Binary numbers are explained in this link by Khan from khanacademy.org – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry1hpm1GXVI

If you did not get the joke maybe take a look at it again after the video.

I will be giving instructions, resources, and potentially videos to learn c++ programming on microsoft visual studio 2010. Programming has a very general language. Once you learn a language, you can easily pick up anther language such as Python, C#, Java Script, and many other languages. Visit http://www.codecademy.com/ to learn more about Java programming. I will instruct more about what C++ is and how to use it. Please stay tuned for many lessons to come. It will be difficult, and maybe frustrating at times, but please post back and comment to make it nice for anyone who wants to follow through. I’m not quite a master yet, but we’re all getting there.

We just finished our first semester under a completely new class structure and curriculum featuring more class sessions, more projects, more technology, and more students than ever before!  Please read on as we highlight our students’ achievements, experiences, and statistics over the past four months.

:: Guest Speaker: Eli Luberoff of Desmos

Goal: Using only mathematical equations, create artwork within the Desmos Virtual Whiteboard software.

Our first guest speaker visit was a hit! Eli Luberoff shared his entrepreneurial and academic history, and then demoed his tutoring software—the Desmos Virtual Whiteboard and Calculator. Next, students were given private accounts and started experimenting with the software. Using only mathematical equations as their paintbrush, students created detailed line drawings and abstract works of art. Smashcasters also experimented with the Desmos scripting language, which allowed us to create buttons and animations using the same programming concepts from our Computer Science unit.

:: Entrepreneurship – Personal Pitch Videos

Goal: Explore the world of entrepreneurship by creating a brief pitch video explaining your new business idea.

You’ve got a good idea–but can you convince the world? This semester students dove right into our theme of entrepreneurship by creating pitch videos.  Students were asked to identify a problem and, if provided with appropriate resources, conceive of a solution to that problem. Like any enterprising individual, students then refined their problem/solutions into concise business proposals. Finally, short pitch videos, complete with supporting imagery and titles, were recorded, edited, and uploaded to youtube.

:: Client Project – Unity Journalists of Color – New U Entrepreneurs

Goal: Create 14 pitch videos for upcoming entrepreneurs of color.

UNITY, an alliance of journalists of color, sought out the talents of Smashcast students and asked for their assistance. Using their video production skills, students edited 60 second pitch videos for 14 professional journalists turned entrepreneurs. These videos were voted upon and the winners will receive $10,000 to launch their businesses. Smashcasters feel proud to have helped support this community of ambitious entrepreneurs of color. To see the completed pitch videos, visit the New U 2011 website.

:: Introductory Programming for Interactivity

Goal: Introduce foundational programming concepts to students to prepare them for the future programming projects and Computer Science courses.

This semester Smashcast offered a unit on introductory programming with an emphasis on interactivity. Students were exposed to and experimented with foundational programming concepts including variables, conditional statements, arrays, and more. Each student wrote many lines of code to control the movement and attributes of objects on-screen, tracking time, keyboard input, and detecting when objects are colliding. This unit introduced concepts that can be applied to all programming languages and techniques used in modern game development.

:: Client Project – SMASH Online Application Video

Goal: Create an instructional video to assist future SMASH applicants to complete the online application.

This semester Smashcasters worked alongside the LPFI Educational Team to create an instructional video for the LPFI website. This video will assist SMASH Academy applicants through the online application process. Students edited a script, rehearsed their lines, filmed themselves on a green screen, and captured footage of their computer screens to create a comprehensive and professional video.

What was different about the Fall 2011 semester?

This semester we expanded our student capacity by inviting scholars from SMASH Stanford as well as 1^st year scholars from both campuses. This influx created a critical mass of energetic students capable of tackling multiple projects in parallel groups. We also created three areas of learning, or tracks, in Digital Media Journalism, Communication Design, and Computer Science. For the first time ever, students were able to participate in parallel areas of focus, choosing what they wanted to learn based on their interests. This semester students were offered an intermediate video production unit and an intro to computer programming unit with a focus on games.

:: Statistics & Totals

The Lytro Light Field Camera allows the user to capture all the light in any given scene and pick their focal point later. It captures the entire light field, or all the light traveling towards the camera from all points in space. This camera is easy to use: there are no extra, complicated settings; no auto-focus; and no flash. the Lytro camera even works under low light settings.

It is currently only available in three colors, either with 8GB or 16GB of memory: more memory than most memory cards. The 8GB camera (graphite or blue) can hold 350 pictures whereas the 16GB (red) can hold 750 pictures. Capabilities include 8x optical zoom and a touchscreen for viewing and exposure settings. This new camera still weighs less than 8 ounces!

A user can capture anything because there is no waiting for the camera to focus. Based on the website, it looks easy to use and durable. The Lytro camera is built with an anodized aluminum structural skin with a silicon rubber grip. A user can use free storage of living pictures on the Lytro website. He or she can view and alter pictures on the camera itself or on an Internet-connected Mac, smartphone or tablet. However, Lytro, the manufacturer, is the only company offering this product. There is no current software for Windows.

The new Lytro Light Field Camera would make taking pictures much easier. It captures color, intensity and direction of all the light, allowing the user to pick their focus in the picture later. It is lightweight and easy to use.

Today at SmashCast, Simon taught me more skills on writing the language of ActionScript which creates flash games. We learned about character movement, setting a variable, and many other tools within the program. Our goal for today was to create a basic flash game layout that had a ‘start menu’, ‘action window’, and then ‘game over’. It was very meticulous becuase of all of the different things you had to pay a ttention to while writing our code.

  If you forgot a bracket or didn’t put a semicolon. The whole program wouldn’t work correctly which was a bummer. But with all the trial and errors I went through I created my first ever flash game!

Some more code that controls my charcter and moves it with the arrow keys.