embedding objects in scrolling fields & adolescents

[Jeffrey Reynolds]

Richmond,

Sounds like we have had the same background/experiences with  
multimedia interfaces/content presentations with kids!

The really really important thing I have found with the kids in an  
educational setting is that if they have a mission they do sooo much  
better interacting with multimedia rather than just having them  
'study' the material in the app.

This means really well thought out activities and projects that they  
must do research utilizing the multimedia content app. yes they do  
spend the first 10-15 minutes wildly thrashing about, but then (if  
the assignment/projects are creative and interesting enoough or their  
fear of a bad grade is strong enough) they settle down to  
systematically looking for the content they want/need for their project.

this then requires the design of the multimedia content to be more  
organized, indexed and cross referenced rather that the larger fields  
with embedded multimedia content. it also means the app needs to  
allow the kids to export stuff they need and also place bookmarks and  
notes in the content so they can come back over multiple sessions to  
get back to where they were and what they were  doing.

unfortunately, in my experience, the  activities that go along with  
most multimedia  projects are usually the  afterthought and xeroxes  
of other traditional materials and rarely designed specifically for  
the product. i try and get the clients to actually design the two  
hand in hand so all the content is also developed to work well with  
the activities and even the functions of the app are exactly what are  
needed for the actviites to be done.

love to discuss these thoughts with you offlist more if you are  
interested!

cheers,

jeff

On Jul 7, 2005, at 1:00 PM, metacard-request at lists.runrev.com wrote:

> My experience with  educational use of computers stretches
> back for years & with GUIs about 12 - so for what its worth
> this is why I think embedding objects in scrolling fields
> is a good thing:
>
> ['adolescents' is to be taken to mean pupils/students
> between 12 and 22 - no offence intended]
>
> On opening an educational multimedia program (such as those
> authored in Hypercard, RR, MC and so on) the first reaction
> is impulsive: the pupil clicks on every clickable thing in
> sight - all very interactive and guaranteeing that the
> amount of information absorbed by the pupil is minimal!
>
> If I wish my target audience to do some reading (OK, I know
> that in certain parts of the world reading is being played
> down - I am an old-fashioned reactionary) I have to find a
> way to stop the "mindless clicking" - there seem to be 2
> solutions to this:
>
> 1. Just present windows filled with text alone . . .
>     I have found (I've actually tried this!) that pupils go
> "off the boil" quicker than I can snap my fingers - a 19th
> century text book on-screen is a major turn-off.
>
> 2.  Embed the 'jazzy buttons' in a scrollable text field
> and let the pupils know that the REWARD (Oh, No, not a
> behaviourist!) for reading the text will present itself in
> due course - admittedly some 'bright' pupil will just
> scroll down until he/she finds the clickables and miss out
> the reading.
>
> HOWEVER, I do believe that by embedding multimedia buttons
> / movie-players in the text this will minimise crazy
> clicking.
>
> While a large part of the world is hooked on the "I want it
> now" idea, and the servicing of the minimal attention span.
> I want to SLOW PUPILS DOWN so that they absorb information,
> see multimedia in a meaningful CONTEXT, and are forced to
> pay attention for more than a 2 second sound-bite.
>
> Sincerely, Richmond Mathewson

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