Monday, March 31, 2008

Designing my e-portfolio

There are some difficulties and challenges that I faced upon completing the e –portfolio. First among the rest is when I need to learn using the software to be used – Dreamweaver. This software is really complicated and tough to be understood by a novice user like me. Without the supporting help and guidance from the book, internet and people who have use this software before; I don’t think I will be able to use it.

Searching for a free web hosting is tedious. It’s because usually the free web hosting has pop-up advertisement somewhere in the pages. However, Dahlia suggested me the google pages web hosting. For the time being, this web hosting offers free hosting and non pop-up advertisement in the pages. I register an account at www.googlepages.com first before upload the files.

Second challenges is when arranging the layout where sometimes the arrangement that has been made do not appear the way I construct it. Perhaps there is a reason for it but I couldn’t identify the reasons. Therefore, in order to ensure that I have the layout that I desired, I have to arrange the layout and edit few items. I have to do this arrangement for quiet some times coz sometimes it may works, sometimes it won’t.
Next challenges exist when I tried to insert few pictures where by I have to use Adobe Photoshop. Some pictures that I choose were different in the sizes, and there were pictures that need to be edited and adjusted before it can be transferred to the Dreamweaver. Even though I managed to edit some, but there are some pictures which I failed to edit since it has different format and adjustment.

The falling flowers in my e portfolio are attractive and nice (that what I think). However, it is not as easy as what it seems to be. Actually I used Java-script - where I have to download the code in the first place. Then I choose the flower to be used and just copied the coding provided in the software, together with the picture of the flower. The next step, I paste the Java-script coding at the e portfolio coding in Dreamweaver. And finally that what I have – a nice falling flowers.

If you notice the background that I use in the e portfolio is the ‘butterflies in blue’. That background is gained from internet (I can’t remember the address coz I go into many free background web). What I did was I choose the background that I like to and then set it as the background in Dreamweaver.

Another sub in my e- portfolio is the guest book. It is quite easy actually where by I just have to create an account at www.shoutmix.com and then they provided me the coding. So I just copy and paste the guest book coding into Dreamweaver.


Despite of the difficulties and challenges upon completing this e portfolio, there are also some parts where I did enjoy doing it. First was when I link the content to the internet. It is quiet straight forward because there was‘tutorial’ software that helped me to do this. I learnt few times before I link them by my own to the internet. Thankfully this software is provided for free. However there’s one little problem exist when I tried to link my e- portfolio with ELT links using google pages. For example I need to type the full address as http://www.melta.org.my- otherwise it won’t be recognized and unidentified. The same goes to my e portfolio full address. Since I am using the Dreamweaver software, and just upload it through google pages, thus the address that is attached consist of ‘index.htm’. That is why my e portfolio is http://umi0779.googlespages.com/index.htm

As a whole, the experience that I gained to design and create this e-portfolio is valuable and precious. I might not been able to experienced this if we are not given the task in the first place. However, I would like to recommend others to use the google pages because it is easier compared to others.

No comments: