more ramblings…

The Visual Communication and Interactive Media area, within the School of Design, are looking to expand the team with new staff members

Link here

I am about to use this methodology in a new brief with my students.

Moving away from the Neilson/Nelson heuristic approach, I wish to use metaphor (as defined in this paper) as a medium for the students to assess their artefacts and processes, reflectively.

Go here to read the paper.

Gilly Salmon’s five stages of evaluation of an interactive educational environment are as follows:

1. Access & Motivation. Exploring the technology and motivation building are key issues. The e-moderator helps meeting people and learn the environment.
2. Socialisation. Building on the first stage, this stage focuses on social processes and ‘community building’. Moderator does bridge building.
3. Information Exchange. Information is exchanged and co-operative tasks can be achieved. Interaction happens with contents, other participants and the e-moderator that assists exploration activities.
4. Knowledge Construction. Knowledge development and discussion activities become important. Participants start recognizing the value of text-based asynchronous interaction and take control of knowledge construction.
5. Development. Participants become responsible for their own learning and that of their group. Ideas are applied to individual contexts. This stage is characterised by reflection and assessment.

I am going to take these five points as my leads into the workings of the Second Life environment.  I am endeavouring to create a learning matrix/outcomes from the above, which relates both to the SL world, and the present set of learning outcomes here at Uni.

in relation to the Second Life project I am running at University:

The project will enhance learning and teaching through the explicit use of collaborative projects with different learning communities. This approach will give the learner a broader understanding of other approaches with regards to the dissemination of information.
The project is original with reference to the University, but will still be in the vanguard of other educational institutions worldwide who are adopting this approach to various aspects of the learning and teaching experience – such as Yale and Harvard, Cambridge, Edinburgh to mention a few.
As for transferability across different teaching areas; as illustrated above, the community aspect of the project can be used for such events as seminars, critiques with local and distance/international collaborators. This is well reflected in the following approach, where second life is seen as being able to provide :
1: Constructivist environments for synchronous group learning
2: Constructionist environments for asynchronous and individual learning

so ends 3 weeks of xmas and new year holiday. In reality, I had only 2 weeks, having spent the last week collating information for the new modules beginning in semester two (three weeks away).

I think I have been successful – posts to various groups for discussion, have brought forth some great ideas. I just have to make them sticky for level 4 students (UK first years of a honours degree), and not scare them!

I am aiming to introduce the students to HCI, HCD as well as more “immersive and emotive” media design, without them thinking we are heading down the path of coding.

It is the visualisation I am interested in – the concept, the use of space – not just interface as they see it.

Thanks to all who have contributed to my requests