beware the GoogleZon

I just wanted to say this semester has been a great (sometimes harrowing) experience. I will keep updating this blog in the future, so...um...beware? I wish you all the best. As an epilogue to this chapter there's a video I think you would enjoy here. It's a fantastic concept for an animation: a look back at the history of media from the year 2014.

-tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

6 words, nothing more

Automaticity
Connectivity
Interactivity
Productivity
Simplicity
Simulation

The mating dance of the techno-sexual

I usually like to come up with odd titles for my posts, but the title of this article is just too good. C-Net -- as per usual -- does an excellent job of looking at the myriad networking and dating sites specifically devoted to tech nerds. And for the extra nerdly, many of these sites focus specifically on members of the Trekkie community.

-still living on the holodeck

Teetering on the fence

I found the readings for this week pretty interesting. For someone new to the field of education, I am glad to see there clearly are oppositional theorists firmly entrenched in their respective ideologies. As far as I know, differing ideas lead to collaboration which leads to progress (in a perfect world). Unfortunately, clashing opinions in the real world often lead to stoicism, ignorance, and agoraphobia. But I'll leave that alone for now.

To add to our discussion, I found this article by Norm Friesn, an Instructional Technology professor at Athabasca University, in Alberta, Canada. Friesn offers three strong objections to current trends in the design and implementation of learning objects.

His first objection sites the lack of a clear definition for what constitutes a learning object. With so many vague, esoteric definitions for learning objects, legitimate research into their efficacy is virtually impossible, Friesn asserts.

The two other objections cite organizations like the IEEE Learning Technologies Standards Committee and ADL for taking a militaristic approach to standardization and homogeneity. According to Friesn, learning objectives vary with context. Who knew?

In pondering all of these readings as a whole, the only consistency lies in the focus on sound pedagogy and Dewey and all that. It seems to me that cheap digital technology is here. It's in education. It's in socialization. Pretty soon it will be in your refrigerator, your car, and behind your ear (or in your wrist, if you prefer). There's no use fighting it.

-Peace, Love, Gap...I mean...er...oh, whatever

Customer Service

Redesigned signage at the Customer Service desk in the Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library; From the Information Architecture Institute conference "User Interfaces for Physical Spaces"

civil disobedience

I found this article pretty comical. It describes the plight of an open source user in the UK who installed Linux on a newly purchased Dell laptop and requested a refund for his unused copy of Windows XP.

Ironically, Dell only took 2 days to issue a refund for about $100. The refund showed up on the guy's credit card statement as "goodwill unspecified."

-tee hee

Positioning myself in front of the computer

I have pretty much finished the skeleton for my information architecture website. This has proven to be a fascinating endeavor for me. My investigation into IA gave me a lot to think about in terms of delivering a website as a final project. I have spent more time on developing a site plan and hand-coding the CSS and html than I have on filling in the pages with the content I have learned.

However, the site can be found here. I will continue to add content as the weekend rolls on.

-salud y dinero

random musical notes

The other day I was listening to some music by Edward the Bear, the band I used to play in. I heard a cover we did of David Bowie's China Girl and thought I'd share it. I apologize for the audio quality, but click the concert poster if you want a listen.

presentations galore

Mary's FlashDance

• I enjoyed looking at TILT. It made me feel a little better about the unsuccessful attempt I made at designing a training module using Flash. The animation and interactivity were functional, yet not very involved and probably wasn't that difficult to create once the content was developed. However, I think we pointed out in discussion the fact that the TILT tutorial probably isn't that great at building knowledge in users.
  

Michael's Corporate Empire

• I liked this look at e-learning. It definitely made me re-evaluate some ideas I have had about the functionality of corporate training. I had really only looked at the positive sides: low cost, quick uptake, ability to be done during down time at work. But the large scale dispersion of this training style probably has overlooked the contextual delivery of the training content. I had really been thinking I may like to go into corporate ID, but now I'm not so sure.
  

Ted's Copyright Conundrum

• Great job Ted. This was a topic I have always found pretty fascinating. My initial interest came from reading numerous adverts for Creative Commons in Adbusters magazine and Kalle Lasn's book, Culture Jam. As a dj and videographer I had to think a lot about what was fair use of music and visual media, but I didn't have a really sound understanding of what fair use actually was. So I just assumed if I was using it, it was probably fair. But I do think the idea of 98 years of copyrighted Mickey is pretty absurd.

