ASPIRE GROUP

All pics on Public Drive under Aspire

Week 1 - Decision made by group to make college video of things this group carry out in the college
Planning carried out on White Board (see digital photos on M drive/Aspire)
ie Areas to be covered, music for video
Created hand drawn storyboard (digital images of drawings)

Week 2 (2 extra students from school joined) Review of what was carried out the week before and discussion of what we were doing that day

Listened to few pieces of music
Took images in refectory (3 cameras for the group)
Downloaded the images to Aspire folder
Quickly looked at the images taken

Week 3 Review the images taken last week - what is good and bad, what would make them better - I was going to rotate and crop to make them more funky but...

My proposal

Listen and vote on the best music or take more images for the other areas proposed for the video

There is a screen dump of the .mp3s
Each student could be asked to give marks out of 5 for each song and see what is Top 2

or

take more images of life in the college and place in Aspire folder

Laptop and Projector normally left in the room - I usually use my own laptop.

HN Graphics

Illustrator, logos, toolbox overview, text, outlines, traced bitmaps with warping. text fills.

Assessment given out

First assessment of logo 1 required 17 September.

Second Assessment - 2 logos + Vector and Bitmap Graphics.

HN Digital Imaging

Illustrator: Given details of assessment with opportunity of re-writing the brief.
Skills: Text - rotation, filling, separating, creating paths, duplicating
Templates: Use of as a whole and in part
Screen for electronic and paper delivery
RGB and CMYK

Selection, Direct Selection, Pen Tool, Arc, Spiral, Grid, Warping, Symbols, hand tool, shape, text, type on path, 3D

HN Authoring

• Content of 4 training videos
• Using the animation behaviours
• Using different types of multimedia photos, flash animations, video, text, sound

Activity: Creating a game (basic)

Wednesday NC Digital Imaging

Intro to Photoshop tools and palettes.

• Image Sizes
• Printing
• RGB and CMYK
  
• Combining images
• Borders for photographs
• Colouring photos
• Desaturating photos
• Painting on top of photo
• Rubbing through from black and white to coloured image
  
• Using layers to arrange photos on page
• Placing text on page
• Pavement Art

1. Personalising learning.
Students can choose to watch videos that they deem necessary in order to achieve project
2. Ensuring learners are as active as possible

Students are learning at their own pace and can obtain as much repetition as they desire. Students can extend their learning by finding tutorials on the web to extend learning

3. Encouraging social, collaborative learning and
Students are teaching each other how to carry out various techniques and are learning from each other as well as teacher. Students are learnin to share information and knowledge.
Students are making presentations to real clients.
Students are obtaining feedback from each other and real users of their work
Students find web tutorials in twos and demo to class
Students find info in groups and demo to class
Students discuss plans and prototypes with real client
Student has obtained a client and are working with that client in order to produce product which is real and useable. Student is learning how to deal with a client and expanding their soft skills

4. Ensuring regular feedback and self-diagnosis,
Showcasing techniques learned and pressure to produce products for public viewing and critique.

Can you draw comparisons to how you taught before?

I did not have access to teaching videos which allows the student to personalise their own learning to a large extent ie dip into demos as and when needed,
I used class reflection usually only at the time of assessment not at the end of every area of learning
No use of wiki, photobucket, vle or blog

Did you face any challenges and how did you
overcome them?

Videos did not come through until half way through course and not the original videos researched and found to be best for the course.

Students had different copy of the software at home from that in college. College utilising software which is now effectively 5 years old and in Multimedia terms defunct.

Students required 2 different copies of the teaching videos as different versions of the software very different. Students did not keep reflective log. Stated they did not wish to do as too time consuming. They also did not wish to appear on video camera or make podcast recording their progress.

Students were very reluctant initially to present their work so made this last minute event rather than advance notice as some did not turn up for class if they knew this was about to happen. Found it better to make this event less formal and attendance good and presentations successful for all.

