Author: mlynne73

By: Mya Keay

Reflection

What was the experience like capturing video away from the screencast? What did you find challenging and what was easier for you? What would you do differently next time?

• The experience of capturing a video not just away from screencast but also of myself was different than anything I’ve done before. I’ve made the odd TikTok video however the formatting is very different. I found that when filming I didn’t know where to start. Even with my storyboard, I found that I wanted to jump into it though it was unclear how to format it so that it could be clear and cohesive. The hardest part for me was definitely being in front of the camera and figuring out how to position myself and how I was going to film it. If I were to do this again, I think I would go about it slightly differently by having a mount to position my phone and to allow myself to enjoy the process of it more instead of feeling stressed that it all needed to be perfect.

Creating a script and story board

• I found creating the script relatively easy. In my free time, I often write short stories or screenplays, so that part came easily to me. However when it comes to creating a story board that part I struggled with. Not because of the task itself but because I cannot draw, at all. so I went for a descriptive version. Writing down what will be said verbally, followed by what will be seen visually at the corresponding time

Recording and Editing

• Editing the video was definitely something I had a lot of fun with. However, adding subtitles was something that was new to me. When I first uploaded the video I was hopeful that I could be able to use auto generated subtitles that I would be able to go through and edit as needed. That was not the case. I ended up having to write and time the subtitles completely from scratch. It was by far the most time consuming, apart form the filming itself. However, having the script already written helped drastically as I was able to type everything out based on the scrip, only having to make minor changes. As for the recoding, recording as a whole was pretty straight forward, recording the voice over though was a different story. I found I was having to start and stop the same section of speech over and over again. Sometimes it was over something as small as I didn’t like the way I articulated a word in the middle of a sentence. I then would have to start over again. Luckily though, after the first few recordings, I got more comfortable with it and was able to find a tone I liked and tried to carry throughout the video. I kept in mind the Mayer’s Personalization Principle when speaking, trying to keep my tone as conversational as I could. It was also important that I included subtitles that could be turned on if desired as I myself am hard of hearing and always need subtitles to help me understand videos I watch, additionally that included adding a full transcript so people can follow along or skip ahead if they prefer.

Using Twine

Using twine, in the beginning, was quite challenging for me. As there were no demonstrations on the site of how to get started, I was left uncertain of where to begin. The site was unlike anything I’ve every used before. I ended up going back to the lesson and watching multiple videos on how to use and navigate the site. After doing so, I felt vastly more comfortable in what i was doing. Even allowing myself to attempt to create something a little more complex (in my eyes at least). Personally, I have never been very into zodiac signs or horoscopes but I wanted to take this opportunity and learn about something I hadn’t before. Creating my TWINE story on the zodiac signs allowed me to not only learn something new about astrology but also gave me the space to deeper my understanding of the TWINE site as I was having to make many connections and choices. I will definitely be using the site again and exploring it deeper.

Link to find out your zodiac Sign. Created on TWINE

https://twinery.org/2/#/stories/8d71937f-a2b0-4ced-a879-73242ef094a3/play

By: Mya Keay

Inclusive Design: what does it mean to you?

Inclusive design to me, means for something to be accessible to everyone, despite their abilities or lack of. Inclusive design allows people from all walks of life to be able to engage with the design in a way that works for them. Be it visual cues such as subtitles on videos for people who are auditorily impaired, descriptions to be read aloud for those visually impaired, or simply just an easy format to read for those with learning impairments such as ADHD or dyslexia. Considering the needs of others and how they process information is what makes a design inclusive.

Evaluating Module 1 blog post with WAVE

When I used the WAVE tool on my first blog post i was met with many points to focus on, most of which i would have never considered otherwise. The main comment however was that of contrast errors. According to WAVE my site lacks contrast between the text and background, which can lead to confusion when people access my site, going forward I plan to pay more attention to the steps i can take to ensure my work is accessible and inclusive. Additionally, moving forwards when I create a video I will ensure to take the time to add and edit subtitles and ALT text to any photos or videos I may include. Finally, I will pay closer attention to the flow of my page, ensuring that it is simple and easy to follow along with.

Infographic:

For my infographic, I decided to look more into a subject I had previously worked on in one of my past psychology classes, which is the fundamentals of healthy communication. The reason I chose this is because I believe it plays a role into what I am learning in this course, this lesson in particular discusses how to go about making designs and media that are inclusive and accessible. I believe that the flip side of that is being able to communicate with others in an inclusive and healthy manor. Originally I wanted to create a template from scratch however being as it was my first time using the site I decided to go with a pre made template as when I tried to start from the beginning I got a bit lost on how to go about making one that would be cohesive and effective. Moving forwards I would like to look more into using Canva and develop a greater understanding of how to build an infographic from scratch, so that next time one is needed I can do the work, solely of my own creation.

