wesleyp's blog

What a long week. For as long as I’ve been in school, October always seems to be the busiest / craziest / longest / shortest month of the year. It seems like all of the major projects and midterms and presentations hit in October, and this one has been no exception.

About an hour ago I finished my first literature review in the learning design program, and it was no easy task. I’ve always been able to “stay up late” or “wait until the last minute” to complete my school work, but I am finding that to be less and less true in grad school. Grad work really takes thinking, planning, analyzing and synthesizing material, and you really can’t do a good job at it last minute. I find myself enjoying the topics I am studying and writing about, so I feel like I am producing a higher quality of work than I ever have in the past. Now I just hope I can find the perfect thesis topic or major project so that this feeling continues =)

This week was hands down the busiest since starting grad school. From my 6750 midterm to the 5660 presentation in Elluminate on JSB,  to leading two demonstrations on iMovie in VCT1030, I was really looking forward to this opportunity to sit back and reflect on my accomplishments. Classes are moving fast, but I feel like I am also absorbing more information than I ever did in undergrad. I think that I am finally learning about topics that I have a strong interest in. I knew how to make web sites before I started the VCT program, so I probably didn’t “learn” as much new information as my peers in school. I had to read and research a lot on my own outside of the classroom to advance my skill set. I feel like I am finally learning in class again, and I enjoy learning from my peers and pushing my limits.

This week I completed my third, and so far best, Prezi on John Keller. Even though each Prezi is a huge clean slate to drop content anywhere, I feel like I am now able to create more organized presentations. I wish I could be bold and say that Prezi was my favorite new tool so far, but XMind and Jing are both amazing too!

I really enjoyed researching John Keller and his ARCS model; not only did I learn a lot, but this is the second theorist that I’ve researched and I find it amazing that I agree with a lot of the findings from both. To describe the foundation of the ARCS model in one word, it would be motivation. It is about using teaching techniques t keep the students motivated and engaged by using relevant information so they can learn effectively.

I just finished using XMIND for the first time, and that software will most definitely come in handy for future web design projects! There are a hundred occasions I could have used that for in the past few years, but I’m glad I was finally introduced to it.

I just finished a rough, rough concept map for a paper I’ll be writing in LRND6010. My topic of choice is Digital Learning > Online Training for Franchisees. I am hoping to be able to tie my passion for screen printing, and business in general, with digital learning in a business environment. I hope to some day own a screen printing company that will franchise out across the US, and what better time than now to start planning for it! My goal is to tailor a handful of my masters projects in with my business idea, so I can knock out my degree and business plan without doing the same work twice! I think that being able train future franchisees in digital environments will both train them more effectively and create more resources for them to learn; along with potentially saving thousands of dollars in expenses for the company.

I’m anxious to see how this first research project goes so I can revise my ideas until they are good enough for a thesis or final project.

Since I didn’t get a chance to write a reflection DURING week 4, I am dedicating this post to reflecting on a project I spent a nice chuck of my time working on in week 4.

So far this semester, I’ve spent plenty of time reading, summarizing, analyzing and interacting with my classmates and instructors. This was the first week that I dug in and did some actual research. I spend some time early on dreading the research, mostly due to bad experiences in undergrad, but I was pleasantly surprised both with what I learned and how my first screen cast turned out.

I didn’t realize how “boring” or as Terry nicely put it, “serious,” my screen cast was until after I turned it in (: I was a little bummed, but optimistic that I can be a little more “lively” in future screen casts. Some of my classmates did an excellent job being animated and even lightening up the information they were presenting with a joke.

In the end, I’m glad I spent some time researching Malcolm Knowles, and I am excited and optimistic about future screen casting projects.

Knowles_Final

After years of enjoying short weeks and holidays as an undergrad, I’ve come to realize that in the real world it actually just means you have fewer days to do the same amount of work (:

I really enjoyed the Elluminate sessions that I got to take part in this past week, and the peer to peer discussions were great. It felt like it was a traditional class full of students interacting and not so much like a completely digital environment where most of the students have not met face to face. As hard as it is to believe, I think I am even more excited about the next synchronous meeting that will be taking place in Second Life!

I poked around in Second Life this past summer socially, but I am excited to see it from an educational point of view.

