Thursday, November 13, 2008

Mid November

Finally was able to have the time to upload paper prototype videos to website. I was also able to add team pages for the different teams and place the links to the videos on those sites. We haven't posted too much to the projects pages since the students have been working on learning and using flash. We have had round table sessions about each of the game designs - giving feedback and suggestions on ways to improve their games and positive comments about the parts of the games that they really like. They've also discussed how the games are useful social issue games - not just a game to be a game. I believe research will be their biggest and most useful tool if they use it as they should to improve the quality of their game.
Just got the news that our school bond passed, after much time spent on the vote canvass! Hooray for our schools!!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Happy Halloween!

October 30
Finally we are working in Flash. Students have begun working in the Flash program and it has been like ducks to water for some and others are being caution about getting their toes wet. It would certainly help if we had more time to work in class, by the time computers start up and are ready to go, the students only have about 40-45 minutes each day to actually work. I have been encouraging them to use the Wiki tips page, in fact, if they ask me about a certain topic I will usually ask them if they have checked the wiki tip page first. I do believe if they get used to going for help there,then when they work on their own at home that they will have that mindset built in.
Have had some trouble in loading software on older computers (Les' and my home computer) that didn't have dvd drives but Maitreyi helped with that. Figured out that if we transferred the software to a large flash drive we could load it through usb drive and it worked. Kudos to Maitreyi!
It is taking me a while to load paper prototypes onto the gwhs wiki pages but I hope to get it done in the next few days - I think the students did a great job on those. I think that some of the game ideas are a little simple but when the students start working on them I think they will make them a little more sophisticated.
I plan for the students to work next week in Flash very intensely, post their progress and then review and critque each others work. Feedback would be helpful from their peers, I believe.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Long overdue update!

The beginning of the Globaloria program here at Greenbrier West is off to what I think is a good start. I introduced it to my Computer Assisted Art class, some of whom were in the class last year. They came into the class with the expectations that they would mainly be working on creating videos using high-end cameras and editing equipment. They also knew that the plan is to create a live news show each morning when we can get our wiring problems worked out. This is something that will eventually take place but I decided to take off running with the Globaloria program first and then introduce the new students to video later on.
So when I told the students what we would be working on they were very excited. Video games, wow! Some of them had sort of unreasonable expectations, thinking about games that are more 3-dimensional than what we will be able to do, but I would rather have them be too ambitious than not ambitious enough.
We only have about 45 minutes in class each day and several students have already been through some illnesses that have kept them out of school several days so our pace has not been the greatest – I have to rein myself in sometimes when I expect too much from them in a short amount of time. We did spend quite a bit of time on the concept of social issue games and for the most part, the students have “got it” I think. A few are still not taking it as seriously as I think they should.
When it came time to begin planning out the games, I decided to put the students into teams of two and let them choose whom they would like to work with. I asked each student to write down on a piece of paper their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of who they would have as a team mate and told them that I would have the final say so on who they would be working with. I stressed the fact that they needed to look for someone that would be a complement to them; that is, someone who might be good at writing while they themselves would be good at drawing, for example. Since they didn’t have time to discuss with each other who they would be choosing before they wrote down the names, I was absolutely thrilled and shocked to find that everyone chose the partners with the first name on their lists. They also chose whom I would have chosen for them so it worked out really well. I truly believe that the more choices you give students the better it is in the long run. They are learning how to make intuitive, reasonable choices on their own after begin given the information on what will be required of them.
As to their blogs, I can’t say too much, since I haven’t done too well on that myself. However, I do give them a grade on what they writing in their blogs and their worklogs on their wiki pages because I do give them time in class to write in them. I am trying to encourage them to write more about the problems they are encountering or their concerns about the process.
Technology wise, it was a waiting game for the laptops and software for those laptops. We are fortunate that there is a computer lab next to my classroom that we were able to use for the first month of school until the laptops arrived in our classroom. There are still a few glitches that we’re trying to work out – the wi-fi isn’t consistent so sometimes students have to go outside the room to get a good signal and we have 12 students and 11 laptops. I am very pleased that we have our flash software installed; that was a very long process in getting it installed since it took 45 – 60 minutes for each installation. We worked it out because the students right now are working on their paper prototypes (we plan to begin filming those presentations tomorrow) and I have one student who has already worked ahead and is using a trial version to work on learning Flash on his own. He will be a very good resource for myself and the other students.
Concerns: Am I asking enough out of the students? Do I need to set more rigid guidelines? I don't want to be to rigid because then I am doing the thinking for them - I want them to increase their creative problem solving skills, to use more higher order thinking skills and to learn to work as a team.
Overall, as I said at the beginning, I think we are off to a good start, a little bit slow but I believe that once we start in flash the students will be so excited that things will accelerate.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

August workshop in Charleston

The workshop is going well, I was expecting to work more on the Flash program when we came into the class today but we have been learning more about the adminsitrative/teacher activities to set up the class. The additions to the wiki site will be verrrrry helpful when helping the students learn about the flash program. So that has been a relief in knowing that there are numerous resources available to work with throughout the year.
The activities for the first day are awesome!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

update

So Les Mullens and I are working on Flash today at school. We only have the one computer with the program since the laptop that Les took to the workshop wouldn't work. We are stumbling along and trying to create a new first page for our gaming program. I say stumbling along because we are learning through trial and error.
Wish us luck.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Update

Ok, I obviously didn't load the video correctly as it doesn't play. Trying to be too ambitious again! I'm just glad that I can get to my blog again. It was rather confusing how to get back to the site so I had to work from school to receive my emails on how to do it. I'm working on flash and trying to do a new first page of the wheel; instead of the man in the hamster cage wheel, I think I'll try making several clip art people go around on a "wheel of fortune" type of wheel.
Just a short update.
V

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

july 16 thoughts



So it's not a female artist but it will do. I am doing this blog under duress( kind of), I don't like to write. I will try and keep you updated with images when it is time for school to begin, showing what my students are doing in class. That would be more acceptable to me. THis has been a very interesting session so far but I feel very intimidated also, I know this will change with experience.

This video is a short overview of a project that my students, Mr. Les Mullens and I are working on: