A Valuable Lesson Learned From Taking A "Digital" Break

A new year, and another semester at University of Colorado Denver. I can’t believe it’s been almost exactly two years since my last blog post! I started blogging more heavily when I enrolled in UCD back in 2015 in the master’s program for Instructional Design, Information and Learning Technologies. There’s been moments where I’ve seemingly been wrapped up in social networks in conjunction with the assignments. However during the last year to two years I’ve focused on instructional production outside of blogging and social learning networks.

During that time I’ve definitely learned the value of being able to step away from media. The greatest take-away: I have the right to enjoy life and choose to what I do with my time. I much prefer a good hike or social gathering in physical space over virtual.

Media doesn’t own me. I don’t have to respond to tweets, blog posts, Facebook or other social networks, even emails if I chose not to. For a person that spends 40-60 hours in front of a computer designing - this has liberated me from the machines and improved my physical and mental health.

However I’m not totally free. As part of the coursework and philosophy for the program of which I am enrolled I am required to be a sort of digital citizen and leave a “digital footprint” or at least breadcrumbs for others to follow. In other words, to be seen as a thought leader or instructor of anyone who chooses to pay attention. And with that, we begin blogging, tweeting, and engaging in social learning networks once again in 2019. Time for a new and refreshed approach!

Comments

What Is Your Passion Archetype Character Buzzfeed Quiz

Archetype Collage (Buzzfeed quiz cover) What are your natural aptitudes? Based very loosely off of multiple intelligences. Are you the Artist, the Technologist, the Naturalist, the Performer, the Musician, the Poet, the Athlete, Puzzle Fighter, or the Renaissance Man or Woman? Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/421860690073254141/ Diana Ziv - http://zivcreative.blogspot.com.au/ A Meaningful Assignment This week I focused on Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory and Ken Robinson’s The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything . In so many ways this scholarship resonated with chapter seven in the Lankshear and Knobel text as well as my focal theme ‘the importance of creative arts in education.’ I wanted to find a ds106 assignment that could help me synthesize scholarship with ‘new literacies’ application. The literacy dimensions and cultural appreciation in order to craft a Buzzfeed personality quiz that has humor and meaning is really challen...

How To Render a Realistic Interior in Photoshop

Finished Rendering See the full tutorial here! In this tutorial doc I walk through how I rendered an interior in Photoshop with an exported line drawing from Sketchup. I’ve found many people are looking to add some extra flair to their 3D drawings or learn how to completely render their sketch in Photoshop. This tutorial should serve both, but mostly shows how one can create a realistic interior in Photoshop without having to texture everything in 3D software. Line Drawing + Materials I’ve included both the original line drawing with material references as well as the finished rendering. What do you think? What unique ways do you use Photoshop to create or enhance your renderings?

VR ‘Redefining’ How We Design

SAMR: REDEFINITION. Image courtesy of Christina Moore 2017. In recent years virtual reality (VR) technologies have gained popularity for enhancement of a myriad of industries and experiences. It’s hard to dispute VR has the potential to transform. It’s exciting to consider exploring these technologies for the purpose of education, but before putting VR into practice in the classroom, it’s important to apply the study of theory to VR potential. The SAMR model (substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition) is a great way to apply rather basic theory to VR tech. Although it’s possible VR practitioners and learners can traverse SAMR, based on how VR is used, “redefinition” may be the most impactful way to demonstrate use of these technologies for learning. Redefinition, in regards to SAMR, refers to the ability for technology to “create tasks and ways of learning that were previously inconceivable.” (Technology Is Learning 2014) From the perspective of a CAD and Int...

Desinging To Learn

Search This Blog