Hort 120 was broken down into four main work groups--CAD (SketchUp), Rendering, ePortfolio, and Photo Imaging. Each group was assigned to learn how to use the software to complete a project. My first group for this rotation was computer rendering. Here, I was given an AutoCAD image and was told to "render" it. Meaning, find a way to teach yourself how to add color and texture to it. So I thought, OK, what am I going to use? Basically, there are a few ways in which one can take a sketch and/or line drawing and add color. The main choice is to use a image manipulator like Adobe Photoshop CS3 suite or the GIMP--which is the same as Photoshop but does not cost $800. Actually, it is completely free. Open source that is.
The purpose of this assignment, as with all of them in Hort 120, is to be able to teach yourself how to learn. That is, how can an individual teach him or herself how to find the answers to learn how to use something. That statement may or may not make sense to you; however, the concept is quite clear. If you don't know how to use a piece of software, you need to find a way to learn it without having someone else regurgitate it for you. The class presented some unique challenges that I have since learned from and applied to other situations.
Additional information on the computer rendering can be seen by following the Adobe Photoshop link below. The last aspect of this class actually started in the beginning. Part of the learning process for each group was to explain in words their findings. This entailed the creation of the Penn State University Horticulture 120 Wiki (a webpage explaining step-by-step how to do something) explaining in detail how someone with no prior knowledge could sit down and learn it. So in turn, we learned how to teach ourselves the software and now are teaching the rest of the web-viewable world. Much of the Computer Rendering page, as of 2007, was written by me from my findings and experience.
Hort 120 (Computer Applications in Landscape Contracting) WIKI
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