Quantative and qualitative description of impact (related to problems or issues described in introduction)

Students who responded to final investigative questionnaire with regard to their learning appear to have:

Expanded their learning beyond that happening in the class time
Want to learn more about the package
Stated that they did not exactly enjoy giving presentations but did like viewing othr people’s work and found this valuable
Students enjoyed teaching each other
Most students found tutorials to extend their learning on the web and taught themselves new techniques – couple of students actually did majority of their learning at home in this fashion.
Appreciated the value of the package and desirability of the knowledge of 2d animation
Students placed animations on VLE and this made it easy to view as a group on Smartboard. Also acted as back up of student work.

Observations of tutor/lecturer in classroom
Students are very much a community of learners
Have learned a great deal from each other
Good rapport between each other and tutor
Respectful of what each person contributes
Proud of achievements
More confidence in their ability
End product totally student’s work as opposed to lecturer input/ideas and student build
Work on Photobucket viewed by many people per month – acting as public exhibition on line


Will utilise

VLE for submission of assessment materials
Wiki for student contribution to best designed sites and tutorials
Photobucket for display of student work to www
Students reflecting on exercises and assessments appears to encourage learning
Students demonstrating to each other


Questionnaires
Tutor Observations
Tutor Blog on weekly activity
Work on Phtobucket
Wiki

This is a sample of doing blogging

Been a very busy few weeks and not been as vigilant at maintaining this blog but back now so...

Overview of how things are going tesep wise.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Have made concerted effort to expand constructivist activity and most appears to be working well but feel progress on assessment is not as efficient. Potentially at the moment with just 2 weeks to go my Digital Photography students will struggle to complete all assessments before the end of the block - hopefully by leaving the assessment document open most will acieve this unit. Students are very keen on this unit and the skills are very valuable for enhancing the other multimedia products they have to produce for other units within their course.

2D ANIMATION
Most of the Animation HN Students look as if they are on target to complete and 4 who have completed already have produced quite stunning work - Cartoon of getting up in the morning with sound effects and voiceover, training animation where a student inputs figures and sticks fings in test-tubes, etc, Animated storyboard for Art and Design Website which gives overview of the different areas eg ceramics, fine art, etc utilising appealing stick characters. Animation for Furniture Restoration Area, Quiz for school children, Animated Intro for Drama Dept.

BSC NETWORK COMPUTING
Part-time degree class who just started their Digital Media unit with me have had to be sold the unit for the first 2 weeks but appear to be really enjoying the course and make lots of enthusiastic noises about their productions. As usual you could do with double the amount of time on each of the packages but... most are very smart girls (3) and guys (9) and are very capable. One returner to the course who did not achieve 2 years ago still appears to be struggling but time will tell.

BSC MULTIMEDIA
The multimedia degree class began their Digital Video Unit and appear very enthusiastic about the lesson content and the proposed course work (Horror Movie with visual effects and all original video footage.)

Students have set up Google Group in order to record details of their movie and associated written material.

AUDIO VISUAL - HNC
This group have gelled very well and learn an amazing amount in every class and also practice many of the skills over the coming week. Last Monday they learned how to record blue screen video and then place on the timeline and mask. One of the students did an amazing dance in front of the screen and students learned how to multiply, change size and chroma key, etc.

Group of students also utilised digital camera and took images to construct into panorma of the library and care.

GRADED UNIT - HNC
All students presented themselves to the assessment centre. Confidence was not high on completion of the assessment.

Tuesday, 30 January 2007 - Digital Photography

Reviewed with students what they should know. Students worked on practice photographs adjusting brightness/contrast, levels, tone, colour, sharpness. When completed successfully students worked on assessment photographs and placed in presentation which they then uploaded to the VLE

Evaluation: Students were unsure of what to do with practice images and really did not recognise that images had any faults. Students had got into the swing of things by assessment and most found this relatively easy but a couple of students not Multimedia have real difficulty with folder/file technology. Handling computer system bonus and not necessary to meet criteria of unit but as class is very large my attention is pulled constantly from class to supporting these students.

