Author: Curtis Meger (Page 3 of 4)

Graphic Design Research

October 5, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 0 Comments

Research

Figure 1:

Azizullah Lal

Published: February 16th 2022

This podcast cover appealed to me because of the large image and the bolded title at the top. The red behind opinion makes the cover more appealing to the eye. The movement of my eyes went from the title to the short description of the podcast. The words are slightly difficult to read but zooming in makes it better. Next my eyes travel to the time which also pops on the page, followed by the creator of the cover. The overall topography flows nicely and I want to include that in my project

Figure 2:

Muhammad Sheraz Tahir

Published: September 17th 2023

I liked this design because of the color concept and the low contrast of the design. There is a pattern to the design but it is mostly asymmetrical in the way it is laid out. The unity also gives the design a pop and is eye-catching. The use of layering colors really appeals to me.

Figure 3:

Zafeer Gul – Published: March 9th 2023

This cover art caught my eye because of the scale that the words have compared to the pictures. The movement of my eyes went from “Night Podcast” to “Just Sit Back & Chill”. The words emphasize to the listeners to take some time from their night and sit back and enjoy learning about how to become a successful entrepreneur. The white text pops on the black background and the blue in the back gives the art a nice overall look.

Works Cited

Figure 1. Lal, A. (Creative Designer). (February, 2022). Podcast Cover [Online Image]. Retrieved October 3rd, 2023 from https://www.behance.net/gallery/137566463/podcast-cover?tracking_source=search_projects|podcasts+podcast+cover+art

Figure 2. Sheraz Tahir, M. (Graphic Designer). (September, 2023). Podcast Poster Design [Online Image]. Retrieved October 3rd, 2023 from https://www.behance.net/gallery/180208459/PODCAST-POSTER-DESIGN?tracking_source=search_projects|podcasts

Figure 3. Gul, Z. (Graphic Designer). (March, 2023). Podcast Cover Art [Online Image]. Retrieved October 3rd, 2023 from https://www.behance.net/gallery/165575859/Podcast-Cover-Art?tracking_source=search_projects|podcasts+podcast+cover+art

Trying iMovie

October 3, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 4 Comments

For doing video assignments in University I have always stuck to tik tok or YouTube, being a Mac owner I wanted to try out iMovie to see what it offers. I quickly found out it is super easy to use and lots of the features are premade for you, just add your content, organize, and away you go!

Lots of title options to pick from

Easy to add text and change the size

Complete control of where content is, and able to add transitions

In terms of use in the classroom, if there are Macs available iMovie can be a great tool for:

Digital Storytelling
Virtual Field Trips
Interviews
Peer Reviews
Digital Portfolios
Collaborative Projects

SAMR MODEL

Substitution:

At the Substitution level, iMovie could be used as a basic video playback tool. Teachers and students use it to watch educational videos or films

This level involves minimal transformation as it essentially replaces a traditional video player or DVD player

Augmentation:

At the Augmentation level, iMovie starts to enhance the learning experience. Teachers and students use basic editing features to trim or add text to videos.

For instance, students may create a simple video project where they edit together clips to summarize a historical event.

Modification:

The Modification level involves more significant changes to the learning experience. In this case, iMovie is used to create multimedia presentations or reports.

Students might create documentaries that include not only video but also images, text overlays, and music to convey complex ideas effectively.

Redefinition:

At the Redefinition level, iMovie is used to transform the way students learn and demonstrate their understanding. It enables tasks that were not possible without technology.

For example, students could collaborate on video projects with peers from other countries, conducting interviews and sharing cultural perspectives to develop a global understanding of a topic.

My Finish Product

Exploring Tinkercad

September 29, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 0 Comments

Pretty cool experience to dive into tinkercad and learn the ins and outs on how to use it. At first I was getting frustrated as I was obviously not very good even after I watched tutorial videos. Just like anything else, with practice I got much better and was able to create my cowboy hat with lots of detail. I am extremely happy with how it turned out!

^ Learning how to edit to create new designs

^ Duplicated design to try some different things out and compare the two

^ Looking pretty close, having fun with the process

^ Changed the colouring to solid red, easier to print even if it does not match original origami

^ Lastly had to get the measuring tape out to make sure my design is legal to print, hope my math is correct!

Cowboy Hat Origami

September 29, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 0 Comments

First crack at origami went pretty well, found a cool design for a cowboy hat. Not the most even fold in the world but overall I am very happy with how it came out.

Strugglin’ to Juggle

September 26, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 2 Comments

First take on juggling lets go!! Like I said, easily 4 years since the last attempt, tried my best not to get frustrated.

Pretty much went as expected (not very good) – take a peak if you need a laugh

After this epic failure I went digging for in depth videos on youtube and came across a lady named Taylor Tries and I think she just might take me to the promise land.

THINGS I LEARNT FROM HER ALREADY

It is all about messing up and getting better in little increments
Dont get frustrated (I kinda did ^^^)
Enjoy the journey
Bean bags are the best way to go (gonna have to get my stone hands on some)

Have already made great strides, with lots of work to do – STAY TUNED

My Daily Socials

September 25, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 0 Comments

I have grown up in an era that has seen technology evolve dramatically over time. My first phone was a Nokia and for anyone around my age and older, you probably remember that style of phone. Basic texting and calling, it is truly amazing to think about how far technology has come over the years. In saying that, how do I use it in my day to day life?

These are the applications that take up majority of my day to day screen time.

In all honesty, it is a fairly good balance between academics, hockey/life, & social interaction.

