifth grade reading level to accommodate all of those who will be viewing your WikiHow page. Composing your article at the elementary level may be an extra step for you, but it will ensure that you are able to reach a much larger audience online.

 Time management is a huge factor of managing any project, especially one with a deadline. With several components to manage, there must be a schedule for your progress. Keeping an agenda with several steps for yourself over time will help you complete your task in a timely manner. For example, making sure you have your photos done by the upcoming Tuesday, and then your steps by next Thursday. Time management makes the last at hand less daunting and will help you in the long run.

 Creating a step-by-step instructional may sound like an easy task, but creating your own WikiHow page proves your first impression otherwise. Translating your thoughts on to an instructional guide can be time consuming and relatively complicated, but not impossible. The most efficient way to create a step-by-step article is to imagine yourself consuming the article. Picture articles that you have read in the past and how easy, or not easy they were to comprehend. What features did the have? Were they long? Short? Elaborate? Concise? Keep these characteristics in mind when creating your own step-by-step article.

 No one wants to read a guide that isn't interesting. When creating an instructional guide, do your best to make it as interesting as possible. Making your article worth the read reflects you as an author, and in turn may have readers seek out other articles written by you. On the other hand, if you write a poorly written article, there is chance that once readers see who the next article is written by, they may think twice about even reading it. Always be conscious of how the article may effect your reputation as a writer and publisher before you post it.

 There may be little tips and tricks that you can use whilst constructing whichever step-by-step you are creating, but do not fit directly into your "Steps" section.  Creating a "Tips" section may be beneficial to both your user because it can provide a smoother process. Another category you can add are Warnings. Warnings are a feature that aren't commonly recognized in a step-by-step article, however useful and helpful. For example, when using hot tools, perhaps post a warning that the user has the potential to get burned.

 How to Make Mini Pallet Coasters is an interesting article, because it provides two approaches, rather than just one. These approaches were constructed to meet a larger audience. With a "traditional" approach and a "backwards" approach, it demonstrates that not everyone is able to construct things the same way. Both of the step-by-step guides also provide corresponding photographs that help the reader better visualize what they should be doing.

 When constructing your own WikiHow article, there are many things to keep in mind. With elements to the article such as photographs, references, information from other Wikis, collaboration with others (or on your own), personal experiences, sharing information, time management, and step-by-step instructions, it has the potential to be overwhelming.