Digital Photography - NQ 23 January 2007

Students worked oncreating their own presentations where they enhanced photographs they had taken themselves over the past few weeks. Utilising, balance, tone, colour, and levels. Students placed their presentations on the VLE

Evaluation: Students appeared to enjoy the activity and liked review process.

Audio Visual - HNC
Students looked at Digital Video Magazines. Looking for any bits and pieces which they found of interest.

Gave overview of placing video into Flash and the potentials - multi screen, skewing, rotating, re-sizing, creating frames, backgrounds, etc

Evaluation: Have covered a great deal of ground with this particular group in order that they can begin to plan exactly what they are going to do for their assessments.

Monday, 22 January
Students have been reviewing what they have completed for the last 2 weeks and making presentations to each other of their proposed animations. Further development of web techniques by myself. (Creating transitions between pages in the web). I also introduced the students to tracing bitmaps for use as backgrounds as well as taking video into Premiere and applying effects which again can be inserted and used as backgrounds in Flash animations.

Students are working well but due to only carrying out learning in Flash for a few hours per week and new 3D package coming on board - skills they learned a number of weeks ago are having to be re-learned.

Evaluation: My thoughts would have been that students would have acquired more skills in the package to date but Flash is difficult

Monday 18 December, 2006
HND – 2D Animation

Viewed the Degree projects which gave students ideas for presentation, content, requirements for their own projects coming up in Block 3. Students enjoyed the presentations and were vociferous and positive in their comments.

Evaluation: Good opportunity and worth taking time out from 2D for

Monday 18 December, 2006
HNC Audio/Visual

Students reflected on the content that they had created the week before and it was decided that they required more content this time concentrating on close-ups of the hardware in order to give more detail.

Evaluation: Worked well on the content but a little disappointed by their first efforts

Tuesday 19 December, 2006
Guidance – Visit of Rosie Butcher, Graphic Desgner at Knockhill

Rosie discussed informally with the students her job role at Knockhill, content she produces, DVD they had commissioned. Rosie gave indication of type of content she would like and stated briefs would be forthcoming in the New Year.

Evaluation: Students appeared very enthused by the visit and will hopefully produce some of the goods.

Tuesday 19 December, 2006
NQ Digital Photography

Discussed what the students would do for the afternoon. Flower-arranging students had display in a classroom of all their assessment work and were open to visitors for critique. Photography students were to use opportunity to take photos and also use the macro facility on the cameras. Working in groups followed by enhancing images on return. Discussed assessment and assessment opportunities over Christmas. Students to decided on content of their briefs for the unit.

Evaluation: Some very nice photographs came out of this exercise. Many will be able to be used for Manipulation next block.

Wednesday 20 December, 2006
BSc Multimedia

Gave further lesson on sound in Adobe Audition. Discussed content of assessment overall. Indicated to students that if they had any questions whatsoever during the holidays to email me. Students recorded their sound effects.

Evaluation: Students worked well despite Christmas wind down

Guidance

Arranged for visits by Graphic Designer of Knockhill Racing Circuit and also Head of MIMac (Video Editing Suite in Glenrothes)

Evaluation: Connections good to make and Knockhill presenting our students with numerous briefs for potential media elements which they would like produced.

Wednesday 13 December 2006
BSc Multimedia Group - Intro to Audio

Discussed with the students what they knew, assessment criteria, software experience. Demo'd various tasks in Adobe Audition (need to know for assessment, literally). Students used their own choice of music to demo and apply the skills learned.

Evaluation: Students learned a great deal and it was a fun exercise. Students also reflected on usefulness of skills and potential application in other projects.

Tuesday 12 December 2006
Intro to Digital Photography - NQ Multimedia

Students looked at formal and informal examples of group photographs that other students in Media Space had taken. Used the cameras to take formal and informal photos in groups. I dem'd how to place borders around photos and also to enchance, make black and white, etc

Evaluation: Students applied themselves enthusiastically to job and placed final results onto Photobucket site. They also considered that border enhanced final rendereings.

