Course name: Interactive Entertainment
Course Length: 1 year, full time
Course description
This ground-breaking course blends the principles of immersion and engagement as evolved by the global games industry over the last twenty years with practical storytelling and script development strategies from Film, TV, Radio and Theatre.
You will explore applications across a wide range of digital media rather than computer games alone and aim to develop valuable content and intellectual properties for Entertainment, Life, Health and Educational applications - or any other where interactive storytelling strategies are deployed.
Saw this course and thought it looked interesting. Besides from games it doesn't have much linked to what I am currently doing but it quotes 'programmers with an eye for innovation' could I be that person? I want to escape the boundaries of web design and look for courses that not only do web design but give you a taste of everything.
Maybe something that would link to my prp project would be more interesting. I like the description of the course however I would not pursue this as its in Edinburgh and I want to move back down to the south if I ever did plan to pursue a postgraduate degree, still at least its giving me an idea.
Saturday 30 January 2010
Friday 29 January 2010
SPP - Postgraduate course University of Glamorgan 2
I came across this course and wanted to post it purely because of this reason, its a course that I should be looking at but I am just not finding it appealing. The course title is Multimedia computing. The main modules/content consists of:
* Multimedia and the Web: the principles of multimedia and web development and critical application to website creation and usage
* E-learning: the theory and practice of educational software development
* Principles of Computing: the fundamental principles and practices associated with ICT technology, computer programming and systems modelling
* Information Architecture and Hypermedia Systems: theory and practice of developing and evaluating hypermedia applications and aspects of current research
* Project Management and Research Methodology
* Independent Study
* Project: design, implement and evaluate a multimedia system/ application of your own choice
Looking at this has just convinced me that I do need a career change. I still really enjoy web designing but I enjoy learning more of the front end designing rather then the coding.
I need to look for a course that has more of a design modules as opposed to the theory and coding.
* Multimedia and the Web: the principles of multimedia and web development and critical application to website creation and usage
* E-learning: the theory and practice of educational software development
* Principles of Computing: the fundamental principles and practices associated with ICT technology, computer programming and systems modelling
* Information Architecture and Hypermedia Systems: theory and practice of developing and evaluating hypermedia applications and aspects of current research
* Project Management and Research Methodology
* Independent Study
* Project: design, implement and evaluate a multimedia system/ application of your own choice
Looking at this has just convinced me that I do need a career change. I still really enjoy web designing but I enjoy learning more of the front end designing rather then the coding.
I need to look for a course that has more of a design modules as opposed to the theory and coding.
Sunday 24 January 2010
SPP - Aquent
I came across Aquent and wondered what it was. Its actually a temping agency for designers. This includes web, graphics, typography etc it looks really interesting and whats good...its located in London yay!!!
Below is a job that I found them advertising:
*
o Company: Aquent
o Location: Central London
o Salary/rate: £25,000 to 27,000
o Contract: temp to perm
o Job posted on: 11 January 2010
o Job start date: 01/02/10
o Closing date: 08 February 2010
*
PRINT (60%):
Creating layouts for books/brochures/leaflets with existing house style in Quark XPress and InDesign.
Immediate position will require importing text and photos into Quark Xpress templates
with set Style Sheets for a new edition of a nuclear book.
Creating and updating cutting edge graphs
* Building an image library
WEB (40%):
Updating web pages in HTML (Dreamweaver) and in Content Management System
Making new web pages from scratch, linking and applying existing CSS
Working with CSS
Preparing illustrations and photographs for web
SKILLS:
Information Design, Typography, Layouts for print and web, Exhibition design, Following existing house style, Ability to work and communicate with various people from different backgrounds, Persevere and Perfection is a must.
PROGRAMMES:
This will be PC BASED. Must have: Good working knowledge of HTML, CSS and Dreamweaver, QuarkXPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint.
It is essential for the applicant to enjoy working in information design; they must be able to present significant data to very high standard. Accuracy and attention to detail are crucial. It is very important that the applicant enjoys working in nuclear energy environment and has a positive attitude.
I think the main reason why I chose this job was because there was a variety of work available. When thinking about the future now it makes me think; do I really want to spend the rest of my career in web design? And I am not sure that I am. I really enjoy web designing however I miss drawing which is something that I loved before uni.
I would like to go back into that hobbie and if a job includes that then I say great, where do I reply.
Below is a job that I found them advertising:
*
o Company: Aquent
o Location: Central London
o Salary/rate: £25,000 to 27,000
o Contract: temp to perm
o Job posted on: 11 January 2010
o Job start date: 01/02/10
o Closing date: 08 February 2010
*
PRINT (60%):
Creating layouts for books/brochures/leaflets with existing house style in Quark XPress and InDesign.
Immediate position will require importing text and photos into Quark Xpress templates
with set Style Sheets for a new edition of a nuclear book.
Creating and updating cutting edge graphs
* Building an image library
WEB (40%):
Updating web pages in HTML (Dreamweaver) and in Content Management System
Making new web pages from scratch, linking and applying existing CSS
Working with CSS
Preparing illustrations and photographs for web
SKILLS:
Information Design, Typography, Layouts for print and web, Exhibition design, Following existing house style, Ability to work and communicate with various people from different backgrounds, Persevere and Perfection is a must.
PROGRAMMES:
This will be PC BASED. Must have: Good working knowledge of HTML, CSS and Dreamweaver, QuarkXPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint.
It is essential for the applicant to enjoy working in information design; they must be able to present significant data to very high standard. Accuracy and attention to detail are crucial. It is very important that the applicant enjoys working in nuclear energy environment and has a positive attitude.
I think the main reason why I chose this job was because there was a variety of work available. When thinking about the future now it makes me think; do I really want to spend the rest of my career in web design? And I am not sure that I am. I really enjoy web designing however I miss drawing which is something that I loved before uni.
I would like to go back into that hobbie and if a job includes that then I say great, where do I reply.
PRP - Artefact Evaluation
Creating a questionnaire as my first artefact worked to my advantage. My chosen research subject in my opinion was still very broad and I needed to narrow my research by gaining a more thorough idea on what the teachers thought. With the questionnaire I managed to do this. By sending out a simple multiple-choice questionnaire via email I was able to get a quick response and given the time that we had I am satisfied with the amount of feedback received.
Looking back at the questionnaire I should have reworded some of my questions. When looking at the comments I think that some of the participants thought that I was insinuating that infant/primary schools had no ICT facilities, this was not the case. My aim was to try and reconfirm my theory and see how educators felt about computer games assisting their teaching methods. If I could go back and redo the survey this is something I would change as I feel that the participants did not completely understand my aim.
From doing the questionnaire it showed me that educators are already highly aware of the benefits when using computer games. The majority of the questionnaire participants have knowledge on computer games, this including knowing the different types of games that could/are being used. Overall the results were not what I expected. Before conducting this survey I believed that educators were not well aware of the benefits of computer games but I was wrong. Games are becoming recognised as a strong learning tool and becoming more widely used in schools at all levels.
Looking at the results from artefact 1 I feel that a change in direction for my research is needed. Now that I am aware that educators understand the benefits of games in education my next step is to see what the children think about games. Hopefully gaining information from both educators and pupils will give me a view from both sides and thus maybe find a connection that suits everyone and improve computer game based learning.
Looking back at the questionnaire I should have reworded some of my questions. When looking at the comments I think that some of the participants thought that I was insinuating that infant/primary schools had no ICT facilities, this was not the case. My aim was to try and reconfirm my theory and see how educators felt about computer games assisting their teaching methods. If I could go back and redo the survey this is something I would change as I feel that the participants did not completely understand my aim.
From doing the questionnaire it showed me that educators are already highly aware of the benefits when using computer games. The majority of the questionnaire participants have knowledge on computer games, this including knowing the different types of games that could/are being used. Overall the results were not what I expected. Before conducting this survey I believed that educators were not well aware of the benefits of computer games but I was wrong. Games are becoming recognised as a strong learning tool and becoming more widely used in schools at all levels.
Looking at the results from artefact 1 I feel that a change in direction for my research is needed. Now that I am aware that educators understand the benefits of games in education my next step is to see what the children think about games. Hopefully gaining information from both educators and pupils will give me a view from both sides and thus maybe find a connection that suits everyone and improve computer game based learning.
