Preparation for my final assignment - Part 4

This is something that came to me during the process of focusing on my learning object. I drafted out the framework, likes organizational charts, as to consider the possible pages that I need to produce. Diary, map and album should be stated in my pages for demonstration of colorful representation. And more the relevant information about Egypt and more interesting, I planned to have a contact page for someone who would response to my experience. In the next step, I needed to consider the front-page of index and having unified design appeared in each page. Here comes my initial thought of that structure:

I forsee that there will have 6 pages of swf made in my assignment with simple design only. However, I expect the basic design to be simple and monitored as a way of my planner's function.

Preparation for my final assignment - Part 3

Literature Review

In this study, though I would be engaged much time spent on the technical operation for my assignment, however I learnt that literature review should be done for my realization of background in which some thought from professionals contributed to representation theories. Multimedia could effectively facilitate language acquisition as well as language comprehension, and these connections provided learners with two types of cues for the retrieval of learned materials effectively as compared to only one when they learn with text only. I learnt from the following theories form the references of powerpoint in session 4 and agreed to use both cues as my represenation.

Theories of learning from texts and visual displays:

Dual Coding Theory

Majority of theories state that people can learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone (Mayer, 2005). According to Paivio’s (1986) dual coding theory, there are two cognitive subsystems, one specialized for the representation and processing of nonverbal objects/events (i.e., imagery), and the other specialized for dealing with language. Paivio also assumes two different types of representational units: "imagens" for mental images and "logogens" for verbal entities. Logogens are organized in terms of associations and hierarchies while imagens are organized in terms of part-whole relationships.

Dual Coding theory identified three types of processing: (1) representational, the direct activation of verbal or non-verbal representations, (2) referential, the activation of the verbal system by the nonverbal system or vice-versa, and (3) associative processing, the activation of representations within the same verbal or nonverbal system. A given task may require any or all of the three kinds of processing.

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Multimedia Learning Theory

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Mayer (1997) also developed a multimedia learning theory, which combined the assumptions of dual coding theory with the notion of multilevel mental representations. A main assumption of Mayer’s model is that verbal and pictorial information are processed in different cognitive subsystems, processing results in the parallel construction two mental models individually, and finally they are mapped onto each other. Accordingly, an individual understanding a text with pictures selects relevant words, constructs a prepositional representation or text base, and then organizes the selected verbal information into a verbal mental model of the situation described in the text. Similarly, the individual selects relevant images, creates what is called a pictorial representation or image base, and organizes the selected pictorial information into a visual mental model of the situation shown in the picture. The final step is to build connections through a one-to-one-mapping between the text-based model and the picture-based model. Integrative processing is most likely to occur if verbal and visual information are simultaneously available in working memory, that is, the corresponding entities in the two models are mentally available at the same time (Chandler & Sweller, 1991).

Integrative Model of Text and Picture Comprehension

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On the contrary, Schnotz (2002) holds another viewpoint who focuses not on pictures and text by itself, but on depictive (iconic) and descriptive (symbolic) representations. In this Integrative Model of Text and Picture Comprehension, mapping happens at the level of mental model construction and what results is not an integrated representation but complementary representations that can communicate with one another.

Other research throughout the 1990s has also demonstrated that visual displays have supportive effects on communication of information, thinking, and learning. Furthermore,
carefully constructed pictures as visual text adjuncts can not only have a decorative function, but also have functions of representation, organization, interpretation, and mnemonic encoding (Levin, Anglin & Carney, 1987).

Conclusion

With the help of above theories, interactive multimedia undoubtedly provide evident to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning. As my knowledge, well-designed multimedia is very time-consuming and necessary for money input; however, If the interactive learning purposes are managed to reach and identified by viewer or learner with impression, it could be a valuable media to use. Thus, interactive multimedia can help teachers streamline their preparations of teaching materials and be more efficient in deliver the message, information, or knowledge to other people. As my assignment of traveling information, I hope to achieve the prominent objectives to fulfill the basic principles by above literature information.

References

Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (1991). Cognitive load theory and the format of instruction. Cognitive and Instruction, 8, 293-332.

Mayer, R. E. (1997). Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions? Educational Psychologist, 32, 1-19.

Mayer, R. E. (2005). The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Paivio, A. (1986). Mental representations: A dual coding approach. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Schnotz, W. (2002). Commentary - Towards an integrated view of learning from text and visual displays. Educational Psychology Review, 14(1), 101-120.

Preparation for my final assignment - Part 2

The below information is the summary of my ideas on the final assignment:

Objective:

To reinforce that viewers can learn and retrieve basic information on "my wedding trip in Egypt" through visual and interactive information.

Reference of Theories:

Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning and Paivio's dual-code theory.

Method:

Using softwares of Flash 8 and other photo-editors to create animated rollovers and pages to presenat effective and lively ablums or collections. Photos, graphic materials and music are introduced to enhance the attractiveness of representation.

Deliverables:

Interactive learning objects will be designed and implemented with Flash to maximize the learning and knowledge sharing effectiveness based on the theories of Mayer and Paivio.

Target Users:
My friends or any viewers who get interested in basic impression and travelling information from Egypt

Materials:

Photos (from my trip or referal from internet or books), maps(including route of trip), basic information from Egypt (Egypt's traveling websites), music/language(popular songs or simple arabic oral), user-friendly flashed pages(for the menu browsed by viewers) and etc.

