Full Sail Online: Project & Portfolio 2, Week 4

As we wrap up our Project & Portfolio class, two assignments are due. One requires us to use all of the projects we've created for  ad campaign (and then some) and create a proposal using InDesign. The second assignment is an assessment of the class.

I believe Full Sail is constantly updating their curriculum to offer the best possible classes relevant to our field of study. I'm not sure if that is why there seems so be so much confusion as to what classes we've already completed, but there is. We have only utilized InDesign one time and that was simply clicking, inserting images, and changing text. Luckily, we have Lynda at our disposal but it just seems odd to require a final assignment in a program we've had no formal instruction on.

We also were instructed to make our class assessment in the form of a video. There is an update posted in class that because we have not yet had our digital audio/video class that we may simply reply in a standard text post. For one, this isn't accurate; we just came from that class. We also were required to create a commercial in Week 2 based on our experience in the class that he's claiming we never had. Which is it? We don't have enough experience to film ourselves talking about the class informally but we do have enough experience to create and edit video for an ad campaign. The DAV class should be irrelevant for this anyway because very early on in the program (before any classes of much substance) we were required to make a reflection video. We also did this in our digital photography class. It's a completion grade and we weren't going to be graded on content. So, why does the DAV class even matter in this instance? Most of us opted to not make the video.

I also have only received few and random grades thus far. Week 1 is pretty much graded, Week 2 is not, and Week 3 has one grade returned. All with little or no feedback on the assignments. It is a little irritating considering this final project contains all of the assignments we've worked on, yet we have a very unclear idea if what we've done is acceptable.

The assignments that do have class averages (meaning, I just didn't get my grade yet I suppose) are all in the high 90's. Most people in this instructor's other class report getting 100's for everything. I'm getting the feeling that there is something that goes on behind the scenes that creates a situation in which instructors benefit more from passing a student than helping them develop.

As we go though classes, we're told it is a good idea to make connections with instructors and students for networking. I have found maybe one instructor that I have felt like maintaining contact with. Others merely seem along for the ride.

I can't imagine my next class (College Math) will yield much more in the way of instructor interactivity because I don't think it will be necessary. Even so, these last three classes have been quite a bummer as far as instruction goes.

The Epic Tale of Grape and Gary Jr.

“Please don’t forget cat food today,” my husband texted me on his way to work.

I had some errands to run and those locations were near the Petsmart so I opted to go there instead of Walmart to grab my cat’s grub. Upon entering the store, my children immediately began asking for a new pet. We have three dogs and a cat. We don’t need anymore pets but…

…I grew up with fish, rabbits, dogs, pheasants, and snakes so I kind of wanted a caged animal too. It didn’t take long to “break” me. Mammals were out. I’ve done that before and it is way too much up front investment and work to keep them tidy and happy. I wanted a relatively self-sufficient pet. Something we could watch and enjoy with minimal upkeep. What’s more self-sufficient than a fish? It keeps itself entertained and as long as you keep up with cleaning the tank and remember to feed the thing you’re good to go. Remember this easy going ideal as this story unfolds.

Before completely giving the kids permission to choose a fish and get the ball rolling, I checked the pricing of the equipment I would need. Luckily, starter kits aren’t that expensive and we grabbed one and picked out a few tank embellishments. That was the easy part.

I approached the massive wall of fish, uneducated (for the most part) about what each type of fish would require as far as care. I wasn’t interested in playing with saltwater or anything of that nature and I certainly didn’t want a goldfish. They bore me. A sales associate must have seen the confused look on my face and heard me tell me kids to just hang on a minute while trying to figure out where to even start.

“What can I help you find today?”

“Well, this is sort of impulsive but we’re getting a fish today, I believe.” I proudly patted my fish tank starter kit. “Now we just need the fish. What do you have that that isn’t a goldfish but is pretty robust? Something I won’t end up killing in three days…” Apparently if you don’t know me, my humor can be kind of off putting. At least that’s the impression I got based on the confused/shocked/sort of amused look our helpful Petsmart employee gave me. She looked like she was having an internal struggle as to whether to chuckle uncomfortably or try to tell me they don’t carry fish, as not to send one to it’s certainly imminent death. God, I’m so awkward. I wasn’t exactly kidding. I didn’t want some fragile fish that I had to maintain insane conditions just to keep it alive. “No, no. I don’t mean it like that. I just want a fairly low-maintenance fish. That’s all.” She looked a little more comfortable after that.

I’ll tell you, this girl made one of the smartest sales moves I’ve ever seen. Seeing one tank in my cart and two kids (assuming each would probably be choosing a new pet) she suggests a Beta. You know, those fish that you typically can’t house together. Bwhahah, nice try! My kids will learn to compromise before I’ll buy two tanks for two fish on a whim (one impulse fish was enough). It is possible this was the first fish that came to her mind when I said I didn’t want one that dies. Either way, it was a brilliant sales move, had I taken the bait (HA. BAIT. FISH.). We settled on allowing my daughter pick the Beta while my son picked out a snail. I was told they’d make decent tank mates (the Beta and snail, not my kids…they’d make horrible tank mates). Anyway, after grabbing water conditioner, food, and a feeding block and being assured I wouldn’t need a heater and the care would be pretty simple, we were on our way.

