A8 - iMe Self Assessment

In this journal post I aim to justify my grade for my recent SMLP (Self Managed Learning Plan) assignment. In this assignment I was challenged to learn a new scripting language and then give evidence of my learning through a suitable project. I chose to learn PHP and MySQL, and evidenced my learning in a final website tutorial.

Firstly in order to gain a pass level. I must have met all the learning outcomes I originally set out to do in my learning plan. Here is a list of the learning objectives, and how I did with each one:

Learning Objective 1 - Research into industrial uses of PHP and MySQL
This learning objective was met in the form of a research page. There is definite evidence that both scripts were clearly understood and put into context of todays industry.

Learning Objective 2 - Develop skills to the point were I could use them in a website
A clear understanding of development occured in this section. The research took a more specific route into the learning the scripts and the evifence came both in the research pages and in the creation of the website.

Learning Objective 3 - Create a fully functioning website
The evidence for this section can be found at www.samjharris.co.uk/a8, where the scripts have been used to create a tutorial styled website, which guides you through a few of the basic scripts learnt.

Learning Objective 4 - Evaluation of assignment
This learning objective was met in the form of a written evaluation. It was a very open evaluation where the whole assignment was reviewed and strengths and weaknesses were highlighted throughout.

After assessing the merit criterial I realised a few gaps in my workings. This means that after passing all of the learning objectives, I will reward myself with a Pass.

Web Designer Job

The Job

Web designer with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, HTML, and CSS experience needed for leading marketing agency based near Huntindon This role would suit someone with at least 1 years commercial experience working as a web designer ideally with print experience using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, CSS and HTML. An online portfolio is a must for applications for this role as you will need to be able to prove you have what it takes creating unique and memorable web designs for a plethora of sites.

This exciting web design role will see you working on a variety of projects for different end clients, working closely with the rest of the team using your Photoshop, Dreamweaver, CSS and HTML experience.

In return for your expertise my client are offering a generous salary, contributory pension and bonus scheme, as well as a relaxed working atmosphere and training with some of the best in the business!

My thoughts

After searching through a variety of different jobs with the 'Web Designer' title, this one instantly stood out to me. Discarding the location this sort of job would be an ideal way to get into the industry. They are asking for one year's commercial experience but I do believe that the two years spent on the course would cover this, with such assignments coming up where we will be out working with a client.

Another topic that is mentioned as ideal is print. Through this course I have learnt a lot about print and as this is not essential, this knowledge would stand me in good stead against other applicants. I may lack some of the client interactive skills, however, and this is a weak area for me. To apply for this job I would first need to work on this problem by improving my communication skills.

Knowledge of photoshop being the first thing that is mentioned was also a huge draw for me. I have been using photoshop for many years and have a vast knowledge of its capabilities in industrial design. I believe I could really show off in this area of the application.

As far as HTML goes, I had a fairly basic understanding of XHTML before the course and have already improved upon this greatly. I feel like my XHTML is stronger than my CSS however I don't think I would struggle to adapt to new challenges as I have always been able to find the solutions quickly. By the end of this year I am certain that I will meet these two requirements in the job application.

Due to my knowledge of XHTML and CSS, Dreamweaver came to me very quickly. I believe that the program itself is very simple and it is more about knowing how to apply the code. This is another area that I will be working on even more this year, and by the end of the course I would have no worries in saying I have completely mastered Dreamweaver.

As of yet I do not have an online portfolio, but as with other aspects of the job I will have satisfied this requirement by the end of my college year. This is because we have a large final assignment to create a portfolio of the two years work. My only worry is that the work I have produced so far would not reflect where I actually am as I believe some of my earlier work has let me down in this. There is always potential to display my non college work in an additional portfolio that could be considered before applying for such jobs.

Ok, I'm Back

With the start of the second year, it's time to look back at the past and look forward to the future. I am still very keen to push through my problems in the first year. Referrals were too frequent and I want to cut that down this year. I know I can do this by planning my time better and staying more organized. I also need to plan in time to do my work each week.