Saturday 23 January 2010
SPP - Job Nakama 3
After having a talk to Jools it was clear that I was searching jobs in the wrong way, or to be correct I need to start narrowing my choices down because this could potentially be the chance for me to get a job.
Going back on the creative pool website it is now clear to me that I would be applying for junior level because even though I have the skills of some jobs, they are looking for someone with experience and this is something that I have very little experience in. Bearing in mind I intend/am moving to London when I graduate so I have now narrowed the job search down to 'junior' and 'London' making it more clear to me what jobs are out there for me.
One job that I came across is Nakama. With there main target industry Digital, Marketing and print and integrated industry the company seems interesting. The job they are advertising is briefly stated below:
* Company: Nakama Global
* Location: Central London
* Salary/rate: £20,000 to 25,000
* Contract: perm, temp to perm
* Duration: Ongoing
* Job posted on: 20 January 2010
* Job start date: URGENT!
* Closing date: 17 February 2010
This lovely small to medium sized creative agency in the West End are looking for a junior to join their team. You will be working with the senior developer and senior designer in digital on all aspects of digital marketing campaigns. This is an ideal opportunity to take your AS2.0 and AS3.0 skills into some lovely creative and give you a good grounding to digital advertising from a creative and technical point of view. The work will include rich media advertising (banners), viral executions, website build, microsites and games. A well-known set of clients and a team you can really learn from this is a great opportunity to build a nice portfolio from the start. You’ll ideally have some commercial experience but we will consider fresh graduates with the right skills and attitude! Immediate start, temp to permanent salary £20-24k.
It sounds ideal and whats better they are welcome to graduates. Having a look at the website the job looks interesting, the deadline is 17th February so I may pursue with this application.
PRP - First Artefact Results
Well I've finished my questionnaire and after sending out over 400 emails and receiving 40 replies I feel that for the short amount of time given I have done pretty well as the majority of schools will not even look at the email.
Below I have summarised each of the questions up to give you an idea about what I found out.
What I learnt from the artefact.
Q1) Received a mixture of educators, all at different levels, from Nursery to Secondary.
Q2) Educators have an open mind and that gaming can be used in education as well as a form of entertainment.
Q3) The amount of knowledge educators have on computer games is very varied, with the majority of the answers being at number ‘3’ it suggests that the educators are aware of the gaming concept but are not aware of the full benefits. The majority of the answers were more on the side of having a stronger knowledge of computer games.
Q4) The majority of educators felt that if more information was provided on computer gaming then there would be more enthusiasm. However a couple had no opinion, this could appear as having no interest on the subject or they already have a strong knowledge on games.
Q5) It is clear that the majority of the educators understand the different types of games, but I should have included a question asking about which type of game teaches which subject.
Q6) Educators have a mixed opinion on this question. With the majority feel that it will boost pupils confidence, a few feel that it won’t make any difference. Perhaps educators are still unaware that pupils teach themselves how to play computer games and hence gain more confidence. Some comments made think that it won’t effect the pupils confidence.
Q7) Educators support the fact that games could support teaching, in the others comments it states that games are already used in schooling. Perhaps need to change my research aim.
Q8) It is very clear that my research was correct and teachers are aware about teaching them skills asides from the National Curriculum. In fact in the early years it seems that social skills are of more importance then teaching. If creating a good learning environment then the pupils will perceive learning as more enjoyable experience in the future.
Q9) Educators support the fact that games could support teaching, in the others comments it states that games are already used in schooling. Perhaps need to change my research aim.
Q10) As some educators agree with this reason some disagree. From reading the ‘other’ replies it has comes to my attention that the implications noted have been seen and security has been put in place.
The results are not what I expected but I suppose this is a good thing because it has shown me that teachers and schooling have taken games into consideration and that they are successful. So my next artefact could maybe focus on which games the children prefer to help enhance the learning experience.
Below I have summarised each of the questions up to give you an idea about what I found out.
What I learnt from the artefact.
Q1) Received a mixture of educators, all at different levels, from Nursery to Secondary.
Q2) Educators have an open mind and that gaming can be used in education as well as a form of entertainment.
Q3) The amount of knowledge educators have on computer games is very varied, with the majority of the answers being at number ‘3’ it suggests that the educators are aware of the gaming concept but are not aware of the full benefits. The majority of the answers were more on the side of having a stronger knowledge of computer games.
Q4) The majority of educators felt that if more information was provided on computer gaming then there would be more enthusiasm. However a couple had no opinion, this could appear as having no interest on the subject or they already have a strong knowledge on games.
Q5) It is clear that the majority of the educators understand the different types of games, but I should have included a question asking about which type of game teaches which subject.
Q6) Educators have a mixed opinion on this question. With the majority feel that it will boost pupils confidence, a few feel that it won’t make any difference. Perhaps educators are still unaware that pupils teach themselves how to play computer games and hence gain more confidence. Some comments made think that it won’t effect the pupils confidence.
Q7) Educators support the fact that games could support teaching, in the others comments it states that games are already used in schooling. Perhaps need to change my research aim.
Q8) It is very clear that my research was correct and teachers are aware about teaching them skills asides from the National Curriculum. In fact in the early years it seems that social skills are of more importance then teaching. If creating a good learning environment then the pupils will perceive learning as more enjoyable experience in the future.
Q9) Educators support the fact that games could support teaching, in the others comments it states that games are already used in schooling. Perhaps need to change my research aim.
Q10) As some educators agree with this reason some disagree. From reading the ‘other’ replies it has comes to my attention that the implications noted have been seen and security has been put in place.
The results are not what I expected but I suppose this is a good thing because it has shown me that teachers and schooling have taken games into consideration and that they are successful. So my next artefact could maybe focus on which games the children prefer to help enhance the learning experience.
Thursday 21 January 2010
Client project - Designs mixed up
As I like both designs as have others I thought I'd mixed them together to tone down the reds but make it more keep the dancers. I will be emailing all of these designs to Jess and will hopefuly get a final choice that I can use in my proposal.
Client project - Design Update
The next design has taken into consideration the colours and rather then adding a bright red background I have used a gradient background making it less 'red'. I created some of the images as alternative links so there will always be some sort of imagery on each page.
For these design examples I have created an about us, competitions and ask us pages.
When you look the 'About Us' and 'Competitions' look very similar, only reason being is that I am still unsure as to what the competition page will look like. But it will hopefully give you an idea as to where the text would be and where it would be situated.
Ideally I want the text to look more free flowing and perhaps merge around the logo but I am unsure as to whether I would be able to do this in Wordpress.
The ask us page was a specific requirement that Jess wanted. I will have to point out to jess that once I finish it will be her job to keep monitoring the comments and delete when getting too full but we shall discuss this in the next meeting.
However I like the look of what it could potentially look like.
Like I said above these about us and comeptition are pratically the same however I have changed the font colours, with one being white and one being black I hope Jess will choose one.
For these design examples I have created an about us, competitions and ask us pages.
When you look the 'About Us' and 'Competitions' look very similar, only reason being is that I am still unsure as to what the competition page will look like. But it will hopefully give you an idea as to where the text would be and where it would be situated.
Ideally I want the text to look more free flowing and perhaps merge around the logo but I am unsure as to whether I would be able to do this in Wordpress.
The ask us page was a specific requirement that Jess wanted. I will have to point out to jess that once I finish it will be her job to keep monitoring the comments and delete when getting too full but we shall discuss this in the next meeting.
However I like the look of what it could potentially look like.
Like I said above these about us and comeptition are pratically the same however I have changed the font colours, with one being white and one being black I hope Jess will choose one.
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Client Project - designs after feedbacl
In Jess's latest email she stated that she preferred my latest design but did not exactly specify which one. So I thought that I would give her an idea of how each design could potentially look like.
Below are three page designs of potential idea number one. I decided to create a timetable, contacts and gallery.
For the timetable I was unsure as to how present the work, because there were so many classes. When I spoke to my housemates and explained the problems they suggested rather than having a day to day timetable I would have a timetable for school classes and a timetable for public classes. Looking at this now it seems so obvious.
I am looking into making it a flash application so the timetable could be more interactive.
