Advice for Mastering Essential Computer Skills

My advice to the students in next semester's Essential Computer Skills class would be to attend every class and complete the homework. Although this is a relatively simple strategy, participating in class minimizes the chance that you will lose points for small assignments and ensures that you will be prepared for the midterm and final exams. Since the mid-term and final are a large component of your final grade, success will hinge on your ability to recall information from class. Additionally, completing the homework will allow you to practice your new skills. This reinforcement will help you retain the knowledge gained during class time so that you will not forget these new skills once the course is finished. Finally, it is important to demonstrate a positive attitude torward the class. While the material may seem dry, the insight as well as the new and exciting techinques you learn will be a valuable asset later in life (i.e., when you apply for an internship or your first job). Moreover, a positive attitiude will make your time in the class more enjoyable! Good luck!

Essential Computer Skills

I was impressed by the outstanding design and presentation of Emily's website. She effectively used a table to organize the content of her website and display pictures. Additionally, her image map was personalized as it included pictures of her own items and belongings. Finally, she enhanced the presentation of the website by including hyperlinks to outside sites, using humor, included an animated gif, and focusing on Trinity Univeristy.

The organization and content of Andrew Gill's website also impressive. Andrew highlighted his experiences as a Trinity student by including original pictures of his favorite locations on campus. Andrew even took the extra efforts to take original pictures of these areas. The color scheme of Andrew's website--specifically its' use of maroon and gray--was also consistent with the main theme of the site. Finally, Andrew's navigation bar demonstrates the principle of good design as it allows website users to easily maneuver between website pages.

Finally, I enjoyed the mutlimedia content and innovative design features available through Britany Leigh's website. Brittany's music page, for instance, includes music videos of her favorite bands and artists. Further, her home page includes an unqiue animation that highlights the ability of interet users to email Brittany through her website. This non-traditional layout and design will minimize the likeihood that a website user will become bored with her site.

To view my website, please click here.

One should have a firm grasp of html code for two central reasons. First, web design programs such as WebExpression can fail or be disabled due to computer error or malfunction. Without knowledge of html code and its' intricacies, a programmer would not be able to create new sites or edit the content to those pages currently under his/her management. Such dependence on technology would diminish the value a programmer could provide to a potential customer or consumer. As knowledge of html code became increasingly finite, the price of providing services specifically related to the application of html code would increase. Encouraging computer programmers to understand html code seems to be a good tool in combating problem.

Second, knowledge of html code makes it easier for a programmer to establish a web presence that is individualized, unique, and flexible. There are bound to be certain features of website design that are not available through Web Expression. In these cases, a basic understanding of html code will enhance his/her ability to create web pages in a way that is appealing and that distinguishes the website from those created by web programs who lack knoweldge of html code.

Powerpoint Presentations

I was most impressed by Andrew Gill's presentation as he skillfully used his PowerPoint presentation to hold the attention of the class and highlight certain aspects of his topic that he thought were especially relevant to the discipline of finance. Moreover, Andrew applied the fundamentals of finance to illustrate the long-term payoff of a college education versus the return from investing an equal amount of resources in other areas (i.e., the bonds, the stock market). Finally, Andrew selected a unique font which distinguished his PowerPoint slides from the others in the class which used the default font.

Ellie Lippard's presentation was also impressive. Ellie personalized her presentation by invoking her Uncle who was a famous broadcast journalist in San Antonio. She further connected here Uncle's experiences to her own ambitions to become a journalist. The design of her slides was also outstanding. Ellie did not try to cram too much material on any one slide; moreover, she used a consistent color scheme which made her powerpoint appear professional.