After the long break though I have become a little bit rusty, and I think I with just need a few weeks to find my feet again. Despite this I am fairly confident in my approach to this year, and I know I can improve on my results of last year. It would definitely be good to get a few merits and even a distinction.

I am looking forward to the new assignments and cracking on with them. Having already started the self managed learning plan it's something I feel I could do well in. I am looking forward to learning new scripting languages that I will be able to implement into some more complex web pages. In learning these new languages it also widens my knowledge of web design and in the long term makes me more employable.

I feel like this year is time to get my web designers head on and stay more focused on the course. This way I should make myself ready for work in what is a very competitive industry. I need to make steps that with make me stand out from the crowd and show off my full potential.

Self Managed Learning Plan - The Resource List

To conduct the learning of both PHP and MySQL I will be look at two different resource avenues. I first will be looking at some books, and after some routing around I found a selection of books that will supply me with a vast knowledge of these two languages. The other method I will be using for the learning of these languages is online tutorials and the analysis of online information. Here is the resource list for my SMLP.

1. PHP for the Web, Third Edition

This is a very highly rated book due to its simple step-by-step methods of teaching. It takes you through all the basics of the language and also through the more specific implications of it with visual screenshots to help throughout.

2. Sams Teach Yourself PHP in 24 Hours, Third Edition

This book is a quick and easy way to learn how to create interactive websites. It is divided into 24 one-hour lessons over five sections making learning easy and aiding in myself learning. It covers the fundamentals of PHP and how to apply it to create dynamic websites with forms, cookies and authentication functions. You will also find out how to access databases.

3. www.w3schools.com

This website is one of my favourite resources for learning languages. I find it very easy to use and its tutorials take you step-by-step in all aspects of both PHP and MySQL. It provides you with sufficient examples to progress in your learning as you go through and is a great basis for the learning of these languages.

4. www.php.net

This is the definitive source for the latest PHP developments. This will be used to obtain my guidelines in the language, so that I can continue to produce valid PHP coding throughout my learning.

5. www.mysql.com

Similar to the previous website this will act as my guideline to the use of MySQL throughout my learning. As the definitive source for the language I will be able to check my learning against the information provided on here to verify its content.

6. www.tizag.com

This website is of a similar layout the w3schools which makes navigation easy. It has tutorials covering both languages in great detail. Here there is a specific tutorial on PHP / MySQL which is just what I need to discover how the two languages work alongside each other.

Discovering PHP and MySQL

The task is to come up with our very own Self Managed Learning Plan (SMLP) into a scripting language of our choice. After doing some research into different languages I have settle on PHP and some aspects of MySQL. I will initially study through all the basics of PHP and try to gain a good understanding of the entire language.

PHP is a multi-purpose scripting language for web development. A couple of practical reasons for PHP are that it extends your design possibilities, allowing you to create more dynamic web pages. It is also very compatible as it works across all operating systems and is free of charge.

I will then be learning the MySQL, which stands for 'My Structured Query Language' and is a relational database management system. I will be learning MySQL specifically in relation to PHP with such functions allowing me to access MySQL database servers. This means I can create my very own databases online.

I have already discovered many online learning facilities and tutorials in which I can base all my research. My method of learning will be to compile notes and back up those notes with practical implications fot the two languages. By learning the two languages in conjunction with one another I will be able to create dynamic database driver web sites. The knowledge of these two languages is said to be very sought after in industry.

First Year Reflection

When looking back to the begging of the course I can instantly see a huge change. I feel a lot more at home in every aspect of the course, due to many different reasons. I’ve made some good friends for a start which instantly made me feel more at home. Being able to learn through them has been a great help and has taught me that it is always worth asking questions and asking for help. Reflecting back, I realised this was an issue I was pretty poor on so it has been a good achievement for me over the year.

My confidence has been knocked in different directions all year but there have been some huge positive steps that I can take a lot from. Being able to do things I’ve never done before and having the confidence to make mistakes have made this year well worth while. Knowing that without these mistakes I would never have learnt how to overcome them.

