Career Planning

Today in class we had someone come in from the career development center or something of that sort, and discuss career planning. Before she had started her presentation, Dr. Tao had stated that 85% of the enrolled students in the CSU system come to have a good career. He also told us the 4 important things to do while we're here in college getting our degree:

• Learn something
• Do an internship
• Create a Portfolio
• Social Networking

Those are the 4 things that will help us get ahead of the game in our chosen career paths, and help us land a job when we graduate. When we discussed these things, I thought to myself that getting a job after graduating in my career is in my control and it is possible. From what I've seen and with the economy, I have been telling myself that it will be difficult after I graduate. I didn't want to set myself up for failure, but talking about these things lets me know that this is important, and that getting a job after graduating is possible if you do all the necessary things. When the Career Center person was giving her presentation, she made it clear to plan ahead and don't leave looking for a job or building a portfolio after you graduate. It's better if you do it before, since you'll be prepared.

After this lecture, I feel like having a career in this horrible economy is doable.

Class Lecture Oct. 7th

This class we had a pretty interesting lecture. Dr. Tao talked more about group projects and group presentations. We also got put into our groups and discovered what our final presentation was all about. My group consists of 4 different emphasizes: an ISSM Major, a CSIT major with an emphasis in Information Systems, another CSIT major with an emphasis in Software Engineering, and then myself as a CD major with an emphasis in web design. I believe that somehow, our group can all relate to one thing. I believe this will be a difficult task, but that's what life's about, and you just have to learn how to deal with it.

My S.M.A.R.T. Goal

By June 2012, I want to graduate with a degree in Communications Design, emphasizing in Web Design. I want to be able to design and code a visually-pleasing, fully-functional website. I would like to have the knowledge of HTML, CSS, PHP, and possibly Javascript by the time I graduate. I also want to be familiar or at least introduced to creating web applications, since that is where the web is being directed to. I also want to become familiar with Drupal. For my capstone, I'd like to create a web application that is useful to the campus.

Project Management

The last lecture we had we discussed project management. We talked about what was important, what it was, and what was needed for successful project managing. Project management is planning, organizing, and managing resources in order to complete a successful project goal.

Project management is important to me because if I want to be a web designer, I will have many projects that require me to manage my time and resources in order to complete a successful project goal. If I don't manage my time well, then the project goal will be more difficult to reach. This is important because as I take on more projects, I will have to be organized with what I want to do. I need to create deadlines that are in my reach in order to help me succeed as a web designer.

The main key concepts in project management is definition, planning, and control. First, you need to define the project specifically and note what you want the outcome of this project to be. Second, you need to plan what you need to do in order to meet goals for the project. Third, you need to make sure that the project is actually progressing and working towards the goals you make.

Another thing we also learned was to create S.M.A.R.T. goals. Goals need to be specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic, and time-framed. If all goals meet these specifications, then they will be achievable and in the reach of the group in order to create a successful project.

Class Lecture Sept. 23rd

This class was pretty interesting and informative. For the first hour, we went over the CD ILP. Kevin Cahill came and explained the process to us. They handed us the new ILP, even though I had already filled out the old one. We learned what our MLO's are, our core classes, electives, and certain things like that. He had also talked about having a new program for the CD major. They are offering classes such as Typography, Digital Drawing, and Intro to Web Design because the CD faculty are realizing most students are lacking these simple skills. After they had announced this, I was considering using the new program instead of the old one. I am deciding to stick to the old one because I am already close to graduating, and that is the plan I want to stick with. Although, for my breadth, I am considering taking Typography and/or digital drawing if it's allowed. I'm not sure if it will be though, or if it's even considered 'upper division'.

Class Lecture Sept. 16 / Academic Advisor

During this class we discussed virtual worlds and real life, the information systems concentration, Eric Tao's life story, and a bit about our academic adviser, specifically for capstone.

Ben came and talked to us about what he was interested in. He discussed ways that virtual worlds can improve real lives. He also said he was a meso-immersive kind of guy. Ben showed us a virtual world he created, called Cloverdale. It's main function is to increase ecological literacy and systems thinking. He showed us Cloverdale in a very basic program where you can see the repetition of the pattern on the mountains. He then showed us Cloverdale in Unity. Unity is a free program for people who are interested in video game development, where it does most of the javascript coding for you. When Ben showed us Cloverdale in Unity, it looked amazing. I was so amazed at what a free program can create.

After Ben finished, Eric Tao then talked about our academic adviser, and how we would go about choosing one. From the list, I would want my academic adviser to be Kevin Cahill. I am choosing him because he is the Program Lead, and also because I am really enjoying the way he is teaching web design. I always feel like every class is useful, and my thought process is changing because of this class, for the better. My second choice would be a  tie between Bude Su and Bobbi Long. I would probably end up choosing Bude Su if my capstone consists of only web or some sort of advanced program for the web. If my capstone consists of a little more print design, I'd go with Bobbi.

Eric Tao then discussed his life. He went to UC Irvine, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the the National Sun Yat Sen University in Taiwan. He's gotten all the way up to his Ph.D in Computer Engineering. Kate Lockwood also spoke during this class time. I also was confirmed she was pregnant! I could kind of tell but not exactly. She graduated from the University of Michigan. Her emphasis she focuses on is information systems, which is a new concentration being offered.

Class Notes 9/9

CSIT - Individual Learning Plan

This class time was focused mostly on the Individual Learning Plan for CSIT. They were shown the classes they had to take, and were given tips on how to figure out if they were only offered in the Fall or in the Spring. Sathya also mentioned how if you wanted to not have an emphasis you could choose certain classes, just as long as they had some sort of goal in the end.


