Avatars' in teaching- the early experiences of a non

technologist! Annette Crisp

The non- technologist!

• Not a technophobe- likes technology but has problems using it

• Feels that there is a need to ‘keep up to date’

• “educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources”

Januszewski and Molenda (2008)

Produced in a lab consumed in a classroom?

We don’t gotta be technologists. All we gotta do is be educators. And we can do that! -D’Arcy Norman dot net

The Theory of Multimedia Learning

Suggests  that both narration and graphical images produce visual and verbal mental representations, which link and integrate prior knowledge and then construct new knowledge. Mayer and Moreno (2002)

Declarative knowledge of facts ("what to") +

Procedural knowledge of "how to" do various

cognitive tasks

The Technology Acceptance Model =the easier the technology is to use, the more useful it is perceived to be, the more positive one's attitude and intention to use the technology 

Cognitive Load theory states that having flashy and unimportant graphics, icons, etc., "bells and whistles," the learner may get overloaded in working memory before they get to the important concepts, skills, information, and/or knowledge.

Mayer and Moreno (2002) basically say that deep learning (using multimedia) must work both visual and auditory working memory. Visual graphics and some type of informal voice narration might be the best general methods while not overloading either

Why Choose Avatars?

• Former experiences – role plays for training purposes

• Opportunity to expand horizons in teaching various subjects

• Initial idea to develop an interactive pre-programed on line community which would be accessed by a number of different specialists

• Avatars don’t get tired

• They will do what you want them to do- technology/ expertise permitting

• Can be used to run different versions of the same simulations

• Students are part of this technology – they have grown up with it- in computer games, second life, role play games etc. its familiar to them – They are comfortable with the technology

• Potentially lots of different applications- significant research around to support different types of adoption in relation to practice and theory

• This session isn't about theory only experiences so no more references!!!!

Where do I start?

What Computer

?

What Audio?

What Ability?

Why Bother????

What Software?

What Software?

Iclone 4 Product developed by Reallusion

Why?

After seeing examples in action particularly in educational context on their web site

What Software?

This is also linked to Google Sketchup a free 3D designing tool and iclone 3DExchangeA softwear package from iclone which enables the user to download 3D graphics from Google 3D Warehouse

Our Couch in action

The location is only limited by our imagination.

• ‘Novatech’ computer purchased – assured that contained correct ‘spec’ to ‘do what I wanted’’…….

• Within 4 weeks of purchase hard drive crashed

• Replacement for hard drive secured- however much material lost….. You don’t expect a new hard drive to ‘go’.

• Updated windows software – problems re-registering

• Needed to reload software – not an immediate success

• Needed to purchase new graphics card MSI N210 Graphics.

The down-side of being a non-technologist……

Storage space??

What Software?

What Computer

?

What Audio?

The Rolf Harris Factor…………………..

Narrative from the Bathroom?

Electronic voice?

What Audio?

Audacity 1.3 Beta

Now using Logitech headphone and ‘mike’ to improve recording quality

With Many thanks to Rob Weald for his help with this!

Example of sound mixed as male

Male voice in Video Clip

What Ability?

• Not Brilliant but getting better

• Producing some engaging materials

• Getting positive feedback from students and colleagues

• Now developing the media further- linking to film and developing work into ‘docu-teaching’

• Amazing potential • Can link to events in the media -fiction –or

history- only curbed by limits of imagination or users lack of skill/ knowledge

NOT to be seen as a ‘gimmick’ however and utilised instead of a sound focus on content and learning needs

Examples of some of the possibilities……………..

Can be used to present new ideas from unusual places………….

Did you hear the one about- Jeremy Bentham, Lenin, Chairman Mao and the actress Bipasha Basu who were abducted by aliens and taken on to their space ship?…..

Can be used in role play based scenarios as a ‘what happens next ?’ dilemma…..

To explain theoretical ‘concepts’ in practice

Can be blended with ‘live’ action from film….

Our film clip as out initial insert into the iclone system

We can then overlay our images or situation

Alternatively we can embed our film within our explanation