Subject: Can multimedia authoring projects help comprehension? -Reply
From: Dennis Nelson (NELSOND@ny-smtp.army.mil)
Date: Fri 03 Dec 1999 - 18:27:49 MET
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 12:27:49 -0500 From: Dennis Nelson <NELSOND@ny-smtp.army.mil> Subject: Can multimedia authoring projects help comprehension? -Reply
List address to send message to everyone: ifets-discuss@LISTSERV.READADP.COM
Details of current discussion: http://ifets.ieee.org/discussions/discuss.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Benjamin Choppy <benjamin.choppy@kcl.ac.uk> 12/02/99 06:08pm
the 'successful' 'sequencing' of information in such a project
does not in,itself, necessarily, constitutes an explicit
demonstration of comprehension.<<<
Ben is correct. The tool is incidental. Whether I am programming in
machine language, 4th or 5th generation languages, or using
applications multimedia or otherwise, (or just writing or talking): the
issue(s) remain:
-- what is my message, does it matter in today's context, is there an
audience subject to change based on the message.
-- do I know, can I articulate and have I a comprehension of the impact
of the message which will remain in my audience?
-- have I a specific organization and intent and expected outcome for
each of the various sensory stimuli I will employ.
-- does every single word and stimuli have a specific, definable and
measurable purpose.
-- is my documentation such that an average individual could discern my
intent, measure my performance against my intent, and assess the
results with recommendations for improvements.
-- have I significant tools to determine my audience's baseline, the
impact of my presentation and the outcomes from the presentation to
improve upon the next.
As Ben states: does the tool require, support, impede or is neutral in
requiring the author to think through, design and document the effort.
I'm aware of only one government executive who required documents to
be prepared in two columns:
-- the first column: at minimum sentence by sentence, sometimes by
phrase or by word, gave the intent, purpose or reason for the section.
-- the second column was the text for a speech, press release, letter,
article, etc.
To assess how well a tool, application, procedure or activity
supports learning, comprehension or other activities or events: we could
explore the basics of the intended outcome first.
Too often the work behind nonphysical activity is too easily disputed,
disregarded or disrepected. The successful poet may have worked
harder in that medium than the sculpture in that medium; maybe not: but
why should we suspect either is easier or harder than the work of an
inventor, mountain climber or solo concertist?
which task or medium requires the strictest focus, discipline,
perseverance, patience, self-control, joy etc. Therein will the greatest
learning, comprehension take place. On two or more of those, we learn
to apply our knowledge to other contexts and approach wisdom.
Faithfully,
Dennis
---------------------------------------------------------
Forum website: http://ifets.ieee.org/
Forum's contact person: kinshuk@massey.ac.nz
Info on Join/Leave List: http://ifets.ieee.org/maillist.html
---------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a24 : Fri 03 Dec 1999 - 22:42:01 MET