By: Mya Keay

Course Overview:

The topic I decided to create a lesson plan for was the basic introduction to French conjugation, starting with the verb to be or être. In this lesson, learners will develop an understanding of French phrasing as well as how to properly use être while in conversation, be it talking about a personal experience or discussing others. The reason in which I decided on être is because it is one of the most commonly used verbs in the French language. It is used when discussing people, places or even describing where you or someone else is located. The reason in which French was the route I decided to go is because growing up I learned French from a very young age with my grandmother as she was born in Quebec and thought it important I knew the language. Because of this, the basics of the language have been engraved in my mind for as long as I can remember and I felt it would be useful to not only understand how to go about teaching others but in turn help myself have a better understanding of not just how to use the language but to be able to understand it enough to teach it. At the end of the lesson, learners should be able to properly and confidently conjugate être, proving so by taking a fill-in-the-blank quiz at the end of the lesson. Through the lesson there will also be a “game” in which one must drag the correct conjugation to the proper subject, this will help learners understand the connections.

Applied Learning

Using the concept of constructive alignment, all learning outcomes, assignments and activities I create must all align with what I want learner to take away with them by the end of the lesson. I achieve this by ensuring that all activities or teachings done for this lesson are all on the topic of proper conjugation of the term être. Therefore by the time of the final quiz, everything that the learner had learned through the lesson will apply to the final quiz. I made sure also to use the theory of active learning, as active learning aids to create a deeper understanding of the topic being discussed, it was important to ensure there were activities along the way that allowed learners to put their knowledge to the test. This was accomplished by creating the matching quiz. Allowing people to actively engage with the lesson.

Reflection Question

How have you found the balance of passive and active learning in this course for your learning? How does it compare to your experience in other courses?

I have found that in this course I have been able to absorb the information faster than I have in previous courses that I’ve taken. This is because I can demonstrate my learnings using active learning by creating a blog post. The passive and active learning of this course allows me to not only understand on a surface level what it is I’m learning but also gives me the chance to showcase that learning. I have found that I learn better by being able to demonstrate what it is I’ve learned by creating posts rather than having to study textbooks and then do a final exam. I belive that at least for myself, this mode of learning is far superior.

By Mya Keay

In this Module we were instructed to look into and explore the world of generative AI. The use of AI over the past two years has increased dramatically since the introduction of Chat GPT on November 30th, of 2022. Since then new technologies and AI platforms have been popping up everywhere. As we are meant to learn about generative AI systems that are new to us, I decided to use the website Craiyon.com for the assignment. 

What is generative AI?:

Before delving into my experience using Craiyon, I wanted to first establish a base point of what Generative AI is. Generative Artificial Intelligence is a system or type of artificial intelligence that aids in creating new ideas, art, music, presentations, or simply just assists the user with tasks such as grammar or video editing. The main difference compared to general or traditional AI is that generative AI is automated. Meaning it can create something that hasn’t been started or made yet. You could ask generative AI to create a presentation or image with very few prompts and it will automatically generate what you are asking for. Be it a song, a short story, an essay, a presentation, even a piece of art.

My use of generative AI:

The generative AI I chose to use for this assignment was Craiyon.com. Crayon.com allows users to type in a prompt and within 60 seconds be given an array of artwork generated by AI to match the prompt given 

The image above was the first attempt I had using this website. I started off with a basic prompt “draw a pig playing music”. What I realised from the image above was that being as my prompt was simple I would get a simple image in return. I had not specified how I want the pig to look or what instrument, therefore the pig is holding a string, the music notes are more so squiggles and the face is slightly deformed. I decided to ask again but this time giving more detail, asking for “A joyous pig with a big smile playing the drums.” 

As shown the more detail I gave the better the quality I received. What I learned from this is that when using AI you need to be specific in what you are searching. AI is unable to distinguish real from fake so in order to get the results you are wanting you need to specify what it is you want. 

What would I use AI tools for in the future and what would I not use them for:

In the future I would definitely use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Crayon, and others to help create a general idea of a project perhaps. If I was tasked with drawing a dog wearing sunglasses for an example, I would ask Generative AI to draw me an example, not to use, but to have as a guide. The same goes for tools such as ChatGPT. I would use it to help me brainstorm but not to write a portion of the assignment. That being because Generative AI and AI as a whole is not always 100% factually correct. Programs such as chatGPT only have the information that they are programmed with. If a question is presented that the system does not know the answer to 10-20% of the time it will make up an answer based on what it predicts the answer could be based on the information it does know. Making it not truly a reliable source. Therefore I would use AI to aid in the creation of Ideas and brainstorming but would not rely on it nor use it to create an assignment or presentation that I would then show or submit. 