Preparation for my final assignment - Part 1

My motive of assignment

When I prepared for constructing the framework of representation on my final assignment, I was browsing the internet and searching something insights from web-pages for my preliminary reference. Being an initial stage of information seeking,I have collected some thought and ideas, and they helped me to consider which topic that I would like to complete with my great interest. Firstly, I expected that it might be personalized in my life events since it could urge me to finish the assignment with a pleasure journey. However, I did not want the representation strayed far from the learning object with educational purpose. For my assignment, I hope it could have both personalized and educational components within my works and finally it would make me learn how to make representation with languages and imageries. As the dual coding theory proposed by Paivio attempted to give equal weight to verbal and non-verbal processing. Paivio (1986) stated: "Human cognition is unique in that it has become specialized for dealing simultaneously with language and with nonverbal objects and events. Moreover, the language system is peculiar in that it deals directly with linguistic input and output (in the form of speech or writing) while at the same time serving a symbolic function with respect to nonverbal objects, events, and behaviors.” (p 53). Therefore, I learnt from Paivio’s sayings that I must accommodate this dual functionality to present my works vividly. Lastly, I decided to create pages of traveling information that included one of my life events – Egypt Trip, which was my unforgotten wedding trip 3 years ago. I could use the photos and information about my traveling records and collect information with educational purposes. Not too much personalized materials, but I would like to make the representation to be interactive with text, photos, relevant web-links, music and etc.

One photo had been taken from Zoser's step-pyramid at Saqqarah. However, how I use this picture to demonstrate attractive learning object for my representation?

Interesting photo from Egypt, however, what type of theme or organizational plan to show this picure? Creating specific pages for collection of photos or something creative presentation?

Reference:

Paivio, A. (1986). Mental representations: A dual coding approach. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Task 3: Raindrop

Actually, I experienced difficulty in handling powerpoint to present the concept for the shape of raindrop. However, I finally attained my objective to describe the freefall of raindrop after several attempts. I would try flash later to make the representation more vividly, however for my first product I would rather use simple tool as powerpoint to make it done. The below one is my product as your comment:

Reflection on Session 2

It is not how much information is there but rather how effectively it is arranged

Key Points from Tufte, 1990

Principles of information design are universals – like mathematics – and are not tied to unique features of a particular culture.

Key Points from Lester (2000)

During the lesson, I was impressed by the interactive representation from classmates, especially for their creativities in the design. It seemed that visual format could capture people’s attentions. As the task assigned by Daniel, examining the five visual display of same information about giant squid stimulated me much on the the desing of reprentation. Actually, physics concepts were frequently represented by picture, graphs, diagams or others. Concept map should be better seen by viewer for informaiton. In reading the picture, viewers caught the message from the limited information seen only by a glance or a small area. Visual display was usually more attractive than words. It impressed someone to remember the image that may be retained in human brain. This visual aids in teaching not only made student easier to learn, but also necessary to make them to understand. No matter what culture it is, or by any language can understand those concepts. Undoubtedly, visual display is universal.

How I design my representation for Task 2 - Part 4

Finally, I cut down the image for part of my illustration combined with other diagrams from internet, for example, Wikepedia and other documents. All mixed with each other, it could enhance the effectiveness of representation vividly and colorfully. And now I shared with you and hope to have comments on it. Please click on the below picture:

http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/wctang/Task2.ppt

Other sources:

The magnetic field between sun and earth:
http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/People/Yinon-Rudich/courses/stratospheric_ozone.pdf
The earth's atmosphere:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth

How I design my representation for Task 2 - Part 3

I just learnt that "visuals” invented to communicate complex ideas from Lester(2000). Pictures could be a powerful instrument so that viewers captured the concepts easily, at least it enhanced the effectiness on initial impression. While I attempted to fill in the colors on my drawing script, it stimulated me to think about how people to reason the information, especially for those who youngsters, grown up with abundant information of multimedia, could catch up knowledge easily by the mean of images. Visualizing meanings from visual formate, it could assist to reason the concise. Therefore, I utilized the space and partitions to fills in colors and marked down keywords to illustrate the concept. The above key points tell me how important of understanding visual language. In the process of drafting, drawing and noting down the keywords, I could clarity how I learnt from the concepts profoundly, and it could encourage me to use more presentative formats, for example symbols, icons, diagrams, charts, mindmaps , even diagram with 3-dimensions. By Daniel's handouts, I hope to leant more methods to enhance the interactive outcomes and then viewers could capture my messages or information that I was eager to tell them about.

How I design my representation for Task 2 - Part 2

Upon the requirement of assignment, I decided to meet the purpose of illustration and look closely at an easy-captured ways for the people to get the concept. This often included keywords and graphic illustration by allocating the partitions to make people understand branches of concepts. For me, visual illustration was an useful instrument that helped me to clarify the concise and it would attract people to share with my ideas, and reason the messages that I wanted to deliver. In this assignment, I used a hand-made picture to illustrate part of the content and it could draw people’s attentions to get the impression firstly. However, I also collected other references for presenation of my ideas, and eventually I decided to use mixed approach for illustration with other ready-made diagrams. Sometimes, it could save my time to accomplish the residual concepts and highlighed all information with interactive enrichment

How I design my representation for Task 2 - Part 1

Initially, I planed to make the representation by noting down which keywords should be in cluded and illustrated within a confined area for one page only. I drafted out the ideas by the method of mind-mapping, I could clarify my ideas with respect to the keywords or concept assigned by the topic. One by one, I used the lines to associate with the related concept that included several keywords to demonstrate the contents. It was also the time for me to think about the method or style of presentation. I would consider choosing either referring other diagrams or pictures by ready-made format or hand made by myself.