Broken down from most used to barely used:

Obviously the standard texting is a huge one as well but in terms of socials,

Instagram – Teaching resources, hockey drills, motivational speakers, sports updates, social interaction
X – Teaching resources, hockey drills, motivational speakers, sports updates
Facebook – Communication with personal trainer
Snapchat – Social interaction
BeReal – Social interaction
Messenger – Fantasy Sports chats
WhatsApp – Fantasy Sports chats
Youtube – Teaching resources, hockey drills
VSCO – barely use, can and should delete

(talking to my girlfriend is the main social interaction, this is year 7 of long distance so social media has allowed us to stay extremely close over the years)

NOW

You may be thinking, WOW! you have a ton of socials. Yes, but I have found a really great way to manage them & use them effectively for academics, teaching, coaching, interacting, and life things in general. Although I have a great balance now, it wasnt always smooth sailing. The best thing I ever did was get rid of tiktok about 2 years ago, I ended up doing this and doing a clean sweep of my socials after watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix, I have attached the preview, if you have not watched it, I strongly suggest it!

Since then I have set timers on applications to ensure I am not spending to much time on each platform throughout the day, I think it is a really useful setting on smart phones, just 1 strategy I have that seems to work well for me.

Managing Screen Time is huge in day to day life!!!

Dear Data, You Thirsty?

September 21, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 0 Comments

– Lots of drinking water throughout the week

– Front side of postcard

– Back side of postcard

Dear Data Reflection:

Keeping a detailed record of how many times I drank water every day for a week as part of the “Dear Data” assignment was an eye-opening experience. At first, I didn’t think much about this seemingly simple task, but I was excited nonetheless to see what habits I have built during the beginning of the school year. As the days went by, I began to notice patterns and gain insights into my daily routines.

One of the most significant takeaways was realizing how consistent my water intake was. Most of my days are fairly similar during the week. I noticed that I drink small amounts of water in the morning and lots in the evening. My afternoons are filled with class, workouts, and practices and during these times I had consistent numbers tracked. It made me think about the importance of being hydrated before these activities, rather than compensating after the fact.

Ultimately, the “Dear Data” assignment highlighted the power of data visualization and tracking in understanding personal behaviors. The visual representation of my water consumption over the week allowed me to see trends and fluctuations that might have gone unnoticed otherwise. Being a student athlete, many people including trainers and coaches are always preaching to take care of your body. I personally believe water consumption plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle. After this assignment, I will continue to track my water and ensure I am intaking enough before my activities to avoid being dehydrated and recouping after the fact.

Biography

September 21, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 0 Comments

My name is Curtis Meger and I am entering my 5th year of studies at the University of Regina, majoring in Physcial Education and minoring in Health Studies. I am a proud student athlete, playing for the Men’s Hockey Team at the University. While I am in my final year of studies, I am still very motivated to learn and develop new skills. In todays world, technology is always evolving and the younger audiences are adapting fast. Being an educator, I feel it is important that I stay up to date with technology to stay on track with students. I have typically thrived with technology in the past and believe I have a really good idea when it comes to certain things to do with it. In saying that, I am excited for this course in the sense that it should challenge me to think outside the box in many ways. Lets get going!

Not a Juggler, Yet

September 19, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 1 Comment

I will be learning to juggle for my learning project. Where am I now? In all honesty, I think I am awful.. but I am ultra competitive and being a goalie in hockey I like to think I have strong hand-eye coordination so how hard could it be. I am extremely motivated to learn, mainly because my girlfriend had a similar assignment last year and learnt to juggle and it is one of many things she holds over me so it is time to learn!!!

Resources I think I can use include

My girlfriend (got sneaky good)
My dad (feels like everyone around me can juggle)
Youtube (unlimited learning tool)
Books (amazon could be my best friend)
Wikihow (simple starting point)

I want to focus on using human resources for the first few weeks to being learning, I think putting in 1-2 hours a week of learning/practicing would be a solid starting point.

I can then move to alternative resources to further my learning and pick up new progressions, the internet will be great for this.

Where will I go if I am secretly good after practicing?

I want to master the fundamentals/basics of juggling with 2 hands & starting with 3 objects, thinking bean bags to start because if I drop them they will not roll away from me, I hope.

Progressions!!

3,4,5 objects/balls
Increase/decrease size of objects/balls
Walk & juggle
Light objects/balls on fire (Katia’s request)
Increase amount of time without stopping
Learn new patterns (ex, reverse cascade, columns, or the fountain)
Synchronizing the rhythm of throws and catches
Explore one-handed juggling

Other reasons I want to learn

Improve hand eye coordination
Fun skill to have
Challenging to learn
Lots of resources
Ample oppurtunity to practice
Can practice anywhere
Use of multiple objects
Progressive skill

Curtis Meger’s Debut: The Birth of My Blogging Journey

September 15, 2023 / Curtis Meger / 1 Comment

Hi everyone, my name is Curtis Meger and I am a 5th year student athlete at the University of Regina. Majoring in physcial education and minoring in health, I am very close to wrapping up my university career. I am a goaltender on the hockey team at the university which is something interesting about me. I have played hockey for 20 years now which is crazy to think about (makes me feel old) and it is my biggest hobby and passion in life.

Here is a picture of me on the ice during a game last season, clearly concerned with something coach had to say.

I have a small amount of experience with educational technology & blogging but am extremely motivated to learn and develop a better understanding. Technology is taking over the world in front of our eyes and as an educator I believe it is important to stay on top of things and continue to learn as technology develops. In terms of blogging, it is obviously a great way to share knowledge, build an online presence, be creative, enhance writing skills, learn new things, and document journeys, I am excited to explore all the oppurtunities blogging can offer for both personal and professional development.

It took me some time to think about what link I wanted to include. I came to the conclusion I wanted to share my experience at the Regina Huda School. I was fortunate enough to do a placement there and it was such a unique and amazing experience for many reasons. I have a short write up and some pictures as well. Enjoy!