For the gallery I may suggest to Jess to stick to three gallerys and alter the images when needed, mainly to make it faster for the user. I will be applying a Lightbox application so the pictures can be expanded to view properly however how to present them may be difficult because I have left myself with little space to work with. And I also have to consider the usability as once completed Jess will be the one controlling it.
The contact page will be standard though I will also included Jess's phone number. The only issue that I have with this design is that it is very overpowered by reds. Other people agree with this but we all like the image of the dancer. If this design is chosen I plan to have a different dancer on each page, ideally at different age groups.
Below are three page designs of potential idea number one. I decided to create a timetable, contacts and gallery.
For the timetable I was unsure as to how present the work, because there were so many classes. When I spoke to my housemates and explained the problems they suggested rather than having a day to day timetable I would have a timetable for school classes and a timetable for public classes. Looking at this now it seems so obvious.
I am looking into making it a flash application so the timetable could be more interactive.
For the gallery I may suggest to Jess to stick to three gallerys and alter the images when needed, mainly to make it faster for the user. I will be applying a Lightbox application so the pictures can be expanded to view properly however how to present them may be difficult because I have left myself with little space to work with. And I also have to consider the usability as once completed Jess will be the one controlling it.
The contact page will be standard though I will also included Jess's phone number. The only issue that I have with this design is that it is very overpowered by reds. Other people agree with this but we all like the image of the dancer. If this design is chosen I plan to have a different dancer on each page, ideally at different age groups.
SPP - Jobs Microsoft Application 2
As one of our spp aims is to apply for a job (mock) I thought that I would take this opportunity to apply for an actual job. Before Christmas I came across Microsoft when going to a careers fair.
My first thought before I saw this was that it was aimed at business students. But having a glimpse I saw the MACH scheme program. Applications were open for three sections: Marketing, Technical and Sales. With Technical including SQL Training, Web development and web design training the course sounds ideal. Below is how Microsoft describes the course:
Lasting two years, the MACH (Microsoft Academies for College Hires) programme balances work and training to provide the perfect link between academia and professional life. Put simply, MACH is your doorway into the world of Microsoft.
We designed it to support and develop graduates from some of the top colleges and universities around the world. MACH’s strength is that it enables you to do real work on major projects within a framework of support, assessment, and review…perfect for identifying and playing to your unique strengths. You can expect the chance to network with MACH graduates from across the globe and receive expert training and mentoring in your chosen specialism.
Training
To remain relevant and fresh in such a fast-moving industry, talent needs to grow and knowledge needs to diversify. That’s why we offer some of the best vocational training in the world.
In the first year, you’ll focus on core skills training to develop the personal and professional skills needed to establish yourself within the MACH community. In Year 2 you’ll focus on career development initiatives to help you manage your future career.
Core training includes:
* Microsoft Induction in Redmond, Washington (this can vary from 1 to 3 weeks, depending on your role)
* Two weeks’ professional skills training at a European location, including presentation skills and team learning and development
* MACH Global conference and Microsoft Global Exchange—a week’s global networking experience in the U.S.
* Virtual scenario-based training, enabling you to practice everything you’ve learnt
* Career strategy workshop and graduation
In addition, you can expect training tailored to help you succeed in your roles. While its exact nature will depend on your past experience and strengths, it can include:
Marketing
This programme will provide you with marketing fundamentals, exposing you to senior marketing leaders and a global network of marketers—all of whom have sound career advice to offer. Training includes two weeks in the U.S., one of which is spent at Kellogg in Chicago. We also fund CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) evening classes during Year 2.
Technical
Two weeks’ technical training will equip you with the specialist competencies needed to attain the relevant MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) qualification for your role. Training can include:
Developer (MCPD):
* Introduction to VB.Net
* SQL training
* Advance Web Development
* Web Design Training
System Administrator (MCSA):
* Implementing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network environment/infrastructure
* Installing and configuring the Windows Vista Operating System, applications, and tools
* Microsoft Exchange Server 2007: Installing, managing, messaging security
Sales
Working in a real sales role with client exposure from day one, you’ll receive all the training and tools you need to succeed. Mentors and managers with strong sales backgrounds will advise and help guide you through your first few years. Extra training can focus on:
* Microsoft Solutions Sales Process
* Spin-selling
* Shadowing experienced business managers
* Selling the Stack—Product training
* Selling to the Board—A three-day course that showcases the sales skills you’ve acquired to date in a challenging ‘live’ environment
After MACH
Once you complete MACH, you'll join the scheme’s alumni community—and will stay a member throughout your Microsoft career. Work-wise, you could head down a number of paths…but what’s certain is that you'll continue to be challenged and excited by the world of opportunity that’s on offer.
I have nearly finished the application form and hope to send it this weekend, a week before the deadline but I feel that I should work on my CV design now because looking at different jobs I think my CV needs a bit of a revamp.
My first thought before I saw this was that it was aimed at business students. But having a glimpse I saw the MACH scheme program. Applications were open for three sections: Marketing, Technical and Sales. With Technical including SQL Training, Web development and web design training the course sounds ideal. Below is how Microsoft describes the course:
Lasting two years, the MACH (Microsoft Academies for College Hires) programme balances work and training to provide the perfect link between academia and professional life. Put simply, MACH is your doorway into the world of Microsoft.
We designed it to support and develop graduates from some of the top colleges and universities around the world. MACH’s strength is that it enables you to do real work on major projects within a framework of support, assessment, and review…perfect for identifying and playing to your unique strengths. You can expect the chance to network with MACH graduates from across the globe and receive expert training and mentoring in your chosen specialism.
Training
To remain relevant and fresh in such a fast-moving industry, talent needs to grow and knowledge needs to diversify. That’s why we offer some of the best vocational training in the world.
In the first year, you’ll focus on core skills training to develop the personal and professional skills needed to establish yourself within the MACH community. In Year 2 you’ll focus on career development initiatives to help you manage your future career.
Core training includes:
* Microsoft Induction in Redmond, Washington (this can vary from 1 to 3 weeks, depending on your role)
* Two weeks’ professional skills training at a European location, including presentation skills and team learning and development
* MACH Global conference and Microsoft Global Exchange—a week’s global networking experience in the U.S.
* Virtual scenario-based training, enabling you to practice everything you’ve learnt
* Career strategy workshop and graduation
In addition, you can expect training tailored to help you succeed in your roles. While its exact nature will depend on your past experience and strengths, it can include:
Marketing
This programme will provide you with marketing fundamentals, exposing you to senior marketing leaders and a global network of marketers—all of whom have sound career advice to offer. Training includes two weeks in the U.S., one of which is spent at Kellogg in Chicago. We also fund CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) evening classes during Year 2.
Technical
Two weeks’ technical training will equip you with the specialist competencies needed to attain the relevant MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) qualification for your role. Training can include:
Developer (MCPD):
* Introduction to VB.Net
* SQL training
* Advance Web Development
* Web Design Training
System Administrator (MCSA):
* Implementing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network environment/infrastructure
* Installing and configuring the Windows Vista Operating System, applications, and tools
* Microsoft Exchange Server 2007: Installing, managing, messaging security
Sales
Working in a real sales role with client exposure from day one, you’ll receive all the training and tools you need to succeed. Mentors and managers with strong sales backgrounds will advise and help guide you through your first few years. Extra training can focus on:
* Microsoft Solutions Sales Process
* Spin-selling
* Shadowing experienced business managers
* Selling the Stack—Product training
* Selling to the Board—A three-day course that showcases the sales skills you’ve acquired to date in a challenging ‘live’ environment
After MACH
Once you complete MACH, you'll join the scheme’s alumni community—and will stay a member throughout your Microsoft career. Work-wise, you could head down a number of paths…but what’s certain is that you'll continue to be challenged and excited by the world of opportunity that’s on offer.
I have nearly finished the application form and hope to send it this weekend, a week before the deadline but I feel that I should work on my CV design now because looking at different jobs I think my CV needs a bit of a revamp.
PRP - First Artefact update
After explaining my first artefact I thought it would be wise to give you an update on where I am at. It is proving to be quite difficult to get responses and I completely understand this, even though I have tried to make it easy and less time consuming to do I feel that schools/admin are taking one look and assuming it will take a while or is spam so delete it.
