Category: Assignment 2 – Final Review – Module 3-5 Blog Posts and Comments

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.