I figured fairly early on that this was the right course for me and in no way have my feelings changed towards it, if anything it has been more solidified. The new skills I’ve learnt have even got me using them in my free time because I enjoy it so much. There is always a worry that things may become a bit repetitive, however, with web design you can always branch out and find new exciting designs to keep you eager.

Another major reason why I have stayed so keen is due to the wide range of skills being taught. I was originally under the impression that the course was purely a web design based course, and at first I was even more intimidated when I found out it wasn’t. Now things are completely different because I have learnt so many new skills I didn’t expect to be learning and this wider range of design skills can only be a good thing.

A good example of the wide variety of skills needed for web design can be found in typography. Before starting the course I would have thought it had absolutely no relevance to designing the website, but it has become one of the most crucial aspects of each build. It is these tiny details that we have learnt that make web design to interesting.

Initially I was finding myself a long way behind with the ‘lingo’ around web design. Everyone seemed to be so much further ahead of me from the start, and I had no hope of catching up. Now, however, it feels like I’ve caught up with people and actually have a better knowledge in some area’s which is great for my confidence. It would definitely be something to bear in mind if I or anyone else happened to be in a similar situation again.

My knowledge of coding has been my biggest improvement over this first year. After the simple HTML codes I originally knew, I have now learnt XHTML and CSS to a high stand at which I can produce fully functioning, and professional websites. It is the side of web design where I feel I get most from, and it produces the best final product. I have now taken it on in my spare time and my knowledge of it is constantly growing. This is another positive that solidifies my ever growing interest in the web design industry.

Looking towards the future, there are issues that I need to attend to for next year. In my own opinion the work I am producing is of a good quality but, as I have always been told, there just isn’t enough of it. I’ve found myself still doing things last minute and it has really caught me out. Blends of personal issues and plain laziness have caused a number of referrals, and a referral in the final project. I find it frustrating because I know what I can achieve, and with a well structured plan of action in each assignment there should be no referrals.

I believe for the second year that certain challenges and tasks must be overcome to say it is a fully successful year. After major issues with confidence this is an aspect of the college life that I would like to rid myself of, so I can stay fully focused on the work itself. This is because I sometimes find myself avoiding things that would be very useful in my learning.

Next year there has to be huge improvements in all organisational aspects of projects, especially with a group project coming up, where I need to perform for the rest of the members in my group. The work load is going to be much greater than this year also, so to keep on top of my work there has to be strict time keeping on my part.

I first set out with the goal of mastering every aspect of web design, so one day I could start up my own business. This has become more of a reality now that I have the tools to progress in this industry. I have been using my new found skills outside of college to produce websites, and things already seem to be going well for me. So this is a goal I can really aim for in the future.

I aim to produce my work strictly on time, with weekly time management to ensure this.

I aim to receive no referrals in the second year.

I aim to get at least two merits.

I aim to improve my ever growing knowledge of design.

Word Count: 938

Not Long to Logo

The A7 assignment, along with the first year, is quickly drawing to an end. There is a definite sense of finishing on a high as it had been the best assignment so far. This is because I have found it both challenging and enjoyable; stretching my new found abilities to the max. I have learnt a lot through the assignment and it has solidified my previous learning through many practical exercises.

Initial I found the logo design frustrating as it was the first time with a client you have to get used to them saying no to your ideas. As I went on I became less attached with the ideas and design purely with the client in mind. Here is the postcard I have produced using the variation of my logo design:

The CD artwork allowed me to be a little more artistic in this project which I enjoyed. I organised and arranging interesting scenes using pebbles, and with a good quality camera was able to achieve some effective design pieces. I found working with your own images much easier and much more effective than taking from stock, and you can get your own precise desired effect easily.

I have been practising at making websites for a couple of weeks now and am looking forward to the web build as it’s a good opportunity to test my skills. It will also give me a good sense of achievement to be able to display my hard work in this assignment through an individual and devoted website.