Week in Review: A Reflection of December 4 – December 11

What a busy, busy week it has been! There was the holiday celebration event, which included two BINGO events and a casino, a Lunch ‘n’ Learn, and final projects to work on for my classes at Moraine Park Technical College.

The cafeteria and computer labs were popular places for group projects and study groups this past week. It is definitely nearing the end of the semester. Which reminds me; book buyback starts this Thursday. I’ve got a few books l would like to sell back to the bookstore, but I highly recommend keeping books you know you’ll use in the future. I will not be selling my Photoshop or JavaScript book back. They were good books I know I might need to use for reference in the future.

Sometimes when I go down the hallway past the library at the West Bend campus, there will be something set up at the tables. This past week there was a fundraiser for Relay for Life http://www.relayforlife.org/. Students and staff could purchase tickets to enter drawings to win gift baskets filled with things like movies, iTunes gift cards, candy, and cookbooks. I was one of the first to put my raffle tickets into the bucket.

After completing my self-paced Microsoft Access class, I was able to focus on my final project for Graphics for the Web class that was due on Monday. It required a lot of research and a lot of time spent using Photoshop to create a logo.

Now, the last thing I need to focus on is the last assignments for Beginning Photoshop. That will be due on Monday, and then I’m all done for the fall semester of 2011!

Application of Knowledge Outside of Class

My instructor, who is one of the instructors of the IT-Web Designer/Developer program at Moraine Park Technical College, told us we need to do more than the homework assigned to us. We need to practice and learn things on our own if we really want to be the best at what we do. This semester I’ve realized I have been using what I’ve learned in class outside of the classroom and class assignments.

I volunteer in an office setting where I use a computer on a regular basis. While volunteering at an organization I was interested in, I was able to offer my time and skills. In return I’ve learned about office culture, and I’m able to apply what I’m learning in my classes. Frequently I use programs like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Without realizing it, I’ve developed a good understanding of file structures. I was able to comprehend how this office file structure works. My files on my personal computer are also very organized. I never have to wonder where I’ve saved something. If you’ve ever spent time looking for a file because you don’t remember where you put it or what you named it, you know how much time that can eat up.

This blog has been an excellent resource for applying what I’ve learned in my classes. This semester I learned how to save files for the web so the file size is smaller (for faster download time) while maintaining quality. I’ve been able to create my own images and graphics and edit them. I’ve used my textbook to look something up that I had forgot how to do.

On my own time I’ve been able to create things in Photoshop for fun and share them with my friends. The more I practice, the easier it becomes, and the more fun it becomes. During winter break I’m sure I’ll be working on some kind of fun project. If I put some thought into it, it could become my next portfolio piece.