Web Design Emphasis - Kevin Cahill

Kevin Cahill also came in the class to talk about the Web Design emphasis in the CD major (which is my emphasis). This was by far the most interesting thing in the class! He talked about Google Analytics, and HTML 5. We had gone to thewildernessdowntown.com and saw what HTML 5 is going to offer the future and it made me excited. Also, he mentioned how if you want to achieve in the web design field right now, that learning drupal would be helpful.

Capstone

Bude Su also came in and talked a bit about capstone, and what it was. She said the top two reasons why people fail capstone is procrastination and if they are not capable of the project. It made me think about my capstone and what I would do.. but I think revealing my ideas would be too much.

Time Management

Here is my activity log for Tuesday and Wednesday:

Activity Log

Study Strategies and Habits

3 Top Strategies and Habits

• Taking Notes from the Lecture and Textbook
I always try to take notes whenever possible. Even if I don't think I'll look back at them (which I should), I take notes so that it will process in my brain and sometimes to just keep me awake during lecture or from reading a textbook.
• Where to Study
I like to study at my desk or in the library. If my roommates are doing something distracting, I will just close my door and attempt to study. I avoid studying on a couch or my bed because then it distracts me from concentrating at the task at hand.
• Preparing an Outline and Writing a Paper
Whenever I write a paper I prepare an outline. Preparing an outline helps my paper become more focused and helps me write, so that I'm not all over the place with my ideas. 

3 Weak Strategies and Habits

• When to Study / Study Schedule
I try to study at least a few hours every day. During the weekdays, when I get home from school/work I usually don't feel like doing homework, which results in me not getting anything done. Also, I usually leave most of my work to do until Sunday, which isn't good since I can't study for a whole day. I need to put aside time and actually study, and not tell myself I have all day sunday to do homework.
• Reviewing and Revising
I almost never review my notes because I don't really think about it. I think that if I review and revise them after I have a class, I will make more of a habit to look at them and use them.
• Reading a Textbook
On the website it states that reading aloud doesn't help at all. I am the type of person who thinks that if I can't concentrate on a textbook, I need to read aloud.

Learning Pathway

I visited the ITCD website and looked through the pathways that were offered for the Communications Design major.

Web Design

I have decided to choose Web Design and Development. I was leaning towards Visual Design last year, because in the past I have experimented with HTML and CSS and hated the coding part, but loved the designing part. I decided before I make my initial decision, I should take the Web Design course (CST 351) to make sure that I wanted to do it. After experimenting with Dreamweaver, I realize that coding isn't that difficult and I even enjoy it as much as I do the designing part. I feel like I would want to stick with web design rather than print design, because the print design field seems to be more competitive and I feel that I have more experience and more knowledge about web design than print design.

ILP Individual Learning Portfolio

By viewing these portfolios, I see that they are listing their classes and discuss what they learn in the class and what they do. It also states the required skills and what classes they took for that skill.

Matthew Lussier

In each of the categories, it lists what classes he took. It was interesting to look under his 'msc.' courses. I saw that he took a couple for instructional design and game design, which shows me he was getting as much knowledge of the broad career field as possible. I do like this portfolio because it's very pleasing to the eye, well designed, and very easy to navigate.

Ammon West

Reading Ammon West's portfolio was a little more different than Matthew Lussier's, but just as pleasing. He seemed to take a few Linux/LAN courses, which I'm guessing is what he concentrated in. I don't know much about his major and it confuses me a little more reading about it, but I loved the colors and the layout the website.

It's almost been a full week since the last lecture for ProSem, but I am now finally deciding to write my blog entry.

Last week during ProSem, there were a few professors that presented different majors and emphasis. The first speaker to speak was Sathya Narayan. He mostly talked about the Computer Science and Information Technology major (CSIT for short). First he defined Information Technology as "The study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." I was glad he had defined this because before this class I had no idea what 'Information Technology' actually meant. I learned that computer science was the study of structure, mechanism, and expression of algorithms (which is computational thinking). The Study of Computers, aka computer science, doesn't mean you have to study all of those things. People usually focus on one or two, but studying all of them is still a possibility. People who study computer science mostly go into career fields such as Software Programming, Software Engineering, and Computer Research. For all of these career fields, mathematics are the foundation, and that is why CSIT demands advanced math classes. Another speaker who spoke was Young-Joon Byun. Byun spoke more about programming and certain things like that. From both of these presentations, I learned that there is less competition in the Computer Science careers. They also tend to make more money, especially in their starting pay. Eric Tao had mentioned the top 3 places to go if you want a computer science career, and he said they were Washington D.C.,  Boston, and SAN JOSE. When he had mentioned San Jose my heart had skipped a beat because that is where I want to live for the rest of my life. I don't care what people think about it, it's my home and I love it there. Although I'm not a CSIT major, I still think I'll be able to find work in San Jose. It still made me happy though.

The other speaker that spoke was Bobbi Long. I've had her before for my Visual Art and Design class. She teaches most of the print design classes here on campus, so I wasn't surprised she was presenting on the Communications Design major with an emphasis in visual design. First she had told us about her career as a visual designer, which it seemed contained many accomplishments. I had no idea she had designed for so many things and in plenty of different countries. It also surprised me that she even did environmental design, especially with the gas stations. She of course probably collaborated with other designers who specialized in environmental design, but it just surprised me that as a visual designer you are open to different types of work. She then went on about the different classes you would need to take for a visual design emphasis. I had known most of the classes to take because I was thinking about emphasizing in visual design, but something that stood out to me was that she recommended digital photography. I had never thought about taking digital photography, and I think it would be both fun and useful to take it.

I will be honest, I enjoyed Bobbi Long's presentation more than the CSIT Professors, but maybe it's because I'm biased since my major is Communications Design.