Skipping the boring parts, as soon as we arrived home we set everything up and the new animals were in their tank. My daughter named the Beta Grape. It was purple at one time but it’s blue and orange now. My son named the snail Gary Jr. as expected considering his admiration for Spongebob Squarepants.

Everything was going really well until I started Googling. I really didn’t want to be responsible for these new pets dying before their time, so I wanted to ensure I was doing everything right. FYI: do this before you go to store, not after. I read pages upon pages of veteran aquarium/fish enthusiasts telling me that I certainly keeping the fish alive but they would never thrive in their new home. Awesome.

The first fail I made was purchasing a 1.5 gallon tank to house the Beta/snail duo. According to just about everyone with any authority on the subject I should have gotten at least a 5 gallon tank. For this tiny fish. Oh he’ll live just fine in a 1.5 but he wont thriiiiiiiive. I kind of figured, he’s lived most of his fishy life in a little cup at Petsmart, how could anything bigger and better be worse? Anyway, for those worried I will be upgrading. My husband saw this as a great opportunity to pull his massive tanks from the shed and start seeking the proper equipment to set them up for thriving fish.

While I was advised a heater wouldn’t be necessary, I’ve still been obsessively temping the water. It’s too cold. He’s not freezing, it’s only a degrees or so off but enough to prompt me to go get a heater tomorrow. In the meantime I’ve been doing 25-50% water changes daily and slowly introducing warmer water to the tank. Temping it each time I add a little more water. I know constant water changes can piss him off but that’s where I’m at right now.

A day or two after bringing these guys home, we went away for the day. We came back to find Gary Jr. floating at the top of the tank, hanging out of his shell, with an air bubble inside it. He also smelled like death. That’s probably because he was dead. My son took it really well until he starting thinking about it. He went from completely understanding and almost callous to a little bummed. He’s ok, though. My son, not the snail. The snail is dead.

After the snail died I got him out of the tank and did a 100% water change and cleaned everything in the tank. The next morning the tank was murky and smelled horrible. I cleaned it out once more and it looked amazing and lost the horrid smell. Since all this craziness with the dead snail, the water change, the temp adjustments, etc. the Beta (for good reason) was pretty stressed. Eating has been hit or miss and now I’m 99% sure he has Ich. So a heater plus the Ich treatment and another tank deep clean are on tap for tomorrow.

I’m not upset that this has turned into more work than expected. I like having the tank in the living room. I actually find it hilarious that my mission was to appease the want for such a pet, specially aim for low maintenance, and here I am treating Ich.

Full Sail Online: Project & Portfolio II - Design

These types of classes are strewn about my program. They each involve different assignments based on the knowledge gained through previous courses and some of the fundamentals of design. This particular module includes designing a cohesive ad campaign for a celebratory day.

Week One- Pick Your Day & Make Your Logo

World Nerd Day Logo

Given a decent sized list of days to choose from, I decided upon World Nerd Day. I’m a nerd, my husband is a nerd, my son is a nerd, and my daughter is half-nerd. I know the culture, interests, and activities associated with nerdism and thought it would be really fun to design in honor of such a fun, although fictional, day.

After creating some concept sketches, I came up with my logo and designed it in Adobe Illustrator. My instructor gave me some feedback to help tighten up the logo and this was the final result.

Week Two/Three- Short Format Video, Social Media Mockup, & Outdoor Advertising

First, we had to create a short commercial for our day. This included music composition, video editing, and delivering our message in 15 seconds or less. You can see mine at the bottom of this post.

The first time I’ve ever edited a video was in my previous class where I learned the skill. I’m still building my skillset in that area and I’m far more confident in my design capabilities than in my video making/editing capabilities.

Next is a social media mockup. Only one is required but I believe I’m going to go with a two-pronged approach. My Facebook mockup can be seen below and I’m still deciding whether I’ll be utilizing Twitter or Instagram for my second. Instagram is in the lead, though.

Earlier in the week we had to complete a discussion post about the different types of outdoor advertising. I never realized there were so many different types of “billboards” that utilize all sorts of technology. Perhaps I’ve seen them; I just never really gave them much thought (other than what they were advertising).  Admittedly, I haven’t started on this yet other than brainstorming. I plan to get this rocking tomorrow.

Week Four (next week)- Client Presentation & What I Learned Video

Because I haven’t posted about this class week for week, I’ll include this here. We are provided an InDesign file that sets up our client presentation. All the work done for our celebratory day thus far will be included as well some information regarding tone, look, feel, and a general overview.