I have however had some polite responses explaining why they cannot do the questionnaire which I am grateful for and, at the end of the artefact I will email them thanking them for a respond. I have now sent over 300 emails and will continue this week sending them out. I want a strong idea and what teachers think and so I may not get to my target but I am going to continue until Friday to get my replies. On a plus side I am getting responses so I will get an outcome, it may not be complete but its information that I need.
I have however had some polite responses explaining why they cannot do the questionnaire which I am grateful for and, at the end of the artefact I will email them thanking them for a respond. I have now sent over 300 emails and will continue this week sending them out. I want a strong idea and what teachers think and so I may not get to my target but I am going to continue until Friday to get my replies. On a plus side I am getting responses so I will get an outcome, it may not be complete but its information that I need.
Tuesday 19 January 2010
Client Project - Design Update
When I last posted some design ideas up last week I wasn't too happy with them and decided to do a couple more design ideas. After having a look through Ashley's blog I came across some websites that he had analysed and two in particular caught my eye; the wii fit website and the body shop website.
Gaining inspiration from the wii fit site I tried bringing a student to the front of the page. I feel now that looking back at the other designs I lacked images, which is something that I really try to focus on because it makes site more appealing and gives the user a small idea about what the who the dance academy could appeal too.
I have changed the text to a standard more easy to read font giving the site a more professional look. I am still a bit unsure if there is a bit too much red in this site but I will experiment with this as well. I have also minimised the navigation tab. Rather then having all of the navigation across one bar I suggested having drop down links making it look easier to navigate through, what I have noticed when looking through dance websites the main points that users are looking for are: who is the academy?, when classes are run and how to contact the club. These are the links that I have kept.
Having gained inspiration from the body shop site I managed to tone down the red by adding a gradient background. I included all of the navigation buttons on this design because I wanted Jess to have a choice of design options. However as you can see at the bottom I have created alternative links that sends the users to the main pages. I am unsure as to whether this will confuse the user but it seems to be successful in other sites.
As this design is an example of the home page the main bulk of information would be placed into box where the logo is currently placed.
I have sent these to Jess and she agreed with me that these designs are better then the previous how she would like the logo to stand out more so I shall work on both designs, created all the pages for each to give Jess a stronger idea and work on some designs to make the logo stand out from the rest of the designs.
Gaining inspiration from the wii fit site I tried bringing a student to the front of the page. I feel now that looking back at the other designs I lacked images, which is something that I really try to focus on because it makes site more appealing and gives the user a small idea about what the who the dance academy could appeal too.
I have changed the text to a standard more easy to read font giving the site a more professional look. I am still a bit unsure if there is a bit too much red in this site but I will experiment with this as well. I have also minimised the navigation tab. Rather then having all of the navigation across one bar I suggested having drop down links making it look easier to navigate through, what I have noticed when looking through dance websites the main points that users are looking for are: who is the academy?, when classes are run and how to contact the club. These are the links that I have kept.
Having gained inspiration from the body shop site I managed to tone down the red by adding a gradient background. I included all of the navigation buttons on this design because I wanted Jess to have a choice of design options. However as you can see at the bottom I have created alternative links that sends the users to the main pages. I am unsure as to whether this will confuse the user but it seems to be successful in other sites.
As this design is an example of the home page the main bulk of information would be placed into box where the logo is currently placed.
I have sent these to Jess and she agreed with me that these designs are better then the previous how she would like the logo to stand out more so I shall work on both designs, created all the pages for each to give Jess a stronger idea and work on some designs to make the logo stand out from the rest of the designs.
Friday 15 January 2010
PRP - First Artefact
Ok as I'm still organising the work with my school test subject I thought that I would get working on my first artefact. Being that my research is based on not only the children in schools but also how the teachers are affected by the continuous change in technology.
I need to get a grasp on what the teachers think as well as the children and so my first two artifacts are aiming to get their views and ideas which shall hopefully allow me to progress into my next artefact.
For the first artefact I have designed a questionnaire, consisting of only 10 multiple choice questions and have designed the questionnaire on surveymonkey.com. The main reason for producing my questionnaire in this format is because I not only want it to be easy for me to analyse the results but I want it easy for the user, they are the ones taking the time to help me and so making it as user friendly and easy for them will hopefully get me more results.
Danny Kaye gave us a lecture on questionnaires last term and so from the notes that I made from that lecture I have hopefully created I good questionnaire. The questions that I sent out are below:
1) What level of education are you currently teaching?
- Infant
- Primary
- Secondary
- No answer
- other
2)Do you think that computer games are just a form of entertainment or could they be a useful learning tool?
- Entertainment
- Learning tool and Entertainment
- Prefer not to answer
- other
3) As an educator yourself how much knowledge do you have on computer games?
(1 having good knowledge and 5 having little knowledge)
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- No answer
- other
4) Do you feel that if provided with more knowledge and understanding on computer games, educators would be more optimistic about using this new learning technique?
- Having more knowledge educators will be more optimistic
- No change in educators opinion, games are for entertainment
- No opinion
- Other
5) Are you aware of the different types of games, e.g. simulation, adventure, puzzle etc?
- Yes
- No
- No answer
- Other
6) Computer games are very popular for all ages, do you think that if computer games were brought into schools it would boost the individual students confidence because they are familiar with the concept of gaming?
- Boost the students confidence
- Will not make any difference
- Prefer not to answer
- Other
7) As you are aware we all learn at different paces. Do you think that computer games could teach children with a different method of learning and thus help their individual needs?
- Games could support individual needs
- Games could not support individual needs
- Games are just a form of entertainment
- Prefer not to answer
- other
8) Do you agree or disagree: When children start education they are not only learning literacy, numeracy, science etc but skills that will help them develop in the future i.e. social and group-work skills?
- Agree
- Disagree
- other
9) The government have pushed forward the idea of ICT (Information Communication Technology) in secondary schools and is proving to be successful, but do you think that this could be as successful in a infant/primary level?
- Successful
- Unsuccessful
- Other
10) There are many implications when using computers in a learning environment (chat rooms, online bullying, access by pedophiles) Do you think that this could be the reason for why using technology in infant/primary may not be so appropriate?
- Agree with this reason
- Disagree with this reason
- Other
As you can see for the majority of the questions I have given the user the option to either not answer or write their own opinion. I have hopefully made this questionnaire as user-friendly as possible but can also gather enough information for myself to gain an idea about what the teacher feels about computer games in a learning environment.
I have sent just over a hundred questionnaires out just over an hour ago and have already received three so hopefully this is a good sign. I intend to send out another hundred out on Sunday evening ready for the Monday morning start. The more I send out the more I data I can collect, meaning my research will be more thorougher.
I need to get a grasp on what the teachers think as well as the children and so my first two artifacts are aiming to get their views and ideas which shall hopefully allow me to progress into my next artefact.
For the first artefact I have designed a questionnaire, consisting of only 10 multiple choice questions and have designed the questionnaire on surveymonkey.com. The main reason for producing my questionnaire in this format is because I not only want it to be easy for me to analyse the results but I want it easy for the user, they are the ones taking the time to help me and so making it as user friendly and easy for them will hopefully get me more results.
Danny Kaye gave us a lecture on questionnaires last term and so from the notes that I made from that lecture I have hopefully created I good questionnaire. The questions that I sent out are below:
1) What level of education are you currently teaching?
- Infant
- Primary
- Secondary
- No answer
- other
2)Do you think that computer games are just a form of entertainment or could they be a useful learning tool?
- Entertainment
- Learning tool and Entertainment
- Prefer not to answer
- other
3) As an educator yourself how much knowledge do you have on computer games?
(1 having good knowledge and 5 having little knowledge)
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- No answer
- other
4) Do you feel that if provided with more knowledge and understanding on computer games, educators would be more optimistic about using this new learning technique?
- Having more knowledge educators will be more optimistic
- No change in educators opinion, games are for entertainment
- No opinion
- Other
5) Are you aware of the different types of games, e.g. simulation, adventure, puzzle etc?
- Yes
- No
- No answer
- Other
6) Computer games are very popular for all ages, do you think that if computer games were brought into schools it would boost the individual students confidence because they are familiar with the concept of gaming?
- Boost the students confidence
- Will not make any difference
- Prefer not to answer
- Other
7) As you are aware we all learn at different paces. Do you think that computer games could teach children with a different method of learning and thus help their individual needs?
