Repurposeable Learning Objects Based on Teaching and Learning Styles

Multimedia learning objects are an essential component of high quality, technology-mediated instruction. Learning objects allow the student to use the content learned in a particular part of a course and; 1. demonstrate mastery of the content, 2. apply that knowledge to solving a problem, and 3. use the content in a critical thinking exercise that both demonstrates mastery and allows the student to place the content within the context of the larger topic of the course. The difficulty associated with the use of learning objects on a broad scale is that they require programming skills most professors and instructors do not possess. Learning objects also tend to be custom productions and are defined in terms of the programming and code terminology, further limiting the professor’s ability to understand how they are created. Learning objects defined in terms of styles of learning and teaching allow professors and instructors to develop a deeper understanding of the learning objects and the design process. A set of learning objects has been created that are designed for some of the important styles of learning and teaching. They include; visual learning, writing skills, critical thinking, time-revealed scenarios, case studies and empirical observation. The learning objects are designed and described in terms that the average instructor can readily understand , redesign and incorporate into their own courses. They are also designed in such a way that they can readily be repurposed for new applications in other courses and subject areas, with little or no additional programming. (Authors' abstract

Social sensing and its display

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-90).This thesis proposes a public interface that functions as a social catalyst in public spaces. Like a smart mirror, it intends to reflect the social identity of the environment and increase sensibility towards the place and among others in the environment by highlighting a particular aspect of it. Here, our particular use of the medium is to raise awareness of the boundaries among the residents; highlighting their differences and similarities of mobility, displacement and geographical limits. The medium is designed as a custom, multimodal interface, which functions as a tangible, interactive sculpture that senses ambient sound, records deliberate user input and displays interactive graphics as its output. The design explores the utility of sound and physical interaction for envisioning new social, cultural and entertainment uses of public places and help us shape our relationships with each other with new social interfaces embedded in urban settings.by Orkan Telhan.S.M

The dynamics of creative collaboration: the role of the creative producer in community-based multimedia production

The Dynamics of Creative Collaboration: The Role of the Creative Producer in Community-Based, Multimedia Production is a practice-led research project that investigates the techniques, processes and methods of creative collaboration in community-based, multimedia production. The research investigates if and if so, how the inclusion of a central management role affects the creative dynamics, the management activities, and the communication processes within a team composed of amateur community participants and professional multimedia artists. This key creative and management role that some call a Creative Producer is investigated to examine how the role balances the tensions between the need for creative freedom and the maintenance of a shared collective vision. For this purpose, three collaborative, creative projects with a Creative Producer are employed as Action Research case studies and an in-depth qualitative and quantitative Industry Survey provide a comparative view from thirty industry experts. This demonstrates and investigates the activities and responsibilities of the emerging role; and the use of improvisation not just as a production process, but also as a management technique. The research seeks to identify a model of collaboration in community-based, multimedia production that includes a creative and managerial role of the Creative Producer