Final Reflection

This module is a challenging one and I do learn a lot from it. I would like to summarize what I have learnt during these months.

• The use of BLOG
  BLOG act as a learning platform for us. We can show what we have learnt, share ideas and experiences among other through this powerful platform. Many colleagues have given me valuable ideas and suggestions and I would like to thank all of them.
  Also, I learn a lot from other colleagues work. Many of their work is excellent and make me force myself to do better.
  
  
• Weekly Task
  To be honest, I am a lazy student and always do my homework at last minute. I love the weekly task because I have to learn something, do something and show what I have done before the following lesson. I can keep on learning new things throughout this module. Among all the tasks that I have done, I love PhotoStory most!
  
  
• Importance of Visual Representation
  I know it is important for me to deliver information and knowledge to students effectively, but how? Just talking? Talk and chalk? Using IT? … … …
  We can deliver information and knowledge to our students effectively only if we know how human learn and how to represent information and knowledge visually and interactively, proficient IT skills are also preferred. I do think quality of my teaching can be improved if I can implement interactive visual representations.

This course arouses my interest in visual representation and different kinds of IT tools. I hope I can study these topic by myself if I have time!^_^

Our Reflection on Final Assignment by Susanna and Terrenz

We've finished our learning object finally!
This is not easy for us to produce a learning object using FLASH because we know a little about this software before this course. We didn't believe we can produce a learning object using this sophisticated software! But with Daniel's and colleagues' help, we can produce our own FLASH finally!
Designing different kinds of learning resources is a part of our daily work. However, we do not know whether they are really effective or not as they are always be produced in hurry and we have no time to evaluate every piece of work we produced. In this time, we have to design and produce a learning object step by step. Therefore, we can think thoroughly and modify our work during different stages of our work.
Daniel and colleagues' suggestions and opinions do help us a lot. Through the use of BLOG, we can share our experiences and ideas with others freely and openly. We received many useful suggestions form colleagues and they did help us a lot. Quality of our learning object was improving and our final product was produced finally.
We are satisfied with the quality of our work but we know that there are still many rooms from improvement. Transmitting update and useful information and knowledge to students is one of our responsibilities. We will continue to explore different means to deliver information and knowledge interactively so that the quality of our teaching can be improved.

Final Assignment: Our Final Product!!!

Learning Object: Sound Pollution
Designed by Susanna and Terrenz

Please click HERE for our Final Product.

Please click HERE for our Raw Source File.

Tools and resources we have used
- Macromedia Flash MX
- Microsoft Clipart Online
- Media sound recording
- Digital camera

Sources of information
EMB. Environmental Educational Site.
http://resources.ed.gov.hk/envir-ed/e_index.htm

Environmental Protection Department.
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/noise/noise_maincontent.html

Environmental Protection Department. Environmental Noise.
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/noise_education/web/ENG_EPD_HTML/index/index.html

Environmental Protection Department. Environmental Noise (Young Version). http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/noise_education/young/eng_young_html/m2/m2.html

Brief description on how the representation works

The way we present and understand has been changed with the development of information technology and our understanding of visual perception (Gershon, 1998). We are in information-rich era and are surrounded by different kinds of information. Representing the information in a visual form allow us to browse through ocean of information so that we can find interesting pieces of text, understand them and make sense of information in them easily (Gershon, 1998). Hence, visual representations of information, data or knowledge are used anywhere where information needs to be explained quickly or simply.

As visual representations become more and more popular and important, the way of learning is also changed. Well-processed data, information and knowledge presented in various ways can enhance the effectiveness of learning and teaching. Learning and teaching paradigm is thus shifted with the use of interactive visual representations.

We would like to produce an interactive and informative learning object (LO) to make our aware of the impacts of different kinds of noise on our health. The LO that we produced can be used independently whenever needed or can be used when teaching General Studies of Primary 6 as sound pollution is one of the subject modules.

The information object (Churchill, 2005) we produced is a single screen visual representation that provides information dynamically based on interaction. Information available is visualized in the form of text, pictures and charts. As many pieces of information is included in the LO, buttons are used to organize them so that learners can explore the information available by themselves. According to Churchill (2005), using of buttons not only allow learners experience interaction and / or lots of information in mediated formats, but also let learners understand how different pieces of information are related. In our LO, buttons are used to categorize various kinds of noise according to their loudness. Learners can recognize the loudness of different kinds of noise and their impact on human health through browsing the LO we produced. Also, effectiveness of the LO is enhanced by adding sound effects in it.