That being said, I have used Chat GPT to create a SMAR analysis on the Craiyon website. 

SMAR analysis on Craiyon.com:

Before using AI to create an analysis I created my own breakdown to see if what I received was accurate to what I had believed about the site and how it fit into the SMAR model. I believe that the LLM (Large Language Models) was able to accurately capture what I had thought about the site. 

The SMAR model helps users to understand how the technology being used can help enhance learning and creativity.

1. Substitution: 

Craiyon uses a text to image generator. This allows users to provide prompts to create an image, and then be given art to match the prompts provided. This substitutes the need for the physical side of producing art, such as manually drawing.

2. Augmentation:

Instead of taking the time to produce a prototype by sketching which they would then alter and refine over time. The site uses augmentation to provide instant results which users can then modify by increasing or correlating the specifications.

3. Modification:

Because users provide the prompts they can alter or change their prompts as often as they’d like  to explore other pathways or options. This allows for an endless amount of modifications in order to find what sticks with you the best.

4. Redefinition: 

It opens the door for users to express their creativity in a way perhaps almost impossible by hand. As users can generate extremely imaginative and detailed images, they are able to explore ideas that might not be achievable otherwise. It also allows people to engage in abstract ideas which can make learning with this tool more interactive and engaging.

Craiyon demonstrates how generative AI can not only replace traditionally creative methods but also enhance people’s creativity by allowing them to use new abstract forms of expression.

 “How does the Craiyon website use substitution,augmentation, modification, and redefinition” prompt. ChatGPT4.0, 14 Mar. version, OpenAI, 10 Oct. 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the site?:

Strengths 

• User friendly: Crayon has a simple design that makes it easy for all users to navigate.
• Free to use: it allows users to generate endless images for free.
• Ability to share: the site allows users to share the creations made to others, allowing people to engage with others

Weaknesses

• Image quality: the quality of the image is less sophisticated and images are not always accurate.
• Site limitation: because the site is free it has a much longer leading time to receive images unless you pay for an upgrade.
• Limited editing: although you can alter your prompts you  aren’t able to edit the images as a whole
• Theft: because it uses images from around the web and combines them there is risk of copyright issues.

Written by: Mya Keay

Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, discusses how we learn and how we receive, process and retain information

Dual Coding Theory:

The dual coding theory is one that I felt stuck with me the most.

The dual coding theory which was introduced by Allan Paivio, suggests that the brain has two separate systems for which we process information. The first being auditory and the second visual. The auditory pathway allows us to process information such as music, and speech while the visual allows for the understanding of visual information and cues such as images and demonstrations. The theory suggests that by having these two pathways we are able to process information from both categories at the same time. This allows for a greater understanding as we are then able to “link” the auditory and visual we learned to one another. Allowing for easier recollection.

I find that using auditory and visual cues simultaneously allows for the viewer to create a deeper understanding of the topic as they are able to not only see how something is done but also hear the step by step. The two linking together creates a stronger sense of understanding of the topic discussed.

Creating the Screencast:

I found that while I was creating my screencast I was doing my best to use the dual coding theory. When I discussed a function of the website I also discussed how to access the function and what it is that it does, so that both the auditory and visual pathways were being used. Additionally I found that I had the redundancy principle in the back of my mind. Deciding it was better in this instance to use graphics and narration rather than text as it would be simpler to demonstrate, therefore easier to process. I kept in mind not to add in unnecessary images or background sounds to avoid over complicating, and just to highlight the important details, limiting the risk over of overloading the viewer (coherence principle and signalling principle).

Reflection Question:

Who did you imagine as the audience for this screencast? How did that impact your design choices?

• I imagined the audience for this screencast as people who have not used a video editing program before, such as my grandmother. I often find myself teaching my grandma how to edit her videos and images but the information never fully is retained. Therefore I made this video with the thought to break it down to the base form so that even those with little to no understanding would be able to have a greater idea of how to edit their videos. With little to no help aside from the video.

• It impacted the way I went about the video because, if I were to explain this video to people in their late teens, or early adult lives, I would assume most if not all have a greater understanding of video editing because of the use of social media. Therefore I would have discussed the software in greater detail such as how to overlap outside audio and visuals, or the additional functions that can be used to edit the quality of the images or video. However, because I was discussing it with the mindset that people with no knowledge on the topic would watch it, I was ensuring that I only discussed the basics and didnt overcomplicate it.