PRP - Sixth artefact - The designing

After the previous artefact showed that after three tests the children lost interest in the game and so the test was cut short. The TV characters were left out because this was the game that I was not so bothered about being tested.

However wanting to keep the children amused when carrying out these tests I decided for the colouring activity I would use characters that they were familiar with. Looking at the Cbeebies website gave me some idea as to what the children liked to watch.

I plan to do two versions of the colouring test. One on the computer and one off, with this in mind I have chosen to do two different characters for the boys and two different characters for the girls. I predict that the boys and girls will choose the pictures that I have designed for each gender. Doing this I can test how well the girls work in this test vice versa the boys.

For the boys I have chosen Bob the builder and Horrid Henry and for the girls Wendy (from bob the builder) and Dora the explorer. I chose these images because Looking from the TV listings it is these programs that are aired when the children finish school, fingers crossed my guessing will be correct.

Having researched images I have chosen four pictures from google that would be appropriate for the tests. The next step will be to edit the images in Photoshop.

Client Project - Wordpress install

When I was first introduced to Wordpress by Ashley I found it all very daunting, however once you get it all set up its not really that bad so below I have provided the 'famous 5 minute install' provided by Wordpress.org. This is just to show that its not too scary and it is doable.

Famous 5-Minute Install

Here's the quick version of the instructions, for those that are already comfortable with performing such installations. More detailed instructions follow.

1. Download and unzip the WordPress package, if you haven't already.
2. Create a database for WordPress on your web server, as well as a MySQL user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it.
3. Rename the wp-config-sample.php file to wp-config.php.
4. Open wp-config.php in your favorite text editor and fill in your database details as explained in Editing wp-config.php to generate and use your secret key password.
5. Place the WordPress files in the desired location on your web server:
* If you want to integrate WordPress into the root of your domain (e.g. http://example.com/), move or upload all contents of the unzipped WordPress directory (but excluding the directory itself) into the root directory of your web server.
* If you want to have your WordPress installation in its own subdirectory on your web site (e.g. http://example.com/blog/), rename the directory wordpress to the name you'd like the subdirectory to have and move or upload it to your web server. For example if you want the WordPress installation in a subdirectory called "blog", you should rename the directory called "wordpress" to "blog" and upload it to the root directory of your web server.

Hint: If your FTP transfer is too slow read how to avoid FTPing at : Step 1: Download and Extract.
6. Run the WordPress installation script by accessing wp-admin/install.php in your favorite web browser.
* If you installed WordPress in the root directory, you should visit: http://example.com/wp-admin/install.php
* If you installed WordPress in its own subdirectory called blog, for example, you should visit: http://example.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php

That's it! WordPress should now be installed.


For more information about the Wordpress installation please click here to be directed to the wordpress site.

PRP - Sixth artefact - The meaning of colours

With many research articles suggesting that colours can effect peoples emotions I thought that it would be a good idea to look at the meaning of all of these colours and see what they actually mean. Below is a brief description on how the colours can be related to emotions:

Cool colours - Blue, Green, Turquoise, Gray, Silver, White

These colours can have two effects. In some ways they are classed as cold and impersonal on the other hand they also relate to calm, peaceful and tranquil. Cool colours are usually overpowered if laid against a warm colour though though some people say that these cool colours bring a room a nurturing feel.

Warm Colours - Red, Pink, Yellow, Gold, Orange

Like cool colours warm colours have two different effects. On one side of the spectrum these warm colours can represent excitement and have a vibrant appeal when looked at. Although these striking colours can also trigger violence, anger and danger.

With colours representing different emotions this could maybe help me suss out what children are relating to when participating in my colouring activity.

PRP - Sixth artefact, The colour of learning

From different research articles it has become apparent the the use of colour effects many different ways in how we learn.

"Of all the forms of non-verbal communication, color is the most instantaneous method of conveying messages and meanings."

Colour influences how people learn and so educators have to take into consideration which colours to use at certain ages levels. I was not aware of this. An interesting piece of information that I found whilst reading this information was that certain events from when you are at a younger age can cause you to like or dislike a colour when you grow up.

