Public Domain

This project blew me away! It was not only the most difficult, but also the most challenging! I am definantly I learned something like this because it taught me a lot. I learned how to create and run a better presentation with slides, a new way to tell a story and a great deal about copyright. I believe that everyones projects sounded and looked great! It was good to see the different kind of old and new picture and the stories they could tell! I would have changed the time arrangement for a longer period of time to introduce and to work on it because than everyone could have really gotten a good idea of a bigger story told by pictures some struggled with. Over all it taught me how to manage a research project into a story line with other peoples famous work.

Digital Archiving

I found this project to be quite challenging. It was a challenge to find appropriate photos that related to my topic. The photos that I found for my project that was not open for the public domain I had a time trying to find out how I could get the photos. I only had luck with one Librarian I contacted. Several of the photos I found that were not open for the public domain I struggled with trying to find a person to contact to get permission to use the photo. By doing this project I did learn more on researching images and photos. I believe I have more knowledge of images that are open to the public domain and images that have copyright restrictions and how to go about getting permission to use the copyright photos.

I believe the purpose of this project to give a more a feel for public domain and copyright and get us familiar with digital archives sites. I never knew that those sites were offered to the public. I also never know how to go about contacting a library for permission for usage of an image. I do think this was a good learning experience. It was a good way to familiarize the class with fair use, public domain, and copyright. I am a strong believer that actually doing hands on work is a better way of learning than sitting and listening to a professor talk about the topic.

Public Domain

When first seeing this project and the criteria for it I thought this project wasn't going to be hard at all. Well, I found out very quickly it was quite challenging. I not only had troubles finding research I had troubles finding pictures and then once I found the pictures I noticed that they were all copyrighted, so I had to find new pictures. Overall, I feel that this project was a good learning experience. It showed me how important copyright issues really are. One thing I found weird was some owner's of the pictures didn't mind if you used their picture and some wouldn't let me use their picture, even after I mentioned it was for a Collegiate research project.

I feel the point of this project was to show the meaning of copyright and how strict copyright laws actually are. I also feel the point of this project was to show us how to search and use the public domain.

Public Domain

This project was definitely a challenge. Although the photos took time to find since we were required to find the highest quality photos, seeing the incredible images was quite rewarding. I learned that there are many resources out there to find digital photos that are free to use and free from copyright. Not everyone out there is aiming to help others in exchange for money, but some enjoy sharing their wealth through images.

The point of this project was obviously to make use of the fantastic resources libraries put out for students and the public to use. The point was to become knowledgeable about librarians and how helpful they are (some at least). The point was to learn new programs and use the "public domain" to see what the internet has to offer. The point was to learn something new and be challenged, frustrated, and satisfied with the outcome and reassurance that I created something with the help of others.

Overall this project was a very good learning process and way to use new technology. It made me work hard to find something that is able to be used and shared with others for the benefit of education.

Public Domain

This project was definitely challenging...which ultimately means that I gained a lot from it. First of all, I gained the knowledge of the public domain. I learned what it was, how it works, the guidelines of it, etc. I think the knowledge of the public domain is going to to help me a lot in the future because it's a very powerful tool and it's applicable to almost all fields of study. I also gained the appreciation of history professors, librarians, and people who spend the time to put their work into the public domain through the creative commons. I liked the variety of people and things we worked with for this project. We didn't just deal with one program or look in one place for our images. We used a lot of different resources for the project and I thought that was really cool.
I think there were multiple points to this project. The first point was to learn about the public domain and how to search it. Second, to learn about the creative commons and the licenses that allow us to use the images. Third, it was to learn about the different digital archives that are all over the internet. Fourth, it was to learn the importance of librarians and how they can help us! They are very nice people and they love helping us. I don't know if learning about a topic in history was a point to this project, but I did learn a lot about my topic and I thought that was really interesting as well.  
Overall, I thought this project was very difficult...especially finding all of the images. It was hard to find images that really portrayed the historical research in the appropriate way. But it was a very important project that encompassed several different parts of the technological world. And as we all know, learning about technology is necessary for the future!

Discussion Questions

Well, as much as I don't want to admit it, I did learn some stuff from this (decidedly frustrating) project. Actually, I bet I learned a ton of stuff. One thing, I've never had to think about copyright at all as far as images are concerned, but once you start looking at that stuff you realize just how restricted almost everythiiiiiiing is. I couldn't believe how many images (and entire websites) have little (c)'s at the bottom next to the words "all rights reserved." How selfish is that. So selfish.

But also, it was good to get acquainted with the digital archives a bit (which were, like, not helpful at all for what I needed...I think with a lot of the archives we were looking at, a good deal depends on whether or not you are lucky enough for a certain archive to just happen to have a big collection relating to your subject. I mean, I looked in EVERY archive that was recommended on the assignment page, and could not even find a SINGLE map of the Punjab...which I thought maps would be, like, the most basic resource that exists). But it's good to be able to navigate those rascals I think. It doesn't hurt to have more resources.

Well, since we don't have any projects up yet, I'll just comment on mine, which was based on a very specific topic: Martyrdom in the Sikh Tradition (By Dr. Fenech). I didn't know anything about Sikhism, or martyrdom within Sikhism, and when I was reading Fenech's book, I understood very little of it. But what I got out of it was some basic facts about the religion and the emphasis this religion places on martyrdom. So I tried to put together some kind of little narrative that would give basic insight into Sikhism, with an emphasis on information relating to martyrdom. It was a pretty interesting project though, as difficult as it was, and I think it gave me a good idea of what it's like to be an image researcher. Which is something I will never. ever. do.

Digital Project

Personally I found this project to be very difficult. I am not one of the smartest people when it comes to using a computer even though I have grown up with a computer. Even though we did spend Tuesday and Thursday on the project I wish that we had a little more time in class to ask questions because I feel that some of us were in the same boat and could have pooled our questions together. I did find this project to be very helpful though with the fact that as part of my communication degree that I may have to do this exact same thing in my work place, where I wont have as much time to be able to ask the questions to finish the assignment. Once I got a on a roll I did find it neat to see how with different programs it all came together. The point of this project was to really put the knowledge that we have learned over the last few weeks and know how to do the right search in the public domain and also finding out that not all images are of free use and that there are rule behind what you can and can not use. I also found it neat to view another way to display the images other than by using for example power point or a movie software. In the end I really did learn alot of this project and have learned to press myself even further with what I can accomplish. I would like to take what I have learned over the last few weeks and apply these practices when I get a job in communications that requires these skills.I have learned that you may have to step out of your comfort zone some times to stay above the competitors.