- Games could support individual needs
- Games could not support individual needs
- Games are just a form of entertainment
- Prefer not to answer
- other
8) Do you agree or disagree: When children start education they are not only learning literacy, numeracy, science etc but skills that will help them develop in the future i.e. social and group-work skills?
- Agree
- Disagree
- other
9) The government have pushed forward the idea of ICT (Information Communication Technology) in secondary schools and is proving to be successful, but do you think that this could be as successful in a infant/primary level?
- Successful
- Unsuccessful
- Other
10) There are many implications when using computers in a learning environment (chat rooms, online bullying, access by pedophiles) Do you think that this could be the reason for why using technology in infant/primary may not be so appropriate?
- Agree with this reason
- Disagree with this reason
- Other
As you can see for the majority of the questions I have given the user the option to either not answer or write their own opinion. I have hopefully made this questionnaire as user-friendly as possible but can also gather enough information for myself to gain an idea about what the teacher feels about computer games in a learning environment.
I have sent just over a hundred questionnaires out just over an hour ago and have already received three so hopefully this is a good sign. I intend to send out another hundred out on Sunday evening ready for the Monday morning start. The more I send out the more I data I can collect, meaning my research will be more thorougher.
Thursday 14 January 2010
Spp3 - Job adverts 1
Web designer with Css for Web 2.0 Design role to £28k (Date accessed 14/01/10)
You will be working on our search engine designing both the graphical user interface as well as other various pages within the site. You ideas and creativity will be valued. Each page you design is viewed thousands of times so getting it right is more important than doing it quickly.
We are obsessed with clear presentation and usability. If you want to learn about (or practise) developing effective human computer interfaces ( HCI ) then this will be a very interesting role for you.
Salary: £24K to £28k
Skills Required
* Very good knowledge of HTML
* Very good knowledge of CSS
* Knowledge of Photoshop or similar
* JavaScript / jQuery knowledge not essential, but a bonus
* Experience in using Visual Studio not essential, but a bonus
The company has about 12 UK employees and we are based in Mayfair, London.
We do some web design work for our clients but primarily your role will be to work on our internal project - which is www.stockinthechannel.com. To assist and work along side you we have one other UK web designer and two based in Argentina. You will be replacing an existing designer who is off to travel the world for a couple of years.
An exciting project is coming up that will require a through knowledge of CSS. This involves designing a stylesheet that the users can configure to change the appearance of the interface that they and their staff use.
Immediate start. You will need to have had previous experience of commercial web design.
I found this job advert on gumtree thought I'd post the description incase it get taken off the site. From what I can see about the application they want your standard CV however they have included an attachment box so the potential employee could attach additional work if required.
Media Force - graduates
Ok its not exactly what our degree is about but it maybe of some interest to some people. From looking at the website its a recruitment agency for people wanting to go into marketing and events planning. I thought it looked very interesting so its going on the blog.
Who knows it maybe interesting to someone else.
You will be working on our search engine designing both the graphical user interface as well as other various pages within the site. You ideas and creativity will be valued. Each page you design is viewed thousands of times so getting it right is more important than doing it quickly.
We are obsessed with clear presentation and usability. If you want to learn about (or practise) developing effective human computer interfaces ( HCI ) then this will be a very interesting role for you.
Salary: £24K to £28k
Skills Required
* Very good knowledge of HTML
* Very good knowledge of CSS
* Knowledge of Photoshop or similar
* JavaScript / jQuery knowledge not essential, but a bonus
* Experience in using Visual Studio not essential, but a bonus
The company has about 12 UK employees and we are based in Mayfair, London.
We do some web design work for our clients but primarily your role will be to work on our internal project - which is www.stockinthechannel.com. To assist and work along side you we have one other UK web designer and two based in Argentina. You will be replacing an existing designer who is off to travel the world for a couple of years.
An exciting project is coming up that will require a through knowledge of CSS. This involves designing a stylesheet that the users can configure to change the appearance of the interface that they and their staff use.
Immediate start. You will need to have had previous experience of commercial web design.
I found this job advert on gumtree thought I'd post the description incase it get taken off the site. From what I can see about the application they want your standard CV however they have included an attachment box so the potential employee could attach additional work if required.
Media Force - graduates
Ok its not exactly what our degree is about but it maybe of some interest to some people. From looking at the website its a recruitment agency for people wanting to go into marketing and events planning. I thought it looked very interesting so its going on the blog.
Who knows it maybe interesting to someone else.
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Client Project - First Design attempts
I have now done the first design attempts for the Street Beatz website. I worked along the requirements that Jess stated however from the research that I have previously done I have added an 'about us' page and 'contacts' mainly because it would give potential customers the main facts that they would like to know about; that is what the club is, the dancing styles and how to get in contact with Jess herself, obviously if Jess does not want these pages then I completely understand because this is her website but thought that as the web designer I should throw in suggestions to give her ideas.
The designs before have been created via the wire frames I designed previously. They are not all complete and a few of them I still want to tweak before I send them to Jess but I have kept the design that Jess wanted and the logo. I feel that the different tones of red really work well together and from my previous research the website would definately stand out from the competition.
Design 1
Design 2
Design 3
Design 4
Design 5
Design 6
As you can see some of the designs don't have a images on them, please note that that would not apply to every page if that certain design was picked, its just an example of what one of the pages could look like.
My personal favourites are designs 5 and 6 possibly because it is something different to what I usually design. I have been looking at how the background has been created and I think I know how its been done so in the designs above the background may look a bit disjointed however this is only because I have chopped pieces from the designs given this will look different in future designs.
The designs before have been created via the wire frames I designed previously. They are not all complete and a few of them I still want to tweak before I send them to Jess but I have kept the design that Jess wanted and the logo. I feel that the different tones of red really work well together and from my previous research the website would definately stand out from the competition.
Design 1
Design 2
Design 3
Design 4
Design 5
Design 6
As you can see some of the designs don't have a images on them, please note that that would not apply to every page if that certain design was picked, its just an example of what one of the pages could look like.
My personal favourites are designs 5 and 6 possibly because it is something different to what I usually design. I have been looking at how the background has been created and I think I know how its been done so in the designs above the background may look a bit disjointed however this is only because I have chopped pieces from the designs given this will look different in future designs.
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Client Project - Photo edits
Jess sent me some photos of some of the street beatz that could potentially be used on the website. Looking at the style that I am trying to create on the site I thought that I would try and edit the images to work with the style. Below are some examples that I have started, I experimented with a few different techniques, for example I added red filters, photoshop filters and changed the brightness/contrasts.
I am not sure whether Jess would like them or not but they could work well with the website design. I am currently creating some mock-ups for Jess to have a look at, basing them on the wire frames that I have previously done one of them will hopefully appeal to Jess otherwise...oh well back to the drawing board.
(have added a poster effect)
(standard red photo filter used)
(artist cutout filter)
As you can see they are all pretty similar but with slight adjustments.
I am not sure whether Jess would like them or not but they could work well with the website design. I am currently creating some mock-ups for Jess to have a look at, basing them on the wire frames that I have previously done one of them will hopefully appeal to Jess otherwise...oh well back to the drawing board.
(have added a poster effect)
(standard red photo filter used)
(artist cutout filter)
As you can see they are all pretty similar but with slight adjustments.
Monday 11 January 2010
PRP - First Artefact, the best method of research
When I decided that best way to start my research was to have a wider audience and then as the artefacts were made the audience would be minimised. Having decided that my main target audience for this artefact are the educators themselves I had to think about how would I collect such a large amount of data? I came across this article from the U.S Department of Education that provided some good advice.
With the title being 'What's the Best Way to Collect My Information?' it was clear that this would be useful information. The main aim of the article is to provide readers information on the different methods of data collection when needing research from schools. There are many different options available when it comes to collecting data. For myself I would like to collect a large amount of data to get a stronger understanding on what educators think.
The article provided different examples of how data could be collected. I already knew the majority of the methods but wasn't fully aware of the advantages and disadvantages when it came to the method of research. Different research methods included:
- Email - can collect a large amount of data and is not so time consuming for both the researcher and the participants, however you are restricted to what information you get.
- Telephone - Can receive a more informative response also having a personal touch though it can be difficult to get in touch with the participant.
