Educational bloggings, understanding/ creating visual representations and creating a learning object are things that I enjoyed most in this module.  I really liked doing hand-on activities where I can explore things and create things by myself.  These activities helped me build up my abilities in the IT field. 

I am hoping that I can broaden my abilities by continually using and practising what I have learnt in this module in my daily tasks at work.  Thanks to Dr. Churchill for helping me boost my self confidence in creating a much more improved work by giving us all these tasks.

Flash File: Click here

SWF File: Click here

Website: http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/pmcchian/finaltask/comp_basics/comp_hw.html

Task Creation:

We have used the website I created in my MITE 6313 module.  The website is about “Learning with Computers” which teaches students about Computer Basics, Keyboarding Skills, Word Processing, Internet, Multimedia and Presentations, Worksheets and Databases.  This website is actually just a prototype and not all the topics given are available.  Since this is a very broad topic, I proposed to do the pages for the 1st topic about Computer Basics.  In this section, there are 4 topics which tackles about Computer Ergonomics, Computer Hardware, Desktop Icons and Computer Software. 

In our MITE 6323 class, one of our task is to create an interactive visual representation.  This is also what we called a learning object.  We chose the topic about Computer Hardware from the website above in creating this task.  Our learning object then will be embedded in this website as an added component of the lesson.  The topic of our learning object is about CPU.  Since the information is already gathered before.  We majorly focused on the designing part. 

Final Product Description: 

Our learning object shows an interactive CPU.  Interactive meaning the user can easily explore its content.  The interactive CPU has different buttons: 2 CD drive buttons and a Floppy drive button.  These buttons when clicked makes an animation that opens its drives and shows the CD/ Floppy disk pointing out useful information about what a cpu is?, how it works? and its acronym.  It also has a recorded voice that reads the information. 

Another button, which is actually the power button that has the word “begin”, directs you to an interactive activity exploring the CPU inside.  The instruction is shown as well as a recorded voice reading it.  After clicking the start button, different components inside the CPU are shown.  The user’s task is too drag these components to its proper place in the cpu board on top.  This is very easy for we provided a transparent image of that component as a hint.  After dragging a component to its proper place, an information about that component is presented which shows its name, a short description and an actual image of that component.  Again, there is a recorded voice reading the descriptions.  In this activity 2 buttons are available, back-which directs you back to the interactive cpu and again-which restarts the activity from the beginning.

Use and Value:

This learning object is created as an added component of the Computer Hardware topic.  This is actually a website that teachers can use to teach and guide students in Primary about computers.  Since Diana and I are in line in this IT field, we think that through our knowledge we can contribute to the students’ learning as well as help teachers by providing added materials and activities that they can use in their teaching.   Since we are now in the Internet Age, this is something that is very accessible for students and teachers to use.

Individual Contribution:

Since my groupmate Diana and I are both in the IT field, we both proposed to do a topic about computers.  I contributed in using my project in my previous MITE 6313 class.  The information gathered there are very helpful in our learning object creation.  We both brainstormed about ideas, designed the prototype of our learning object and created the learning object in Flash.  We both did alot of researching about the action scriptings that we can use to improve our learning object.  Overall, we both did a good teamwork in finishing this last task. 

We finally figured out how to replay the “assembling a cpu” activity.  The ”again” button  is now working properly.  Plus we made some ammendments on the click and drag events on the components.  When a component is clicked and dragged in a wrong position, the component goes back to its original place, and when it is dragged in the correct position, the component is properly dragged inside the target.

We will again keep you guys posted with any ammendments made to make more improvements with our learning object. Feel free posting comments.

This is how it works.  Each button that you can see in a CPU opens up a disk that gives a user an information about CPU.  There are 3 buttons, 2 cd drives and a floppy drive.  The third button, which is the power button opens up an activity where you learn and see what is inside the CPU tower case.  The user is asked to drag the components into its proper place inside the CPU tower case.  If the user dragged it correctly, an example of an image and a definition will show about the component. 

As of our present prototype, we also had completed adding our recorded sounds and sound effects in our learning object.  We finished doing the “assembling a CPU” part scripting when the begin button is clicked. We are now figuring it out how to replay this activity. Please help us if you guys have any idea.

We will again keep you guys posted with our current learning object. Feel free posting comments.

As of our present prototype, all the buttons are now working. We are now in the stage of finishing up the scripting in the “assembling a CPU” part of our learning object.

We will keep you guys posted with our current learning object. Feel free posting comments.

We haven’t started the function for the begin button.. which directs a user to assemble a CPU.. but we will soon.. We will keep you guys posted.. Feel free posting comments.

Click the link below to open our PowerPoint presentation.  We will be doing the Flash prototype soon.

From points 3 and 5, we fully understood what our task is and especially what a learning object is. It was explained that learning objects are components of a lesson, and are not complete lessons in their own.  This was one of our mistakes when we proposed our topic for our topic was too broad. It was also said that they are not a drill, practice, quiz, test or games for it needs to allow a user to explore its content. This explanations has enabled us to redesign our storyboard.

In creating our final project we will both take note of Points 6, 7 and 8.  We will be careful with copyrighted items, understand the difference with animation and interaction, and create a step by step plan to help with the technical skills we need in designing our final project.