That Six Month Learning Plan

Hello again,

So looking back at the six month learning plan, was it a good idea? And how did it go?

Well I think in theory it was a good idea, but the impracticalities of it made it hard to stick to. The problem I found with it was I was using the time I set aside for the learning plan to usually research other skills that I needed at the current time. Due to this I was falling behind with the six month learning plan and it was turning into a month learning plan, then four month learning plan etc.

Due to this I had to revise my six month learning plan to encompass the skills that I used on the course like flash action script, Google map embedding, and YouTube video embedding. My original plan was to go through my Adobe InDesign CS2 book and work my way through each of the chapters. This is something I will still be doing in my own time as I want to learn the program. I couldn't find time to fit in learning it while on the course.

Lots of self learning was undertaken in my own time, it was just not what I had planned to do in the six month learning plan as I had to devote my time to researching and learning new skills for the assignment I was currently doing.

Overall I think a six month learning plan is hard to stick to when there are lots of other things going on at the same time.

Thanks for reading.
Dave

Mission Complete, High Score Pending.

Hello again.

So my second year and final year at college is just about complete and I'm now sat at home having done my final presentation. Speaking of which I think my presentation went well, even if I had to improvise slightly. But I showed my audience everything I wanted to show, and a little bit more.

Also today I handed in the iMe assignment, consisting of sketchbook, portfolio, blog, and the aforementioned presentation. Along with this I handed in the A Day In Your Life (ADIYL) assignment. Due to Tiscali Internet (won't bother with a link to them) I had to come into college in the morning to complete adding the YouTube videos to my website as I needed to get the embed codes off their site.

So what are my plans now I have practically finished the course? I want to gain employment now as I feel I am ready, though if I do not succeed in this then I have the option to do my top-up year at Huddersfield University with Captain Picard. I would much rather get working though so will be putting all my efforts into doing so. I also plan to be doing a little freelance work on the side.

I've learnt a lot over these past two years in the various 'disciplines' of interactive media. When I first started the course I had no idea about design principles, graphic design, or that much about web design. I now know all about Colour, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. I know about designing graphics on paper and then transferring my designs to the computer in various applications. I know about structured HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Flash, API's, and Dreamweaver. I believe the course to have well prepared me for getting employed in the real world.

Having almost finished the course I know it was the right course for me (evidently not for a lot of people who started the course) as I have got on well with the course, and enjoyed doing it in the process.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading my blog (almost) every week. And also to wish my fellow peers good luck in the future, and good luck to the first years for the year ahead.

I'll still continue to make the odd post on here every now and again, so do check back occasionally.

Thank you, and goodbye.
Dave Sellers