Jade's Broken Social Scene

• When I first heard about MySpace a year or so ago I was pretty confounded. I hadn't really been privy to Friendster or any of the older SNCs. It's amazing to see how quickly these communities have teetered over the tipping point and how quickly the idea has spawned other similar ideas. The concept of being able to develop a virtual identity that won't be held to the same rigors one's real identity faces daily just seems comforting. It isn't really surprising that people, especially young people have gravitated to SNC as a social outlet because they have a safety net.
  
• I read something related today in the NYTimes. Apparently, major advertising corporations are beginning to use consumer created videos as advertisements in hopes to ride the bull we now know as reality TV. The appeal of reality TV is simple: people enjoy seeing people like themselves triumphing and tribulating (if that's not a word, it should be) on TV. It makes them feel better about being average. In the same vein, if someone sees an advertisement akin to a YouTube video, it makes them feel as though they could be just as successful with their own home movies.
  

The new Big Blue

The tech field is pretty well dominated by liberals and conspiracy theorists (i.e., terrorists). This article points out what the recent tipping-over-and-shaking-out of the senate/house may mean for strangely partisan issues like net neutrality and digital copyright.

It definitely makes you wonder who really is in control: the government, or the myriad corporations that fund it?

-sounding off

Textbooks vs Software Modules - a battle to the death

Press, Larry. A Modular, Web-based Introductory Programming (2003).

This article describes a comparison between two introductory computer programming courses, one based on lectures and a text book, the other utilizes online lectures and series of short training modules encapsulating the content of the text. After delivering the course via online software modules for 2 semesters, the PI could not find any significant difference in the accumulated knowledge of the students. The author spends a good deal of time describing the design of the software modules and intimates the modules better captured the attention of the students due to brevity.

In light of last week's discussion of legitimate fields of study for online education, I think this is an excellent example of subjects learn-able in an online format. Computer programming (in my limited knowledge) requires a basic understanding of key concepts, rote under understanding of syntax, and an ability to apply knowledge in varying contexts. This type of learning does not necessitate an instructor standing by with all the answers. As far as I can tell, all computer knowledge requires active resourceful thinking on the part of the learner. Basic programming should not be an exception.

just a reminder

This Tuesday is going to be an interesting day at the polls. Don't miss out.

Socio-political networking

This article describes the process Valerie Ervin, an aspiring city council member in Montgomery, went through to secure her seat. She negotiated with potential campaign managers who proposed to secure the younger voters by launching a campaign across MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. Ironnically, the campaign managers can't even offer their own votes being that they are only 17 years old. But they do speak SNC quite fluently.

Weekend Well Wishes

As un-relaxing as weekends have seemed to be recently, I thought I might pass this along. It's definitely worth a 5 minute, 27 second stupid grin.



Yes, his voice is that good.


And yes, he is playing an electric ukulele.


-cheers

New Course in the College of Journalism

I just got a heads up on a new class, MMC 6936: Developing Digital Online Learning in the CoJ. It looks like it should provide a lot of hands on training in digital media development. It meets on Tuesday mornings in a CIRCA lab and culminates in a semester-long, faculty-advised project.

I think I will take it because the Advanced Online Media Production course (also MMC6936) with Professor Mindy McAdams conflicts with Professor Ferdig's Society and Culture class.

-thought you (all) might be interested

Personal web presence

I just wanted to pass along the url for the personal site I finished yesterday. It took me quite a while because I really wanted to get a structure in place that looked moderately slick but would be easily updateable (that can't be a real word). And I had to hand code the whole thing in notepad for my journalism class which further slowed my progess.

But it's done. Let me know if anyone has any input. I'd love to entertain some.

-cheers

Save the internet!

I try to steer clear of politics on this here blog, but net neutrality is a bipartisan issue that seriously affects all of us. If you want to learn more or sign a petition to congress, look here. It's probably more important than environmental welfare; because once it's too hot to go outside, we will all be stuck inside surfing the net.
-salud

Academic Cross Training and Networking

I have seen a lot of people posting about frustration with their respective knowledge of (x)html and CSS. In case anyone is interested, I have been taking a course in the College of Journalism called Electronic Publishing. In this course we attend lectures on the history and theory of interactive media, intermingled with web design theory. We also have small group (there are 7 students in mine) lab meetings in which we get to play in the Interactive Media Lab and bang our heads at coding strict (x)html and CSS by hand. This is giving me a whole new appreciation for web development and design. Both the Professor and TA are excellent. You can get a taste for their enthusiasm and knowledge by perusing our class blog.

