YouTube video link at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rskC6c_5L1M
Editing images using Picasa:
After downloading Google’s Picasa and watching the provided YouTube tutorials from our e-learning toolkit at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r36K0j-2Zw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD23c2VFQPc, I followed the instructions to practice cropping and resizing copies of an original image from my computer. Overall, I found this exercise to be relatively straightforward. Previously, I’ve used Paint to edit images as well as the standard photo editing software that comes with digital cameras but discovered the robust capabilities of using Picasa to manage photos including removing red eye, adding text, creating collages and also developing movies using photos that can be directly rendered then uploaded to YouTube.
Recording audio using Audacity:
After downloading Audacity, I found the tips on how to prepare for a recording were helpful prior to creating a test recording. I used a headset microphone and had to test the mic’s position so that it didn’t pick up any background noise. Also, it was useful to close windows (to eliminate the sound of any traffic), turn of the A/C (momentarily), and ensure that there would be no sudden interruptions. In any case, after a couple of pilot test runs, I was able to create a recording that was pretty clear. This exercise reminded me of recordings I made for my group project in ETEC 510, in which I used Free Sound Recorder to record several sound files and CamStudio to develop a couple of video tutorials. In both instances, I went through multiple revisions as I learned through trial and error how to record sound files with minimal disruptions and background noise.