The What I Learned video looks to be a 0 or 100 grade. There is no content grade and the instructor seems to want us to be brutally yet entertainingly honest. I loath doing these videos but the pressure is much less considering merely doing it will earn me the completion grade.

My Full Sail Experience (Thus Far)

General Info: I’m pursing a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design at Full Sail University’s (based in Orlando) online program. I’m currently a sophomore.

Admissions/Advisors/Liaisons: The admissions process was pretty simple. I saw their ad on Facebook and decided to check them out. I also checked out the Academy of Art. I decided on Full Sail because of cost mostly and I didn’t want to take a bunch of liberal arts courses at AoA. Upon admission, I had to plead my case as to why “this is the program for me”. I discussed with my admissions rep that I wasn’t an “artist” and drawing wasn’t my strong suit. Basically, if this course required Portrait Painting 101 I probably wasn’t going to cut it. I was assured that while sketching would be a part of the course (which I understand; sketching ideas before taking them to the design programs) it would not be a prominent factor in grading or classes. This information is false. I actually had an entire drawing class. Grading was a bit on the easy side (luckily for me) and in most design classes sketches are required with final product submissions. I will say I have improved. I’m still no artist but I’m more comfortable doing concept sketching. I just wish they had been a bit more honest when I asked initially.

I was pleasantly surprised with their sense of urgency to get me enrolled (time is money, friend!). They waited on the phone with me as I downloaded an app and emailed them a “scan” of my diploma. They also required a few faxed forms. When I informed them I would have to wait until the next day to access a fax machine, they looked at businesses surrounding my home and actually called a local hotel (within walking distance) and asked them to fax it for me. Cool.

I believe a student liaison here is what other schools would call an advisor. Mine is pretty cool. She calls to check in from time to time and see how I’m doing in my classes. So far everything has been good and we don’t have too much to talk about. To this day I do not know who my actual advisor is. I’ve emailed for a few small things and always ended up back at my liaison anyway.

Career Services/Future Planning: These leave a bit to be desired. The impression I get: as a sophomore it is too early to plan for future schooling or careers. That’s fine but it just seems odd that I have classes with assignments centered around future careers/plans. Seems silly to force assignments about the career they won’t help me plan.

I emailed an advisor once about information on a Master’s program I might like to take after completion of my current program. I received little more than the generic information provided on their website and was told it was really too early to even be thinking about it. I disagree. It is a huge financial undertaking and being able to weigh my options early helps guide me with my future plans. I recently mentioned something to my student liaison and got the same treatment.

Scrapping that idea for the time being, I decided to try to focus on my long-term career goals. Once I did, I was very excited to speak to someone “in the biz” to at least provide some advice or resources on how I should gear my portfolio. I emailed and was told, again, that it’s too early to begin the discussion. Apparently, they aren’t interested in talking to me about it until about three months prior to graduation. I was advised that I could call on career open house days but that I may get the same response. Again, I mentioned something to my liaison and she was surprised to hear of the responses they gave me. So, I suppose I’m on my own for now with that as well.

Classes/Workload: As expected, the workload varies by class. I’ve had classes that I felt I was working 24/7 on assignments and others that I could knock out in a day and then do next to nothing until the next assignments were available.

So far, the grading has been very easy (boy, do I love jinxing myself!). There are a few classes where the class average was less than stellar (yet still not bad) and in some classes the average was 100. It sort of creates the culture in which a high B is a death sentence.

Instructors: VERY hit or miss. I’ve had some great instructors that are active with the students within the discussion platform and some that merely grade and move you on. We’re able to offer “anonymous feedback” at the end of course but I’m not sure if that holds any water. I’ve had one very bad experience with an instructor in which everything in her life was an emergency worthy of disrupting the class. From illness to cat issues to houseguests it seemed like a never-ending litany of excuses. Stuff happens and I sympathize but students very rarely get away with that kind of behavior. She even cancelled a live class with zero notice and no email until the next day. The other smaller issue I with an instructor was the timeframe in which grades were returned to us. Each class is four weeks. Week one he was very quick with grades. After that I didn’t seem to get any until the final week of class and after. There was no option for giving that class feedback, either, which is odd.

Classmates: You can’t control the people around you. I understand that. In the beginning of my program there were tons of people who just didn’t care and it was obvious. Some were crass and even rude with feedback but those people were few and far between. The only huge annoyance I had was watching classmates that continuously disregarded instructions despite instructor and peer feedback. I don’t mean there was a difference in opinion over design choices. I’m talking assignments that say, “Create in black in white” and they’d submit a color project. These people seemed to keep getting pushed through to the next class for quite some time. I finally stopped seeing them recently. After so long I think you end up weeding yourself out.

Overall: The tuition covers the cost of the program, a MacBook Pro, the Adobe Suite, a few other Mac programs, a subscription to Lynda, and now a Sony a6000 camera. You get out what you put into it, honestly. Some classes are self-taught through Lynda and others have active instructors. I suppose I’d rate it a 7/10 so far. I hope to update per class in the future.