- Observation - The participant would need to provide little information as they are being observed but this can be time consuming and the researcher could effect the responses from the participant because of their presence.
These were only a few but its useful to know the options. I think that I will go for the email option. Even though I may be restricted because of the questions I will still be able to get a large amount of responses quickly. This could also work to my advantage because being restricted to answers means that I can choose what I want and makes the research fair.
Saturday 9 January 2010
Client Project - What's Street beatz?
I've been talking about Street beatz a lot and explaining what its about, who runs it etc but what do they actually do?
Below is a youtube video that was taken of Jess's first Street beatz show and the launch of Street beatz. It was Jess's final degree project and a lot of the dancers involved had never danced before.
Below is a youtube video that was taken of Jess's first Street beatz show and the launch of Street beatz. It was Jess's final degree project and a lot of the dancers involved had never danced before.
Client Project - Wire frame designs
Below are the wire frame designs for the website that I could potentially use. Everyone can see what the basic look is for each design so I am not going to explain every single design but I did get the inspiration for these designs from other dancing websites.
I am still not sure which one to pick as of yet it may not even be any of these but I have started some designs working around the templates of these wireframes so they shall hopefully be uploaded by the end of next week or, they need to be done by next week as I have my first meeting since the start of the project with Jess to look over the designs and hopefully choose the final piece.
Sorry to bore you all with this but David said put everything up on the blog so I'm just following instructions.
Wire Frame 1
Wire Frame 2
Wire Frame 3
Wire Frame 4
Wire Frame 5
Wire Frame 6
I have a good idea of what the wire frames will look like when I use the main imagery but these will give me a good starting point and there will be alot of tweaking but from research these are the wire frame designs that are mostly used.
I am still not sure which one to pick as of yet it may not even be any of these but I have started some designs working around the templates of these wireframes so they shall hopefully be uploaded by the end of next week or, they need to be done by next week as I have my first meeting since the start of the project with Jess to look over the designs and hopefully choose the final piece.
Sorry to bore you all with this but David said put everything up on the blog so I'm just following instructions.
Wire Frame 1
Wire Frame 2
Wire Frame 3
Wire Frame 4
Wire Frame 5
Wire Frame 6
I have a good idea of what the wire frames will look like when I use the main imagery but these will give me a good starting point and there will be alot of tweaking but from research these are the wire frame designs that are mostly used.
Friday 8 January 2010
SPP3 - Post grad courses 1
Well welcome back SPP3. Successful Practice and Principles is back and our first assignement is to find and select a post graduate course and a job that relates to our specialist subject (or something that I would perhaps wish to pursue)and create a mock application for each one.
I've decided that I would start looking at the post graduate courses. Not becuase I would like to continue in education but because I found a very useful site that maybe of some use to everyone.
I found a site called hotcourses.com and you simply enter the criteria that you want and it finds the matches for you.
At the moment I have looked into post graduate courses for Multimedia but after looking through the courses I intend to specialise my search into a specific area that I find interesting. Below are some of the links that I have found for multimedia courses:
Multimedia Technology - University of Hertfordshire
Multimedia and Internet Computing MSc/PgDip - Loughborough University
Creative Digital Media MA - University Of Worcester
Advanced Computing - Internet Technologies with Multimedia MSc - University Of Bristol
Interactive Multimedia MSc - University Of Westminster
These are just a very very very small amount that there is to offer but it kind of gives a very brief idea as to what courses I am looking for. If I was to ever go on to do a course then it would have to be full time, I would rather complete a Masters in 1 year rather then over the course of 2-5 years.
I've decided that I would start looking at the post graduate courses. Not becuase I would like to continue in education but because I found a very useful site that maybe of some use to everyone.
I found a site called hotcourses.com and you simply enter the criteria that you want and it finds the matches for you.
At the moment I have looked into post graduate courses for Multimedia but after looking through the courses I intend to specialise my search into a specific area that I find interesting. Below are some of the links that I have found for multimedia courses:
Multimedia Technology - University of Hertfordshire
Multimedia and Internet Computing MSc/PgDip - Loughborough University
Creative Digital Media MA - University Of Worcester
Advanced Computing - Internet Technologies with Multimedia MSc - University Of Bristol
Interactive Multimedia MSc - University Of Westminster
These are just a very very very small amount that there is to offer but it kind of gives a very brief idea as to what courses I am looking for. If I was to ever go on to do a course then it would have to be full time, I would rather complete a Masters in 1 year rather then over the course of 2-5 years.
Client Project - Recieved designs!!!
Update from yesterday, I have now recieve the graphics from Jess (good timing if you ask me) and so will be able to create ideas with the proper graphic designs giving both me and Jess a stronger idea on what the website will look like.
The grapher designer who worked with Jess also provided me the template of the logo so I will be able to maintain a high standard logo image.
As you can see above these are the background designs for Street Beatz leaflets and, this will be the background for the website. I have to say that I am very happy to use this because I really like this design. In my previous post I pointed out that I was quite worried about having to design with the colour red however the graphic designer that Jess worked for has blended different reds together and has created a funky hip hop design which relates very well to Jess's street dance academy.
I am still working on the wireframes but my next issue that I will have to raise with Jess will be about the font. When I get a chance I will scan the leaflets that I was given to show which text was used. However I need to make it clear that I cannot use a text that not many people will have on their computers because otherwise the users would be left with a default font and a not very good looking website.
The grapher designer who worked with Jess also provided me the template of the logo so I will be able to maintain a high standard logo image.
As you can see above these are the background designs for Street Beatz leaflets and, this will be the background for the website. I have to say that I am very happy to use this because I really like this design. In my previous post I pointed out that I was quite worried about having to design with the colour red however the graphic designer that Jess worked for has blended different reds together and has created a funky hip hop design which relates very well to Jess's street dance academy.
I am still working on the wireframes but my next issue that I will have to raise with Jess will be about the font. When I get a chance I will scan the leaflets that I was given to show which text was used. However I need to make it clear that I cannot use a text that not many people will have on their computers because otherwise the users would be left with a default font and a not very good looking website.
Thursday 7 January 2010
Client Project - Design
When I last had a meeting with Jess (founder of Street Beatz) she mentioned that she wanted the design of her website as the same style as the leaflets that she had just designed with the help of another graphic designer.
At the beginning of the week I emailed Jess asking for the graphics so I could start designing the user interface but I thought whilst I'm waiting I may as well have a little play around with background designs, kind of like wire frames with colour.
As you can see they are nothing amazing but I thought whilst I'm waiting I'll have a little (very little) play around and see what I can come up with. I am currently designing some actual wire frames for the website and these will be posted up here shortly but work is work so I am putting everything on here.
The colour that you can see in the images is the type of colour that Jess wants the website, this is something that I am going to find a bit of a challenge because I have always tried to avoid the colour red when designing because to me its a risky colour. Some people may find it too bold and 'in your face' and some may percieve this colour to danger and so I will have to find a balance where these two worrying criterias will not occur.
At the beginning of the week I emailed Jess asking for the graphics so I could start designing the user interface but I thought whilst I'm waiting I may as well have a little play around with background designs, kind of like wire frames with colour.
As you can see they are nothing amazing but I thought whilst I'm waiting I'll have a little (very little) play around and see what I can come up with. I am currently designing some actual wire frames for the website and these will be posted up here shortly but work is work so I am putting everything on here.
The colour that you can see in the images is the type of colour that Jess wants the website, this is something that I am going to find a bit of a challenge because I have always tried to avoid the colour red when designing because to me its a risky colour. Some people may find it too bold and 'in your face' and some may percieve this colour to danger and so I will have to find a balance where these two worrying criterias will not occur.
Wednesday 6 January 2010
PRP - School meeting
Well being in the south doesn't particularly help especially when there's bad snow, I have to get to a school (the only one that was probably open) and... its down a huge hill but I got there and without slipping.
Its all go ahead with my research I spoke to the headmistress of Moorlands primary school today and she still seems happy to help me with my project. I obviously will have to have a teacher or an assistant present with me when conducting my tests, and with have to work along with the current lessons that they are learning but besides from that its seems to be gradually comming along well.
