City Scape Theme
This theme is a prototype theme that uses a simple 3 column approach. It should support all standard WordPress widgets and plug-ins. The navigation menus are on the left side-bar by default, and the search, calendar and archive options are on the right hand side-bar. The footer and headers are fully customisable.
I tried to make this a magazine style Blog with a focus on cities hence the cityscape header and the main content image being a famous bridge.
A live version of his site can be found at http://paulcstephensen.com/cityscapetheme/
This theme is very much a prototype and is designed using a 3 column page design. The left side-bar is used for navigation and the right side-bar is used for searching and archiving features. The motif I was looking for was a beach theme. So I chose a sandy colour that would sit well next to cool colours such as ocean blues.
Sweetfreedom Incorporated’s’ mission statement is to amplify the voices of the unheard through creative projects and the sharing of resources about ethical and effective engagement with community through scholarly research; see http://sweetfreedom.org for more information. The original brief I received from the Sweetfreedom board was to design a brochure style website. The aim of the website was to support Sweetfreedom’s mission statement and members. Navigation would be managed by a top level menu through the use of simple roll-overs to aid in navigation. The left hand column would be used for web links, a calendar, a list of recent posts and an archive folder. The right hand column would be used for content management uploaded and managed by the board.
The savetoDISC research network focuses on innovation in sound communities by documenting the qualities and relationships between music, meaning, cognitive and social benefit, health and well-being. Dr Steve Dillon is the founding director. The original brief for this design was to provide a simple to use and maintain Content Management System that could act as an ePortfolio. The original design for savetodisc.net utilises a simple two column page design with a right side-bar being employed to control navigational aids, whilst the left column would be used to display content. This design has helped Dr Dillon become a competent WordPress user and he was able to try experimenting with the editing, linking and commenting systems. Dr Dillon became so competent with WordPress that he eventually chose his own theme and uploaded it through the WordPress interface himself.
“Paul has combined academic rigor with action based design principles to complete an exemplary Master of ArtsResearch about ePortfolio systems. He has applied protocols and ethical frameworks to develop a unique and practical approach to using Web 2.0 blogs and audio visual representations to present both research materials and a digital CV. Paul is an extremely helpful and committed worker who has great creative and organisational skills which manifest well in a technologically mediated world.” July 6, 2010
The design brief for this Web log travel site was to create a simple to use Weblog that could be used as a travel writers blog.The client, a fellow student, wanted to be able to travel and collect data about their research and upload it, as they travelled through China .
The client also wanted to have the facility to enable their supervisor to login and review the clients work privately and leave private comments.The design brief was achieved by using the left hand column as a menu system which could be used to quickly navigate to videos, photos and documents. This was because the design brief included a requirement that videos should be stream-able from a number social networking sites such as Youtube.com and Vimeo.com. This design approach would allow the client to use their Weblog as a presentation tool while presenting publications at conferences.
This was achieved by using a simple three column design with the left column being used for navigation and the centre column being used as a magazine style content display area. The top menu would be used to provide page display navigation and the right hand column for search and meta tag displays and category searching. Whilst logins and user names where managed via a meta login widget on the right side bar. Unfortunately the student was unable to progress with the blog due to ethical issues raised by the university.
In this research I have examined how ePortfolios can be designed for Music postgraduate study through a practice led research inquiry. This process involved designing two Web 2.0 ePortfolio systems for a group of five post graduate music research students. The design process revolved around the application of an iterative methodology called Software Develop as Research (SoDaR) that seeks to simultaneously develop design and pedagogy. The approach I implemented to designing these ePortfolio systems applied four theoretical protocols to examine the use of digitised artefacts in ePortfolio systems to enable a dynamic and inclusive dialogue around representations of the students work.
The research and design process involved an analysis of existing software and literature with a focus upon identifying the affordances of available Web 2.0 software and the applications of these ideas within 21st Century life. The five post graduate music students each posed different needs in relation to the management of digitised artefacts and the communication of their work amongst peers, supervisors and public display. An ePortfolio was developed for each of them that was flexible enough to address their needs within the university setting.
Steve Dillon, Director, Save To DISC (Documenting Innovation in Sound Communities)
“Paul has combined academic rigor with action based design principles to complete an exemplary Master of Arts Research about ePortfolio systems. He has applied protocols and ethical frameworks to develop a unique and practical approach to using Web 2.0 blogs and audio visual representations to present both research materials and a digital CV. Paul is an extremely helpful and commited worker who has great creative and organisational skills which manifest well in a technologically mediated world.” July 6, 2010