Week 3: Progress!

I am feeling so much better than last week! My blog is looking how I want it to, I feel like I actually know what I'm doing at uni, and now I feel like I know what I have to do for my first assignment in EDN113.

After logging onto LMS quite a few times since my last blog post I have become so much more confident in my uni studies. To help myself in understanding the assignment I looked at the Task 1 details, probably more times than anyone sane person would and made sure I understood everything I needed to to complete this assignment. I also had a look at the discussion board to see if I could get some additional information from peers and tutors. Maybe next time I'll have the courage to actually ask a question rather than just waiting for what I'm wondering to be asked by someone else!

I have started my website finally! I explored lots of different website creators using the links provided through LMS and decided on jimdo.com. First I did my homepage. I really wanted it to represent who I am but still show my professional side. It was fairly plain but had small elements that I think showed my happy and playful side too. Next I did my 'About Me' page. It was harder than I thought to find an appropriate photo of me to put on the page, but after much searching I found one! I then wrote a quick bio about who I am and a little about my passion of helping people. And that's all I've done at the moment but I have started work on the social situation component of Assignment 1.

I was very indecisive about the social situation I wanted to create. I thought about doing an ongoing event like a book club or exercise group but I decided on my original idea; a 21st birthday party. Most of my friends and I were born in 1992 so this year is the year of 21st's! I thought it would be a fun idea to create an event for my best friend, instead of myself. Her birthday comes before mine too! I wanted to create an online invitation (also known as an e-vite) so I had a look at three different websites that provide such a service. I explored punchbowl.com, splashthat.com, and bestpartyever.com but in the end I chose splashthat.com.

1. Punchbowl.com seemed great in the beginning! There are so many options of what you can use the site for like save-the-dates, date deciders, gift registries, and also just online invitations. So I looked into the online invitations and even made a quick 'mock up' of my event invitation but found it wasn't quite what I was looking for. There was not a lot of flexibility in the designing and not as easily as accessible as I wanted it to be. 
2. I found bestpartyever.com through a Google Search and signed up with the site to explore a little more. I did the same as the first site by creating an event to see all of the features. This site also had a great range of party planning tools but the design and options of uniqueness.
3. Lastly I looked at splashthat.com. I quickly signed up by using the unmissable form on the home page and as soon as I was signed in I was given the option of creating an RSVP'd event. Exactly what I wanted! So I entered a few quick details and then started designing! I loved how much I could customise the event page and how easy it was to use. What can be seen on the event page now is exactly what I wanted to create. I also wanted to use a website that wasn't necessary to sign up to for if people wanted to join the event. You can find the page at Jacki's Surprise 21st.

So all in all it's been a great week! I'm ready to take on this assignment, and maybe the world while I'm at it.

Week 2: What is even going on!?

Ugh. I feel so overwhelmed! This week in EDN113 we have been told more about our first assignment. Basically, I have to make an e-portfolio (a professional website all about me) a blog, and use a social networking site to help with a social situation. As an external student I'm worried that I'm not getting as much information to help with this assignment as internal students. I think I'm feeling that way because I'm not really understanding the elements as much as I would like to. In addition to other units I am studying, work, and personal commitments everything is just feeling a bit much at the moment!

I am a confident technology user but usually it is for personal purposes so I guess when I'm being assessed on it I don't find it so easy. I have made a professional website before for my mum's volunteering company so I am quite familiar with creating websites and all the tips and tricks. To make a site for myself in a professional light though is really tricky! It's so hard not to create something about yourself when you can't just speak how you would to your friends or family online, like Facebook.

I've decided to use Blogger for my blog site for the large range of customisation options but also for it's simplicity. I mentioned the customisable options because I find it's really important to add a personal element to your online profile, especially in a blog. I talked about my difficulty and confusion with creating my e-portfolio before but I feel the same with even professional site in regard to making sure you add personality to your site.

So my plan is to have my website up and running by my next blog post... if I don't go insane beforehand!