The headmistress (Mrs White) thought that it would be best if I have a class from year 1 and a class from year 5 (4 from each class) which would be perfect for my tests getting a good age range to see how they both differ. I have been given the ICT teachers email and so will email her to see when is best for her to meet up as from what Mrs White has said she will be the one working along side with me for my testing.
Its all go ahead with my research I spoke to the headmistress of Moorlands primary school today and she still seems happy to help me with my project. I obviously will have to have a teacher or an assistant present with me when conducting my tests, and with have to work along with the current lessons that they are learning but besides from that its seems to be gradually comming along well.
The headmistress (Mrs White) thought that it would be best if I have a class from year 1 and a class from year 5 (4 from each class) which would be perfect for my tests getting a good age range to see how they both differ. I have been given the ICT teachers email and so will email her to see when is best for her to meet up as from what Mrs White has said she will be the one working along side with me for my testing.
Tuesday 5 January 2010
PRP Project - Update
For those of you who don't know what my project is about my question for my PRP project was:
'How can online games be used to support individualised learning within a group learning environment?'
Basically I wanted to look at how games could not only help students learning individually but also how they could collaborate students together and learning as a group because, some students are slower learners then others (I'm one of these) and I wanted to see whether games could support this.
To some extent I think that my idea of games helping the learning curriculum would work and I have explained this in my research paper but we have now got to the term where we have to test our research theory.
I have managed to get school that is willing to take part in my project...my old school in fact. It is a infant and primary school and so is perfect for the age range that I need to test, but I am hoping to children at year 3 level (aged 7) I am going into the school today arrange an appointement with the headmaster (who was my old teacher eek) so I may be back on here blogging again later today with my feedback ... or I may not.
'How can online games be used to support individualised learning within a group learning environment?'
Basically I wanted to look at how games could not only help students learning individually but also how they could collaborate students together and learning as a group because, some students are slower learners then others (I'm one of these) and I wanted to see whether games could support this.
To some extent I think that my idea of games helping the learning curriculum would work and I have explained this in my research paper but we have now got to the term where we have to test our research theory.
I have managed to get school that is willing to take part in my project...my old school in fact. It is a infant and primary school and so is perfect for the age range that I need to test, but I am hoping to children at year 3 level (aged 7) I am going into the school today arrange an appointement with the headmaster (who was my old teacher eek) so I may be back on here blogging again later today with my feedback ... or I may not.
Monday 4 January 2010
Client Project - Note to self
Just a few points that I have to now take into consideration when starting to design the site (otherwise I will forget):
- Make sure I experiment with the colour red as a background (keep the content the main aspect of the site and do not let the background overpower it)
- Have images to a certain constraint and represent to what is being said in the content.
- Be inviting to all ages, classes are available to all ages so need to not only attract the younger target audience but adults.
- Maybe include a FAQ or reviews page providing answers for children, adults and parent who wish to know about the dance school.
- Keep the navigation simple yet still provide all of the information needed.
All of these things will be discussed in my next meeting with Jess because I need to make sure that she is aware of her competition and see if my suggestions would be useful.
- Make sure I experiment with the colour red as a background (keep the content the main aspect of the site and do not let the background overpower it)
- Have images to a certain constraint and represent to what is being said in the content.
- Be inviting to all ages, classes are available to all ages so need to not only attract the younger target audience but adults.
- Maybe include a FAQ or reviews page providing answers for children, adults and parent who wish to know about the dance school.
- Keep the navigation simple yet still provide all of the information needed.
All of these things will be discussed in my next meeting with Jess because I need to make sure that she is aware of her competition and see if my suggestions would be useful.
Client Project - The competition, notice anything?
Before are three logo designs for three dance schools in Southampton, can you notice anything similar?
It seems that street beatz dance academy isn't the only street dance school in Southampton. Having found three other street dance schools not only all in Southampton but with all the same style design (dance scene, street vibe dance school and La dance studio) I am going to have to create a site that shows people that streetbeatz really is the place to go.
I am not going to anaylse these sites because I would be repeating what I have said in previous posts but I provided the link above for you to have a look at. However looking at these sites has now given me more ideas that I could use for Jess's streetbeatz site. So I think its now time to go off and do some designing.
It seems that street beatz dance academy isn't the only street dance school in Southampton. Having found three other street dance schools not only all in Southampton but with all the same style design (dance scene, street vibe dance school and La dance studio) I am going to have to create a site that shows people that streetbeatz really is the place to go.
I am not going to anaylse these sites because I would be repeating what I have said in previous posts but I provided the link above for you to have a look at. However looking at these sites has now given me more ideas that I could use for Jess's streetbeatz site. So I think its now time to go off and do some designing.
Client Project - The competition cont.
In previous posts I have stated that I felt red was going to be a challenge to incorporate because of the way the colour is percieved at times (danger, can be very overpowering) however 'Tracies latin club' proved me wrong.
The designer of this website has managed to change the whole look of the colour by giving it a more romantic look. I think that the colour works because throughout the site the designer has only used tones of red including applying red filters to the photos. The background colour also compliments the logo making it stand out against the background colour.
The site designer has obviously taken into consideration who the target audience is and the style of dance (like I have to) and the outcome is very successful in my opinion. Having a navigation bar at the top the layout is user friendly. Some of the pages are different to from other sites that I have analysed. Being that this dance school is for adults a FAQ and reviews page has been included which I think is a good descision because it is giving the users opinions from previous dancers.
They have used imagery where appropriate though I feel that the gallery images should be at the same constraints to look tidier it still give the audience an image to look at and show them what the dance club does.
So some more ideas that I have to consider are now working with colour red providing that it doesn't overpower the main content and to provide page for all age groups. The list is slowly getting longer but giving me a stronger idea.
The designer of this website has managed to change the whole look of the colour by giving it a more romantic look. I think that the colour works because throughout the site the designer has only used tones of red including applying red filters to the photos. The background colour also compliments the logo making it stand out against the background colour.
The site designer has obviously taken into consideration who the target audience is and the style of dance (like I have to) and the outcome is very successful in my opinion. Having a navigation bar at the top the layout is user friendly. Some of the pages are different to from other sites that I have analysed. Being that this dance school is for adults a FAQ and reviews page has been included which I think is a good descision because it is giving the users opinions from previous dancers.
They have used imagery where appropriate though I feel that the gallery images should be at the same constraints to look tidier it still give the audience an image to look at and show them what the dance club does.
So some more ideas that I have to consider are now working with colour red providing that it doesn't overpower the main content and to provide page for all age groups. The list is slowly getting longer but giving me a stronger idea.
Client project - The competition cont.
The DM Dance centre looks very very similar to the first two sites that I analysed however there is one small difference, this one is based in Southampton and so therefore is Jess's competition.
From looking at the site The DM Dance centre is very popular in the adult dance classes and also having a wide variety of dance styles also makes this dance school appealing. Jess's speacialises in street dance so I need to create a site that shows people that street beatz is the place to go for street dancing.
The imagery used on this site relates to what the content says and even there a few images that look like clipart pieces the majority is at a high standard. I was kept interested throughout and they have kept the navigation to just the essentials, something that I like because rather then having to continously click the different links until you find what you are looking for they have only including the main information needed.
Once again this site has also gone for plain colours, making the logo and images stand out. As much as I like this I do like have colour. The current design of streetbeatz is red and black which Jess wants to keep. Streetbeatz is strictly street dancing and so I can benefit from this, the sites previously analsyed have a range a dance styles and so need a design that would relate to all these style (hence why I like the more plain designs) but Jess speacialises in street dance so I can focus on a design that relates specifically to .... street dance.
From looking at the site The DM Dance centre is very popular in the adult dance classes and also having a wide variety of dance styles also makes this dance school appealing. Jess's speacialises in street dance so I need to create a site that shows people that street beatz is the place to go for street dancing.
The imagery used on this site relates to what the content says and even there a few images that look like clipart pieces the majority is at a high standard. I was kept interested throughout and they have kept the navigation to just the essentials, something that I like because rather then having to continously click the different links until you find what you are looking for they have only including the main information needed.
Once again this site has also gone for plain colours, making the logo and images stand out. As much as I like this I do like have colour. The current design of streetbeatz is red and black which Jess wants to keep. Streetbeatz is strictly street dancing and so I can benefit from this, the sites previously analsyed have a range a dance styles and so need a design that would relate to all these style (hence why I like the more plain designs) but Jess speacialises in street dance so I can focus on a design that relates specifically to .... street dance.