It is known that we can quickly comprehend some forms of data presentation but not others and effectiveness and efficiency of visual representation greatly depends on how well the designers tap into the power of visual perception (Few, 2004). Thus, the information has to be encoded in a manner that can be instantly and easily perceived by readers. In our LO, color of the buttons is changed when learners point the mouse on it. Background color is also changed when different pieces of information are shown.

What the eyes see is moved into short-term memory for conscious processing, which can only hold three to seven chunks of data at a time (Few, 2004). Therefore, only four mains kinds of noise and their impact on human health are shown in the LO. Hence, learners can make sense of the LO as a whole without shifting their attention back and forth. Moreover, as the main targets of the LO produced are primary students, layout of the LO is simple, colorful and clear to attract learners’ attention.
We do believe that the information available in the interactive visual representation produced is effectively presented. Learners can learn from the LO and recognize impact of different kinds of noise on their hearing.

References
Churchill, D. (2005). Towards a useful classification of learning objects. Educational Technology Research and Development.

Few, S. (2004). Data presentation: tapping the power of visual perception. Retrieved June 14, 2006 from http://www.intelligententerprise.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=31400009

Gershon, N., Eick, S. G.. & Card, S. (1998). Information visualization. Interactions, March, 9-15.

Final Assignment: Phase 3

Final Assignment: Phase 3 ~ Created by Susanna and Terrenz

Here is phase 3 of our work, please have a look.



Please click Here for Flash version.

Beijing's Trip ~ Share With You

I've been to Beijing for five days with nearly 400 secondary students and teachers last week. I've visited many places and I enjoyed the trip a lot.

I visited Beijing Spacecrafts (北京衛星製造廠) on the second day of my trip. Satellites and spaceship manufactured by China was displayed there. The tour guide told us an interesting story and I would like to share with you.

"Visiting the Moon" is the dream of many people from worldwide. Various kinds of method were used by different people to achieve the dream. One day a man tied himself on a chair with two kites at the front and a bundle of explosives at the back. He asked his servant to light the explosives and thought that he could fly up to the Moon… … Certainly, the man died and he visited the heaven instead of the Moon!

Some images appeared in my mind during the story-telling time and it was the images not the story stayed in my mind.

I visited China Science and Technology Museum (中國科學技術館) the next day and I found an interesting model. Yes, the model visualizes the story that I heard the day before! People may not know what the model is about if they haven't heard the story before. The model does help me understand the story better.

This experience makes me realize the importance of visual aids and verbal instruction in learning and teaching. Students can learn better if lessons are carefully designed and different kinds of medium were used as teaching aids. With the help of ICT, learning and teaching resources can be organized and presented in a more effective way. Thus, quality of teaching and learning can be enhanced.

Final Assignment: Phase 2

Final Assignment: Phase 2 ~ Created by Susanna and Terrenz

We are working on our final assignment and here is phase 2 of our work:



Please click Here for Flash version.

Final Assignment: Phase 1

Final Assignment: Phase 1 ~ Created by Susanna and Terrenz

Prototype of Sound Pollution

This module is interesting and full of challenging. We are really enjoying the learning process both in the blog and the final assignment. In these two weeks, we tried our best to learn and explore the Flash. As we are the beginner, it is a hard time for us to do a little bit. Here is our prototype of Sound Pollution:

Please click Here to view the Flash version.

Story board Produced by Susanna and Terrenz

We have our storyboard at last! We are so late because we do not know whether the proposal we have is good or not and whether we can produce what we want by our limited IT skills. After thorough thought, we decided to face the challenges and produce a learning object about sound pollution. We do think we can learn lots of things from this assignment and the experienced acquired is beneficial to our work.

Here is our storyboard:













Please click here for our power point.

Some Ideas of Our Final Assignment – Susanna and Terrenz

We are interested in environmental issue and would like to produce learning object related to this issue.
Topic: Sound Pollution
Mobile phone, MP3, PSP and other different kinds of technologies become part of our life. It seems that many people cannot live without these technologies. However, the noise generated by these technologies does affect our health, both mental and physical, just like the case of uncle bus and youngster with glasses.
Thus, we would like to produce a single screen learning object with animation and interaction that P6 students can be used to explore the cause and effect of noise pollution on our body.
IT tools used: PowerPoint, Photo Impact and Flash.

Shape of a Raindrop

This learning object is designed by Susanna and Terrenz. Please kindly have a look and comment. Thank you.



References:
http://www.ems.psu.edu/~fraser/Bad/BadRain.html
http://www.fluidmech.net/tutorials/raindrops/drop_flow.htm
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropshape.html