"Learned. People and events from your past can cause you to like and dislike certain colors in the present. For example, a favorite grade school teacher's blue dress can stimulate an appreciation for blue in your adulthood. Yet, an intense dislike for that teacher might cause you to "turn off" to blue. In adulthood, you tend to respond to stimuli the way you were conditioned in childhood."

Apart of the article that I found particularly interesting is how children in today's world are being effected by the use of Television and video games. According to research watching video games (colour from screens) is improving the capabilities on the right side of the brain but the result is leaving the left side alot weaker. This makes me wonder whether when I test artefact five, will the children use certain colours to when colouring, affecting the look of the image.

Also when testing the children will the different level of literacy skills effect the way they work when it comes to using the computer.

"The collective research over the past decade suggests that children today are developing awesome capabilities in their right cerebral hemispheres "at the expense" of the left-hemisphere skills. Apparently, children have been immersed in visual imagery, such as television and video and are therefore quite adept at using the neural systems that carry this kind of information. On the other hand, they have become weak in skills that demand left-hemisphere strengths, such as the ability to "translate a narrative from a book in to a visual image in the mind." The home environment has changed substantially. Video (right brain) is king, while books and stories (left brain language) have been neglected. The result, for classroom teachers, may be children who have difficulty in taking the time or harnessing the skills involved in many language-heavy, left-brain draining activities. We seize the power of the visual and need to use color to stimulate learning. By using color carefully, we may be able to use visual imagery to coax more left-brain language activity. Admittedly, it is an inexact science; more of an art, but definitely worth a try!"

For the full article please click here

PRP - Sixth artefact, colouring examples

I was browsing the internet to find some inspiration for colouring activity when I came across a page advertising interactive colouring. The article from 'Surfing the Net with kids' explains how colouring sheets have been provided all across the internet however, it has now become more apparent that virtual colouring is becomming increasingly popular for young children.

The interactive colouring pages provide children with a colour activity sheet on the computer.

There were three in particular that myself and Kirsty had fun playing on, which shows that these sites can be fun for everyone.

Coloring.com


Coloring.com offers children a range of images to colour. Almost identical to a standard colour activity sheet coloring.com allows the children to colour and if a free account is open, you can save all of the pictures that you create and advertise them on the website. It is a simple yet fun interactive activity that children would enjoy. However it makes me wonder whether the children will enjoy it more if the application allows them to colour outside of the image lines, making the picture a lot messier.

Kaleidoscope painter


I have never played with something like this before however I could not stop making patterns. The Kaleidoscope painter creates a picture by the movement of the mouse. Every direction you go the paint will follow and make a pattern. You are given the option to set the paint to automatic and watch a pattern be created however there is no fun in that. This activity is suitable for all ages but I am not too sure how long a younger audience would be amused by it.

Up to ten


This site has been previously mentioned in another post however, it has come up in this article so I am going to briefly blog it. Like the first activity page mentioned up to ten allows the children to create a variety of images. The site offers a number of different colouring activities that will be sure to amuse children. This one is not so appealing the older audience although as this site is aimed at a younger audience it does its job.

It is becoming apparent that virtual colouring is appearing on the internet, with paint a very popular application on computers its now a question of how long until this is updated to a more virtual experience.

PRP - Sixth artefact ideas

Following the positive results from the fifth artefact showing that sounds and animation makes an impact on the game play it was decided that the route to be taken for artefact six was to focus on colours and shapes.

Previous research it showed that visual imagery provides a good learning resource for number of subjects including literacy. The aim for this artefact is to see how a computer could potentially support pupils in art and design. From the previous artefact (3) two versions of the game was created, I feel that this would be ideal for this artefact.

The idea for this artefact will be to create an activity that will involve the children to colour on and off the computer. Hopefully by conducting this test it will show how children relate to the use of computer when it comes to colouring in objects.

Even though this test is suppose to be the final artefact I am going to pursue the testing, the main reason being is that I have not finished my research and I want to find more results to explain my findings, actually create a story.

Client Project - The final Product

Well it's done!!!! and I am very happy to announce that the Street Beatz dance academy is now live so please feel free to have a look at the Street Beatz Dance Academy website