Client project - The competition
Ok so I have given you examples of what dance schools look like around the UK but I want to look into the competition that Jess has in Southampton because I obviously want her's to stand out. I have had a look at some of the sites that are based around the Southampton area to see what I need to do to make Jess's website stand out so in the next few posts I will show the good, the bad and the competition.
The dance school that I used to go to and has since expanded and become a very popular and well known to other dance schools is spinners dance studios. Lisa and Steve have run this since late 1980's and it has now expanded to a theatre school, however in my opinion I don't feel that the website really shows how much potential this dance school has.
I spoke to Lisa (the head of the dance school) and she told me that she created and runs the site herself so I say hats off to her for doing that because we all that websites are expensive to be designed by someone.
All of the information has been incorporated and the site clearly shows that its members are dedicated to the school however in some places the site looks disorganised. I am not so keen on the mini animations and images because it doesn't reflect how good this dance school is at all. The site could easily be improved by more professional images and less of the animataions.
Note to self DO NOT design a site like boogie shoe
I came across Boogie shoes and when I opened the site it hurt my eyes! Bright flashing background, loud music and very muddled I was lost on where to go. With the background making me lose any interest I feel that this site needs alot of work. However when researching I realised that 'piczo' is a website aiding teens to design their own sites so whoever designed this I'm sure will improve.
The dance school that I used to go to and has since expanded and become a very popular and well known to other dance schools is spinners dance studios. Lisa and Steve have run this since late 1980's and it has now expanded to a theatre school, however in my opinion I don't feel that the website really shows how much potential this dance school has.
I spoke to Lisa (the head of the dance school) and she told me that she created and runs the site herself so I say hats off to her for doing that because we all that websites are expensive to be designed by someone.
All of the information has been incorporated and the site clearly shows that its members are dedicated to the school however in some places the site looks disorganised. I am not so keen on the mini animations and images because it doesn't reflect how good this dance school is at all. The site could easily be improved by more professional images and less of the animataions.
Note to self DO NOT design a site like boogie shoe
I came across Boogie shoes and when I opened the site it hurt my eyes! Bright flashing background, loud music and very muddled I was lost on where to go. With the background making me lose any interest I feel that this site needs alot of work. However when researching I realised that 'piczo' is a website aiding teens to design their own sites so whoever designed this I'm sure will improve.
Sunday 3 January 2010
Client Project - Website research
The first two sites I described as having a more professional look about them which I think Jess wants but being that most of her classes are for children/young adults I think that the design has to have a more eye-catching design. This is when I came across 'Danceworx' and 'Dance Crazy'
Like the previous two websites that I looked at they porvide all of the information that is need. They both have a good navigation... well dance worx has an easy straight forward navigation but I was a bit confused the dance crazy navigation. The site had not only a top navigation bar but a side navigation bar. From what I saw the top navigation were providing the main pages that they felt were the important parts of the site i.e. timetable, contact etc whereas the side nav bar was info on the club itself i.e. summer school, medals, bookings etc. So I can see why they have done this but for some users it coulds turn out quite confusing.
The main reason why I chose these two sites was to show some examples of different, colourful layouts. Dance crazy has stuck to the colours of the logo design which is a conscious decision and ... what I will also be doing myself. Black is quite a risky colour to have as background however by using the bright blue and ornage logo colours I feel the designers have pulled it off.
Dance worx have also used a bright and colourful gradient effect background. The main title, in my opinion has a cheerleader feel to it because of the American font style used. When looking at the timetable I noticed that the dance school was not only for children but for adults as well. The image that I have been recieving since I opened the site was a dance school for children, not adults. The whole colour scheme and title look more appealing to a younger audience, unless the designers were going for a fun, light hearted approach this is something that I need to take into consideration because Jess has branched out to adult street dancing as well.
Like the previous two websites that I looked at they porvide all of the information that is need. They both have a good navigation... well dance worx has an easy straight forward navigation but I was a bit confused the dance crazy navigation. The site had not only a top navigation bar but a side navigation bar. From what I saw the top navigation were providing the main pages that they felt were the important parts of the site i.e. timetable, contact etc whereas the side nav bar was info on the club itself i.e. summer school, medals, bookings etc. So I can see why they have done this but for some users it coulds turn out quite confusing.
The main reason why I chose these two sites was to show some examples of different, colourful layouts. Dance crazy has stuck to the colours of the logo design which is a conscious decision and ... what I will also be doing myself. Black is quite a risky colour to have as background however by using the bright blue and ornage logo colours I feel the designers have pulled it off.
Dance worx have also used a bright and colourful gradient effect background. The main title, in my opinion has a cheerleader feel to it because of the American font style used. When looking at the timetable I noticed that the dance school was not only for children but for adults as well. The image that I have been recieving since I opened the site was a dance school for children, not adults. The whole colour scheme and title look more appealing to a younger audience, unless the designers were going for a fun, light hearted approach this is something that I need to take into consideration because Jess has branched out to adult street dancing as well.
Saturday 2 January 2010
Client Project - Dance Websites
Having recieved some information from Jess I thought that it would be a good idea to lok at some other examples of dance school websites. I have started off by looking at some danceschools from around the UK.
Two of the websites that caught my eye was 'Pulse dance' and 'The Premier dance studio'. These two sites are quite similar in the style that they have used. Keeping to a minimal look and using plain/neutral colours both dance schools have managed to create a professional image for themselves. Both websites main background colours are white, making the imagery and font stand out.
From browsing both websites I can see that they both produce alot of information, but both websites have created strong layouts that suit the dance schools needs. When browsing through pulse dance I can see that they have a vast amount of information that they feel user need to know. At first I thought that there was too much information however, when looking it is exactly what the user would to know e.g. dates of classes and what the classes actually invovle age groups etc. This is something that I will mention to Jess in our next meeting.
Pulse dance have got a clear navigation with the main navigation at the top of site and any sub buttons not only in red but a 'click here' next to each button, the designers have obviously thought of the users needs and have made it as user friendly as possible (something else that I also need to consider) I f could change the site then I would definately add more imagery of the dancing itself. When I opened the page I was greeted with a strong image of dancers but this image did not change when clicking on other pages, only the information changed making the layout a bit repeatitive and leaving me less interested. However saying this I really like the layout and navigation.
The premier dance studio I feel deserve the same opinions as the pulse dance website however they have incorporated simple imagery that adds a bit more detail to the site. What I like about The premier dance studio website is that it has a more personal feel to it. Not only providing information about the dance school itself they have taken the dancers into consideration, continously acknowledging their successes and achievements.
Jess wants me to do a competition page so I will also suggest a page where she can acknowledge the students.
Two of the websites that caught my eye was 'Pulse dance' and 'The Premier dance studio'. These two sites are quite similar in the style that they have used. Keeping to a minimal look and using plain/neutral colours both dance schools have managed to create a professional image for themselves. Both websites main background colours are white, making the imagery and font stand out.
From browsing both websites I can see that they both produce alot of information, but both websites have created strong layouts that suit the dance schools needs. When browsing through pulse dance I can see that they have a vast amount of information that they feel user need to know. At first I thought that there was too much information however, when looking it is exactly what the user would to know e.g. dates of classes and what the classes actually invovle age groups etc. This is something that I will mention to Jess in our next meeting.
Pulse dance have got a clear navigation with the main navigation at the top of site and any sub buttons not only in red but a 'click here' next to each button, the designers have obviously thought of the users needs and have made it as user friendly as possible (something else that I also need to consider) I f could change the site then I would definately add more imagery of the dancing itself. When I opened the page I was greeted with a strong image of dancers but this image did not change when clicking on other pages, only the information changed making the layout a bit repeatitive and leaving me less interested. However saying this I really like the layout and navigation.
The premier dance studio I feel deserve the same opinions as the pulse dance website however they have incorporated simple imagery that adds a bit more detail to the site. What I like about The premier dance studio website is that it has a more personal feel to it. Not only providing information about the dance school itself they have taken the dancers into consideration, continously acknowledging their successes and achievements.
Jess wants me to do a competition page so I will also suggest a page where she can acknowledge the students.
