Comments on Mr. Hechler's Talk

I thought Mr. Hechler's talk was extremely interesting. I was fascinated by the insides of the computer, and I was great that we actually got to handle the parts and get a close look at them.
One thing that surprised me was the fact that you can't throw computers away. I did not know that they don't allow computers to be thrown into landfills. This is a really handy piece of information to know because I know I will not be throwing out my computer in the future, I will recycle it.
Another thing that I did not know was that recycled paper has a plastic film on it that will melt and ruin some printers or copiers. I will also keep this in mind the next time it choose printer paper!

PowerPoint Presentation Link

Here is the link to my PowerPoint presentation:

http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~scroatt/slides

My PowerPoint Presentation Topic

I have decided to do my PowerPoint presentation on forensic anthropology. While my academic major interest is in Anthropology as a whole, the topic is way too broad to cover in a two-minute presentation. So, I picked a tiny part of Anthropology to present on.
Forensic anthropology is different from forensic science because forensic anthropology deals primarily with older human remains. While a forensic anthropologist will occasionally get called to help solve some recent crime cases, forensic anthropologists more often than not deal with old remains that may or may not have been involved in foul play. In my presentation, I will cover the basics of forensic anthropology- what it is, how it's different from forensic science, and what techniques forensic anthropologists use in their line of work.

PowerPoint Presentation Guidelines

After perusing the articles we were to read for homework, I am now able to confidently compile some guidelines for making an presenting a PowerPoint:

1. Don't put too many words on the slides.
2. Don't read directly off the slides to present your information.
3. Powerful and pertinent pictures, graphs, or videos are good in moderation.
4. Slide layout and font should be simple and attractive.
5. Be energetic and engaging while presenting. If you are excited about your topic, your audience will be more apt to listen.

I know the hardest thing for me to do when creating PowerPoints is resisting all of the awesome graphics, animations, and color schemes that are available in PowerPoint! But I know how distracting and detracting superfluous color and "pretty things" can be to a presentation. Especially, as Dr. Semmes noted, since the PowerPoint is not the focus of the presentation. It merely helps you give the presentation.
I wish everybody the best of luck in creating your PowerPoints and preparing your presentations!

Part II: What I learned from Chris Nolan's Presentation

While I found much of Mr. Nolan's presentation very interesting, I have been practicing many of the techniques and cautions that he talked to us about. The only thing that was new for me was that you could search exclusively for .org, .edu, and .gov websites using the advanced search option on Google. I can clearly recall several instances in the past in which I wanted to find websites that were not commercial sites on Google for research, but had to wade through .com websites to get to the .gov, .edu, and .org websites that I wanted. I think this new ability will help me in the future to search more effectively when looking for resources for papers.
I was surprised by the Martin Luther King Jr. website that was really a white power website that Mr. Nolan had us evaluate. If I had run across this website while looking for resources, I wouldn't have used it anyway, but I was shocked at how the white power group masked their biased information on that website.

Part I: Comments on "They stole an image of my son and just had to pay $4000"

I found the article on the personal website of Eirik Solheim rather shocking. While learning about copyright laws in class, I figured that things like what happened to Eirik never really happened. Apparently, I was wrong. I believe that Vinderen Elektriske should have paid Eirik more than they did. They took Eirik's picture off the Internet and used it in an advertisement that would have been mass produced and viewed by hundreds or thousands of people. Vinderen Elektriske was clearly in the wrong.

Thoughts on PowerPoint

After studying the links on the CS 1300 web page and ruminating on my personal experiences with PowerPoint, I have decided that "less is more" in a PowerPoint presentation. My teachers in high school never really used PowerPoint to lecture, but I have been very impressed with Dr. Mathew's use of PowerPoint during lecture this semester. Her PowerPoints always look so neat and nice. I thought about what she was doing that made her PowerPoints so appealing to me. I decided it was because she 1) did not cluster the slides with lots of words, 2) put relevant graphics on every slide, and 2) picked her background color to match the accent colors on her graphics. She also frequently adds some humorous or witty picture, comic, or animation to her presentation that helps to break the monotony of the material. No matter what is on her slides, they are not claustrophobic with words, color, or graphics. The simplicity with which she makes her slide is what is appealing and effective about her PowerPoints.

Word Experience

My experience with Microsoft Word (the older versions) is pretty extensive. I started using Word 2007 in May 2007. I think that Word 2007 is set up better than the earlier Word versions, but I still have some trouble finding things I need (especially if they are things that I don't do on a regular basis with Word). I would like to become just a little more comfortable with the layout of Word while taking this class.

My Computer Experience

As far as my computer experience goes, I have been using computers since I was little and I have a pretty strong sense of how to use them by now. I have a lap top with Microsoft 2007 that is sadly not connected to the Trinity Network (I have been able to upload files onto my Y: drive by using the "Briefcase" in Tiger's Lair). I will have to fumble through that set up tonight. I mostly use my computer for school work, storing and editing my pictures, and for surfing the Internet. Beyond that, I really don't do anything super special with my computer. We get along just fine.

In this class, I hope to learn how to make and post videos. I am really excited to be in a class where most of the work is along the lines of this- making blogs and doing other computer-related things!

As promised, I have uploaded just a few pictures I took of Mission San Jose here in San Antonio. Enjoy!

First Blog Post-Introduction

Hello! I am Stephanie Croatt, and I am from Richmond, TX. Originally, I was born in Minneapolis, MN, but my family and I moved to Texas when I was four. I am a Freshman (I believe we all are in this class), and I am interested in majoring in Anthropology.
I am on the Trinity Equestrian Team and on the Trinity Trap & Skeet Team. I enjoy doing anything outdoors, especially hunting.
As far as my interest in technology is concerned, I really only get excited about digital cameras because I love photography. I don't have the latest and greatest computer, iPod, or cell phone, and I don't really care to acquire any of these things. I did, however, get a new camera for Christmas that I am so very excited about. My new camera has definitely been like a new body part, and I'm sure I have been really annoying trying to get shots of everything! I will probably post some of my pictures for everyone to see.
I believe that I am pretty computer-literate. There are only a few things about computers and computer software that escape me, but I hope to learn about those finer aspects in this class.
I look forward to learning things I never knew and doing things I've never done before with computers in this class!

Now, feel free to enjoy my little video introduction!


scroatt@trinity.edu