Also, for those of you interested in social networking from the theoretical and/or technical perspective, our TA has developed his own networking portal specifically for gator grad students. Yesteday I mentioned to him there may be some interested individuals in the COE and he said he would love to talk shop to anyone interested. His name is Gary and you can contact him at this email address: gritz (at) ufl.edu.

-Where's the love song to set us free?

learning contract

I have completed my formal learning contract for the Technical PD. It is available here. I realized I had piled on more than I needed when Professor Dawson reminded us Masters students only need to do either the PD or book review. I can't honestly say I'm disappointed. But I will still use the texts I have acquired as a backbone for my venture into web architecture.

-hasta la semana proxima

Positioning Part Deux

I intend on exploring the various theories and applications of information architecture. IA is "the practice of structuring information for a purpose (wikipedia.com)." I have always felt a strong subjective connection to all forms of visual media, yet I lack the theoretical knowledge to articulate why I appreciate, or glean information, from certain visual stimuli and not others. I think fortifying my knowledge of the develoment, assessment, and distribution of information systems will greatly enhance my ability to create instructional media.

Web design is a major focus in the study of IA. I started reading Robin Williams Web Design Workbook (which I plan to critique for my book review) and I am really intrigued with the way Williams presents her ideas. In the book, Williams practices what she preaches by reinforcing her theory with real-world examples and experience, ranging from screen shots to pictorial examinations of advertising materials.

I have also ordered a book called Ambient Findability by Peter Morville. This one takes a more theoretical stance in the investigation of psychological phenomena involved in searching and utilizing interactive information systems. I am compiling a RefWorks database (thanks again, Mary) with citations for articles, studies, and dissertations on IA with a focus on instruction.

My research will cuminate with a paper I plan to publish to a web server as a pdf, ideally with hyperlinks, embedded images, and possibly video.

Here goes....

Paradigms en place

Constructivism

• I was excited to learn about constructivism because it fully explained to me why a professor I had as an undergrad student was so effective in constructing new insight within his students. Terry Harpold is a phenomenal instructor who teaches absolutely mind-bending courses like the one I took from him, Eccentric Spaces and Spatialities. In the course, Professor Harpold chose texts ranging from short fiction (JG Ballard), to literary theory (Gaston Bachelard), to novels (Phillip K. Dick), and on to Freud's personal journals. He coupled (sometimes tripled) our readings with visual demonstrations of computer animations, video game interfaces, and movie trailers.
  

As a student in the course I had to step outside during our breaks and take deep breaths, then spend the rest of the evening after class trying to untie my mind. His lectures and demonstrations forced the class to think in completely new ways because we had to try so hard to recognize the connections Professor Harpold made between so many different forms of media. His brand of constructivist instruction encourages his students to deconstruct even the most seemingly simplistic forms of media. And, subsequently, discover a wealth of complexity.

• Pandora.com is website dedicated to educating users in the existence -- and maybe appreciation -- of a wealth of lesser-known musical acts. Pandora creators sought to develop an engine to respond to the question "can you introduce me to new music?". I think Pandora does an excellent job of answering this question by allowing users to impart their own tastes into the process of creating an internet radio station.
  

Objectivism

• This training module is used by the UF Health Science Center Privacy office to demonstrate compliance with HIPAA training requirements. It utilizes a PowePoint presentation modified for web delivery. The slides focus on the behavioral practices involved in handling various types of confidential information. The quiz sections ask the user to recall specific information delivered in the preceeding slides.
  

• This game lets users play the role of Dick Cheney, Sharpshooter, in a drill and kill (literally) first person shooter. The user hones their timing in clicking the mouse to expel the opponents.
  

Schema Theory

• This experiment is an interesting investigation in schema theory as it applies to memory in real and virtual environments. In the study participants were given the opportunity to explore a real office environment or an identical virtual one (via a simulator). The participants were then tested on the appearance of certain objects within the environment.
  

• This study looks at cognitive load theory as a valuable concept in the design and implementation of instructional systems. It examines existing instructional systems in context of the varying capacities of short and longterm memory.
  

Computers, the bane of our existence

Last night I set out to design a web page for my visual representation of chapter 6 from the text. I was designing a page similar to the one Jade made, using a layered navigation scheme and a single url. I haven't really ever designed a page in layers (though I have wanted to learn it), so it took me quite a while to get the navigation set up. I finished the page around noon today, and I was just going to add it to the site I manage with a discrete url.