Audio/Visual - HN

Demo'd blue screen activity to students. Students demo'd their videos to me. Gave overview of afternoon's activity. Demo'd Adobe Audition. Discussed each person's video story board for the afternoon. Students either worked on their music for video or using the video camera.

Evaluation: Students appeared engrossed in their activities.

2D Animation

Discussed with the students proposed visit of Graphic Designer from Knockhill Racing Circuit. Needs of Knockhill with regard to Website, video and Flash Animations. More presentations by those who had not done so to date. Students had learned new techniques for creating characatures of each other in Vector graphics which they were keen to include into their animations. Coached individuals with difficulties they were having.

Evaluation: Excellent presentations with very good storyboards. Some really good work developing.

BSc Multimedia - Digital Media

Discussed with students the content of the presentation and covered different formats of compression and delivery mechanisms. Students used camera to blue screen activity. Students learned a great deal and also laughed a great deal more.

Evaluation: Students really enjoyed activity but I think they thought they should not be enjoying themselves so much with end of unit impending. They opted to miss class in the afternoon and go home and get on with assessment as they had enough footage to complete as was.

Intro to Digital Photography - NQ

Visited the library where the students took photos of the photographs that they found epitomised good portrayal of groups formal/informal or singles

Students took their own photos but many of them were blurred so encouraged use of tripod.

Evaluation: Students created good collection of exemplar photographs which gave them good ideas for their own.

HN Graded Unit

Students investigated numerous file formats and their uses by using the internet. Those who did not attend were emailed and asked to make a presentation the following week re file formats. Students created posters with the various formats displayed.

Evaluation: Visual re-inforcement of the use of the different formats. Hopefully there will be a value in exercise.

Audio/Visual - HNC

Students demonstrated the use of the large Canon Camera to one another. Students made introductory video and learned the procedure for downloading to pc. Students learned how to change speed, apply effects, reverse frames, etc. Make titles.

Evaluation: Students learned a great deal in the afternoon about Adobe Premiere. Most tuition came from me as tutor. Students were very pleased with their efforts.

2D Animation

Students gave presentations to group re their proposed 2D Animations. I was their client. Presenter took questions and suggestions from the class re their proposals. There appeared many good ideas.

Students who had not previously submitted their formative assessment work did so. Students commended presentation of some of the assessment work. One student queried how particular techniques had been achieved and students were proud to divulge and describe to him. Carried out numerous coaching sessions with various members of the class.

Evaluation: Students were very interested in what each other intended carrying out and were very enthusiastic about their steadily improving 2D skills. I stated that working together was to be encouraged and the type of activity that would be reflected in the workplace.

BSc Multimedia - Digital Media Unit

Began Video with the degree class and discussed with them their experience of video to date and importance of video in the Multimedia Framework. Introduced the students to Adobe Premiere or refreshed their memories if they had previously carried out editing. Two members of the class had up-to-date versions of the software and found the 6 year old version old fashioned and cumbersome in comparison. Students picked up the basic skills very quickly. Looked and discussed the first lecture presentation for video and students had quite a bit to contribute as one member of the class worked for Sky TV so was able to reveal his knowledge from that source.

Evaluation: Other than discussion prob more traditional type lesson but students were interested and eager to acquire skills.

Tuesday PM - Intro to Digital Photography
NQ Multimedia

Introduced each other as 2 infill students had joined the class and I did not know all of their names as had only had them on 2 occasions. Talked about what their expectations were from the unit. Difference between snaps and creations for the units. Divided students into 3 main groups who worked in pairs. One group had to find what they considered good quality, well composed photos for groups of people, one for objects and one for landscapes. Reflected on the photos they had found. Students used the cameras in 2 groups and took people photos. I demo'd hot to use photoshop to import, rotate, adjust levels, save. I also demo'd difference between enhancement and manipulation.

Evaluation: Students were much more engaged when they found images epitomising good composition than when I normally showed. Very pleased with themselves and found superb examples of good composition over the 3 genres. Students enjoyed taking their own photos and emulated a great deal of what they had seen. Also wanted to enhance. Keen to learn more to carry out enhancement. Very successful lesson.