Michael Grace » Education http://geek.michaelgrace.org All my geek in one place Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:11:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 Getting into jQuery http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2010/07/getting-into-jquery/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2010/07/getting-into-jquery/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:11:45 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=1427 Swiss Army Knife Cadet 1

I have a friend that is wanting to get into learning and using jQuery so I thought that I would throw some information together to help them get started.

Documentation

Love jQuery’s documentation! I love being able to go to http://api.jquery.com/ and being able to quickly search for what I am looking for. This is great for when I know roughly what I want and just need a bit of information on how to do it. When I was starting out, the documentation main page was the place to be http://docs.jquery.com/

Including jQuery into projects

So you can download the jQuery code from the site and put it up on S3 or your own hosting service and include it into your projects that you are working on but why not let Google do it for you if it makes life easier? Google has a bunch of script libraries that they host for free that are used commonly. To include jQuery in your project stress free try this

Document Ready

One thing that can be frustrating when just starting out using jQuery is finding out the hard way of why you have to wait for the page to load before your functions can work. What??!! jQuery is a JavaScript library that extends native functionality of JavaScript and just plain makes JavaScript easier to work with. Problem is, none of your jQuery functions will work until the library is completely loaded and the structure of the html is in the browser. You can make sure your jQuery functions don’t try to do anything until the page is ready by putting your code in a document read wrapper that jQuery makes easy.

$(document).ready(function() {
  // Your jQuery code goes here
});

Shortcut

Because using jQuery is soo awesome and you are going to be using it soo much, the shortcut ‘$’ was used to reference jQuery. So the following two jQuery functions are the same.

jQuery("#ajax img").hide();
$("#ajax img").hide();

Help

Just remember when you get frustrated or you need help understanding something with jQuery do a Google search for what your having trouble with. If that doesn’t get you what you are looking for, ask a friend! There are many who have loved using jQuery and would love to help a friend out. Also, don’t forget the ever awesome http://stackoverflow.com/ which is a great place to find, ask, and answer programming related stuff! jQuery included.

Example

Here is a full and simple working example that I created just to show off a bit of the fun power of jQuery. Again, jQuery documentation rocks and has many examples but I thought this would be nice to pull together everything I had talked about here.

https://mikegrace.s3.amazonaws.com/geek-blog/jquery-example-1/jquery-example-1.html

photo by Quality & Style

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2010/07/getting-into-jquery/feed/ 1 Christmas ‘09 Wish List http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/11/christmas-09-wish-list/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/11/christmas-09-wish-list/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:47:28 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=1083 My family has been bugging me to share with them what exactly it is I am wanting for Christmas surprises so I thought i would appease. Besides wanting to be graduated, a have a job on the west coast to start paying off student loans here is what I would find exciting to have this Christmas. You can check out the complete list on Amazon.com at http://amzn.com/w/258FEXOTWJ1DO

Product ImageProduct ImageProduct ImageProduct ImageProduct ImageProduct Image

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School

How Designers Think, Fourth Edition: The Design Process Demystified

The Design of Everyday Things

The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary Edition (2nd Edition)

Coders at Work

Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/11/christmas-09-wish-list/feed/ 4 My First Podcast!! http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/10/my-first-podcast/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/10/my-first-podcast/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:46:33 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=978 Technology For Learning

I have officially entered the world of Podcasting! The podcast is about technology and learning and incidentally enough, is hosted at http://technologyforlearning.info I am privileged to be able to co-produce the podcast with a good friend of mine, http://michaelfarmer.info. We both have a lot of fun being geeks and really digging into technology and what it means for us today and how it will impact us in the future. We are both amateurs and don’t have any formal voice training but we do love what we do. So, if you would like to join in on the fun and the conversation subscribe to the podcast and tune in each week as we review current technology and how it applies to learning.

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/10/my-first-podcast/feed/ 1 8 Year Old Class All with iPod Touches http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/8-year-old-class-all-with-ipod-touches/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/8-year-old-class-all-with-ipod-touches/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:19:51 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=953 I am totally geeking out about this! Found the link through a fried on Twitter and I think it illustrates the power of giving young children the tools to each learn at their own pace. They also are a bit more motivated and excited about being able to use such a cool piece of technology.

Share Your Thoughts

?? Would you want your child to have an iPod touch as one of their learning tools in school? What can you see as some of the advantages or drawbacks with having this type of approach with our kids and their learning?

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/8-year-old-class-all-with-ipod-touches/feed/ 0 Basic Intro to ActionScript 3 http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/basic-intro-to-actionscript-3/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/basic-intro-to-actionscript-3/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:11:21 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=947 intro actionscript 3Finally! I found a really well done, easy to understand, and polished how to video series on ActionScript 3 and Flash. The video series starts at the very beginning and shares how-to in 5 minute clips. I am really glad Adobe and Doug Winnie put this series together.