But, naturally, when I went to upload the files to our network server (where I work) I came to find that the firewall that was installed this very morning had displaced our network drive and I couldn't get acces to it. AHHHH!

I don't yet have a site I host -- though this is as much impetus as I need to set one up -- so I spent most of the afternoon breaking apart the layers I had designed, converting them to jpg's in Photoshop, then dropping them in a Powerpoint slide show. But, since I don't have a site to host the .ppt on, I am just emailing it to myself and Professor Dawson for use in our class.

I love how humbling technology can be.

Just to be clear...

I mentioned in a previous post I intend to learn ActionScript 2 for my Authentic Technical PD. These are the steps I will take to complete this goal and deliver a finished product in the form of an Information Security General Awareness Training Module.

• 1. Finding resources: I have purchased two books on the process, "Understanding Macromedia Flash 8 ActionScript 2 (Rapo, Michael)" and "Beginning Flash Game Programming for Dummies (Harris)"; I have purchased the SoThink SWF Decompiler in order to deconstruct existing training modules designed in Flash; and I have compiled a bookmark folder containing various Flash informational sites and existing training modules Completion Date: ongoing

• 2. Writing the script: I am currently re-working the script from version 1.0 of the SPICE General Awareness training (this re-writing is a collaborative process in which I write and make edits based on input from my supervisor and the IS systems analyst) Completion Date: Oct. 1

• 3. Recording the script: I have equipment and narration training to make this process quick and painless Completion Date: Oct. 3

• 4. Design and program module: Here's where the hair pulling will start Completion Date: Nov. 1

I look forward to the learning experience and the future applications acquiring this skill will enable.

Tech, history, and future...

I found this article on CNet I thought you all might find interesting in the context of our Ed Tech history reading. The author discusses returning to UC Berkeley 1.5 years after graduation and being overwhelmed by how tech-savvy the current students at her alma mater have become. Her references are purely anecdotal, and sometimes downright silly, but the topic is one virtually everyone feels.

My major issue with the article has to do with an analogy she tries to draw between Peer To Peer file sharing and vinyl records:

I grew up in an age when pirated music was prevalent; to me, the idea of paying for music online is still somewhat strange. I might as well go out and buy the CD for a similar price or cheaper, and get some great cover art while I'm at it. I guess to this bunch of college kids, CD art is as foreign as vinyl. Do I smell a generation gap?

As someone who actually enjoys buying music on vinyl, I think the author should know vinyl is selling more now than it has in almost 15 years. With a 12" canvas, the buyer really gets to see what the artist had in mind to accompany their music visually. And many record labels have made a very smart move by offering the buyer a coupon with a password allowing the buyer to download the album for play on their mp3 player.

-Ben

ps.........don't steal music.

Last night I dreamt I could get a real job

I really enjoyed the conversations last night with the former Ed Tech students. Cheers to them for offering us their time and wisdom. I also found it very encouraging that there is, indeed, a job market for instructional design.

Like most of us, I entered the Ed Tech program through the side door. No, make that an unlocked window. I have never taken an education course before. Both of my parents are teachers and it never really occurred to me to go into the education field, except maybe as a professor at some tiny liberal arts college in my mind.

While working on my undergrad degree in Film and Media Studies I worked in various fine dining establishments and played in a band called Edward the Bear. After graduating, I was going to be a musician. We toured, started our own label, and eventually collapsed in disappointed frustration. In the mean time I had gotten pretty good at cooking and thought I might go into the food service industry. Nope, restauranteurship is just too hard. On to video production.

I started a video production company called High Noon Productions with a couple of friends from school and had a two-year course in trying to learn the inner workings of a field AND try and build a small business from the ground up. Then last December my fiance gave me an ultimatum: stop working 80 hour weeks and start helping out with the bills or find a new place to live. I chose to stick my neck out into the Gainesville job market. After a month of shaving, tidying, and bowing I found a job designing training media for the UF HSC Information Security program. At the time I was like "information security...that's like locking your laptop to your desk, right?" I've learned a bit since then.

I knew I wanted to go back to school. But for what? I looked in the Documentary Institute, the Digital Media program, Film Studies (again), the FSU Film Production program, and kept coming up empty. Until one of my supervisors (a doc student in Ed Admin) said "why don't you look into Ed Tech, that's what you do here anyway."

It was like a bolt of lightning once I met Professor Ferdig.

And now -- get this, mom -- I can actually get a job making decent money and helping people get better at whatever it is they do.

Grinning,
Ben