DNA From the Beginning (Type: Simulation, Format: Shockwave)

1. Ease of use and navigation.
   For a non-technical person, I find the navigation to be pretty straight-forward. The categories run vertically down the right hand side, and the “in-depth” information runs horizontally across the bottom pertaining to the topic that is currently selected.
2. Cognitive load.
   I like the way the content is written, as most of it is not common sense, but it is not too technical or advanced to understand. The organization of the information into steps also helps the user take in bits of information at a time.
3. Knowledge space and information presentation.
   The module is set so that the links and information flow, and each topic is presented step by step; or a user can skip around to what they choose to learn about next.
4. Media integration.
   The multimedia is good overall as it all loads quickly, and the animations are short and effective. Some of the video clips have low audio quality the presenters are a little dull.
5. Aesthetics.
   The text is readable and the images are sized well, but I think they overall layout could be improved. I think that users are used navigation down the left hand size, and slides with multiple images scroll left to right instead of being thumbnails that re-size when clicked. The background and text colors used could also be improved.
6. Overall functionality.
   I think that all of the information and functionality is there, but it could use some updating visually. The layout is usable, but I think it could be better if the navigation was moved to the left. I also think that more engaging video clips would help, as I had a hard time giving them my full attention. Finally – at a glance, the white and blue theme works, but after spending more than a few minutes working with the module, it could use a new background color. I think white is tough to look at for long periods of time.

MecMovies (Type: Tutorial, Format: Flash)

1. Ease of use and navigation.
   This module’s navigation is easy to use. Some categories have a “more movies” button that sort of hides the additional movies at first glance. I like that the categories are on the left hand side, and the content being reviewed is “center-stage.” The arrows between slides are useful, but a little hidden until you get the hang of the flow.
2. Cognitive load.
   Most of the content is written in a pretty non-technical manner so it is easy to understand; but some slides do contain a lot of numbers and symbols that make that information a little overwhelming and confusing. Also, with 9 chapters and multiple movies in each, the module as a whole covers a lot, and the amount of time given to complete this module is an important factor in understanding the overall cognitive load.
3. Knowledge space and information presentation.
   Like mentioned above, if taken chapter by chapter over a period of time, the information seems to be spaced and presented well. The module as a whole, however, seems like a lot to digest if moving from beginning to end.
4. Media integration.
   The animations are very useful and compliment the text. The load time between movies isn’t bad on a high speed connection, but using dial up or a lower end DSL connection may be a different story. The graphics are technical drawings, but useful in understanding the text.
5. Aesthetics.
   The background color chosen is great, as it is not white, and it is easy on the eyes. The movies and slides flow nicely within the module, and it was designed similar to a clean webpage, so it felt “familiar.”
6. Overall functionality.
   I feel that this module does what it was designed to do. It breaks up the information into more manageable pieces, and it incorporates animations and graphics to increase the comprehension. It is a lot of information beginning to end, and it would nice if it included a glossary or anchors to allow for a quick review of certain topics.

Neuroscience for Kids (Type: Collection, Format: HTML/text)

1. Ease of use and navigation.
   This page has lots of information, but it is presented in a fun and easy to use way. The links are straightforward, and the navigation is consistent. I like how the anchors jump down to more in-depth categories.
2. Cognitive load.
   There is a ton of information available, but it is organized in a manner that keeps you engaged. The information is broken down, and it uses examples and comparisons that almost anyone can follow.
3. Knowledge space and information presentation.
   The presentation of information is great, and you know what you are getting with each link or topic that you choose. It is much better than having a breakdown of chapters like the last module.
4. Media integration.
   The media is targeted appropriately; towards kids. The imagery is helpful and relevant.
5. Aesthetics.
   Keeping the target audience in mind, the aesthetics are pretty good. Black text on a white background isn’t the best for lots of reading, but it seems to work with this module.
6. Overall functionality.
   Overall, I would consider this a great module. The links are useful, the layout is easy, and the information is great. I also love that it has a search option that the previously reviewed modules lack. It is a feature that hadn’t even crossed my mind until I saw it utilized in this module.

As I am starting to really dig into my master’s courses, I can’t help but feel digitally disorganized for the first time in my file. From the blogs to the tweets, I am hopelessly searching for a way to organize all of the information that is circulating in my courses and life right now.

As I was telling one of my classmates today, my first instinct is to do what I was trained to do as an undergrad… print everything! I am fighting the urge, as I know there is a way to organize and filter everything in a manner that works best for me.

On a positive note – I do love the way that the courses are structured around peer interaction, and I am searching for a method to not only improve my work based on their reviews, but also capture and store their review so I can understand the evolution of my work and all of the twists and turns along the way.

Reflective Journal – Week 1

Week 1 traveled at the speed of light. Getting started with both grad school and being a graduate assistant, I was left wondering what I got myself into! I found out during Grad Orientation that I would be teaching my first class as a TA… without the instructor! He wasn’t going to be able to make the class, and I was left to introduce myself to the students and give an overview of the course. Luckily the class went well, and I somehow found the nerves to both teach the class and keep the students engaged…and no one dropped the class (:

Aside from being a teaching assistant, I am wondering how many hours I can possibly spend working at the computer for school. I left my last job because I spent 9+ hours a day glued to a computer monitor, so I am hoping I get the hang of this and can break up the hours I spend sitting here.