?? Have you found another amazing Flash / ActionScript resource? What was the best thing you did to learn ActionScript?? Let us know! : D

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/basic-intro-to-actionscript-3/feed/ 1 How To Create Best PowerPoint http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/how-to-create-best-powerpoint/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/how-to-create-best-powerpoint/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:19:25 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=937 I was recently shown the best powerpoint presentation I have ever seen. It happens to be a powerpoint about powerpoint presentations entitled “Death by PowerPoint”. Any one wanting to improve their PowerPoint presentations or just wanting a good laugh should take a moment and read through the presentation shared on slideshare.com

Death by PowerPoint

View more documents from Alexei Kapterev.
]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/how-to-create-best-powerpoint/feed/ 1 BYUI Class Assignment Calendars via Google http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/byui-class-assignment-calendars-via-google/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/byui-class-assignment-calendars-via-google/#comments Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:52:32 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=928 chalkboard

Brother Judkins Comm 313
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/b8dvinssolbf8qce3r2tam0alc%40group.calendar.google.com/private-87267a1ca2dc1e499bd46ab3dae40b26/basic.ics

Brother Ercanbrack CS 165
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/ca0dn9amvkt8f3a10j7ch0huqg%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

Chalkboard Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frozenchipmunk/ / CC BY 2.0

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/09/byui-class-assignment-calendars-via-google/feed/ 3 Be a Better Student This Year http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/08/be-a-better-student-this-year/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/08/be-a-better-student-this-year/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:13:36 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=906 Some awesome tips provided by lifehacker.com on how to be a better student this year when you get back to school. I felt these were good enough it deserved more than a tweet. ; )

295038829_0f60748591

http://lifehacker.com/5335215/10-must+dos-for-the-first-week-of-college

Library Photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/photos_clinker/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/08/be-a-better-student-this-year/feed/ 0 Calculate # of M&Ms in a Jar http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/calculate-mm-in-jar/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/calculate-mm-in-jar/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:40:54 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=556 282284896_4e45bd3c11_mI like math a bit, but when I saw this video on how to mathematically calculate the number of M&Ms in a jar I wanted to run out and buy a bunch of M&Ms to try it out. All my math geek friends would love this. I will now win every jar guessing contest I come in contact with. Muahahahahahaha…..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4444/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/calculate-mm-in-jar/feed/ 1 My Personal Learning Environment http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/my-personal-learning-environment/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/my-personal-learning-environment/#comments Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:20:47 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=516 My Personal Learning Environment

My Personal Learning Environment

After reading an interesting post about personal learning environments I decided to try an experiment for myself like cmduke did. I had a hard time placing everthing that I wanted to on the the diagram so it is a bit messy and the proximity of each item isn’t exactly where I would like them. The diagram below represents fairly well most of the tools that I use in what I consider to be my personal learning environment. Feel free to download my photoshop file and modify it to suit your personal learning environment.

MikeGrace's Personal Learning Environment

MikeGrace's Personal Learning Environment

As I put this together, it reinforced to me how much I learn when I blog things. I guess my blogging process includes most of the things needed to really understand and retain information. Here is a list of everything I have included in the diagram.

  • Jobs
  • Google
  • Finder
  • Spotlight
  • Time Machine
  • Aperture
  • Eleven2
  • Google Docs
  • EtherPad
  • Pligg
  • Terminal
  • Linux
  • StatCounter
  • textmate
  • PhotoShop
  • CSS Edit
  • Pandora
  • Twitterfon
  • jQuery
  • Nikon D200
  • Creative Commons
  • 1986 Honda Goldwing 1200cc
  • Defcon
  • Loopt
  • Skype
  • Adium
  • Google Mail
  • Google Reader
  • Yammer
  • Mac OS X
  • Twitter
  • WordPress
  • iPhone
  • Brigham Young University – Idaho
  • StackOverflow
  • Firefox
  • MacBook Pro
]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/my-personal-learning-environment/feed/ 1 Super User Beta Invite http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/super-user-beta-invite/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/super-user-beta-invite/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:42:32 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=472 Some of my friends have shown some interest in joining superuser.com, a sister site to stack overflow. The beta is only semi-private and anyone who really wants to can start contributing to the bank of knowledge being contributed there. If you really want to start that journey, you will have to follow the ewok. (aka click on him ; )

Enjoy

ewok-closeup

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/super-user-beta-invite/feed/ 0 Motivational Bird (Killdeer) http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/motivational-bird-killdeer/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/motivational-bird-killdeer/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:14:53 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=380 _MIK7579I added a little quote to this picture I took to help remind me to keep working hard. The more I look at it, the more it makes me giggle. The birds pose and expression reminds me of a mother telling their kid to keep working on their homework. My wife thinks it is just weird, and you may to, but it has made me smile enough that I just had to share it. ; )

The quote is one I found by Comaneci, Nadia. The hard work quote is, “Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret. That is why I win.”

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/motivational-bird-killdeer/feed/ 0 List of Open Source Education Publication Platforms http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/list-of-open-source-education-publication-platforms/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/list-of-open-source-education-publication-platforms/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:33:38 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=328 In order to take my idea of creating an open source course I need to figure out how to make it available to the public. I could very easily install another WordPress blog or use WordPress MU because WordPress ROCKS but is that the best option? Is there a platform made specifically with open education in mind? Maybe. Will one platform work well with all course types? Probably not.

So in order to compile a list of possible platforms and compare their pros and cons I have created a knol that anyone who desires can contribute to. I would greatly appreciate any contributions and feedback. Visit the knol and make contributions

Here is what we have so far. ; )

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/list-of-open-source-education-publication-platforms/feed/ 0 Open Source Education Endeavor http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/open-source-education-endeaver/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/open-source-education-endeaver/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:13:27 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=319 So I have been reading, learning, and following a few people on Twitter about Open Education. I like the idea and I would like to contribute to the movement to make education available to anyone and everyone. I am currently taking an operating systems class where we are learning how to administer a Linux system. Many of my colleagues and I are frustrated with how the class is being handled and feel that the fun of learning is being sucked out of it by doing textbook examples and questions. One of my biggest frustrations with current teaching methods is that many times there is little more motivation to do something other than for a grade.

My idea has been to create real world situations/ projects that involve the same concepts as the book but make them exciting to the students. When approaching the professor about this idea I was laughed at and told “Sure, you create the projects and I will take a look.” Somehow I get the feeling that not much is going to happen even if I did do that. As a side note, I have also heard rumors that the University is changing the class or getting rid of it in some way. This got me to thinking why not carry out my idea but make it open to anyone? I could get my classmates and friends who are in the class currently and some who just love Linux and we could create a smashing class online free to anyone who wants to learn. Every classmate that I have talked to about this has been enthusiastic and said they would love to contribute.

Creating a open source class would really help my classmates and I learn the material well for many reasons. First, the learning is no longer just for a grade but is a public service for others. When learning is turned into service the whole paradigm of motivation changes in students and amazing things start to happen. Second, the final published product is public and if done well enough, is something students can show future potential employers as an example work. Third, the collaboration that can occur to create, review, and modify the content would be awesome and would create incredible learning and growing experiences that would be invaluable to being more effective in the workplace in the future. There are of course more but that is all I am going to list for now.

So the big question now is what is going to be the most effective way to organize and put the class content online? A blog with different posts and pages, using a service like Google’s knol, forum (*puke!*) or is there some other way that would work great that I haven’t found yet? I would love your help and input on this. Please leave a comment with suggestions/ ideas or get a hold of me on twitter @MikeGrace.

]]> http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/07/open-source-education-endeaver/feed/ 4 Tomorrow is built on today’s education http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/06/tomorrow-is-built-on-todays-education/ http://geek.michaelgrace.org/2009/06/tomorrow-is-built-on-todays-education/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:45:33 +0000 MikeGrace http://geek.michaelgrace.org/?p=312 3313592076_84c3d82947_m

I truly believe that tomorrow is built on todays education. If that is the case, open education is more important then ever before with the current state of the world. Sound education is one of the greatest gifts that a person can give or receive. The possibilities for giving that gift are ever increasing as technology becomes more accessible to the world. The thing that really excites me about open education is the idea that anyone can contribute, make a difference, and learn, if they but have the desire.

Education is intimately intertwined into every aspect of everyone’s life. The more I learn about open education the more I “geek out” about it. The concept of learning through service to others would have revolutionized my elementary education experience as it is now thrusting my learning forward and my thirst to learn and share deeper.

I would be honored and ecstatic to be able to attend the Open Education Conference for 2009 in Vancouver. I will bring excitement and enthusiasm for open education, plenty of questions, and an unquenchable desire to learn and contribute. I have been working with a professor at Brigham Young University Idaho on some testing ideas to make tests a better feedback tool for the student and the teacher. Also, throughout my higher education experience I have been frustrated with the use of technology in learning. This frustration comes both from forced web technology use that distracts from real learning and the disregard of web tools that could revolutionize outcomes of students learning and experience. I think the hardest thing is getting others to realize the potential of open education. Once that is understood and the fire is lit, the rest will happen naturally. I look forward to learning more about what I can do to make the world and my university a better place and how I can spread the fire for open education.

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