I have finishd up my final MP.
This MP was born of my interest in the impact of video games on society. This interest is linked to the my experiences with gaming as I grew up, Pong, Atari 2600, NES.
This interest has lead to questions: Can violence and addications be attributed to games? Are virtual environments enticing poeple away from reality?
During the process of creating this MP I have been exposed to a variety of technologies. I have used TVnima for the proposal (see previous postings), I have used a variety of online tools to download videos from Youtube, and I have used video editing software (iMovie) to create the overall product.
To see this MP please click below:
My overall feeling regarding games has changed somewhat as I have realized the impact of online virtual gaming. This gaming type is extremely attractive and is now blurring the boundaries between reality and the the virtual.
Based on what I have discovered I will most likely continue to monitor the impact of virtual gaming environments long after ETEC 531 is complete.
Dom
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
An Afternnon at the Theatre
I travelled to Victoria yesterday to watch my niece perform in the Nutcracker at the Royal Theatre. I ended up sitting in the balcony at the back of the theatre (seats were expensive).
The show overall was great, however my experiences before, during the intermission and after the show made me think about culture and technology. During these moments I counted 20 cell phones being used for communication, surfing or gameplay as well as 3 laptops. Phones I could understand, but who brings their laptop to the theatre?
I started to think about this question and came to the realization that in reality I could have been one of the laptop users. While waiting I could have used my Mac to complete or work on my MP#2. Perhaps these other users were in the same boat. Work to complete, a speech to write, banking to complete - who knows. Basically we are and are increaingly becoming a 24/7 society. It is more commonplace. Technology is ubiquitous. We can do more in a 15 minute interval now, than we could in an eight hour day even in the 70's or 80's, not so long ago!
Ray Kurzweil discusses the Singularity, whereby computer abilility will outperform the human brain. Haley and Haraway discuss cyborgs. Murphie and Potts discuss Lyotard and changes in society. Well if you have a look around the evidence is streaming off the page and lectures and finding its way into our daily lives.
The change is not coming for humanity, based on this experience, I would say the change is already here.
It is going to be a wild ride!
The show overall was great, however my experiences before, during the intermission and after the show made me think about culture and technology. During these moments I counted 20 cell phones being used for communication, surfing or gameplay as well as 3 laptops. Phones I could understand, but who brings their laptop to the theatre?
I started to think about this question and came to the realization that in reality I could have been one of the laptop users. While waiting I could have used my Mac to complete or work on my MP#2. Perhaps these other users were in the same boat. Work to complete, a speech to write, banking to complete - who knows. Basically we are and are increaingly becoming a 24/7 society. It is more commonplace. Technology is ubiquitous. We can do more in a 15 minute interval now, than we could in an eight hour day even in the 70's or 80's, not so long ago!
Ray Kurzweil discusses the Singularity, whereby computer abilility will outperform the human brain. Haley and Haraway discuss cyborgs. Murphie and Potts discuss Lyotard and changes in society. Well if you have a look around the evidence is streaming off the page and lectures and finding its way into our daily lives.
The change is not coming for humanity, based on this experience, I would say the change is already here.
It is going to be a wild ride!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
TVnima for introduction
Today, we had some of our junior students (G.7) visit the senior students in their classrooms. This is an event, which helps promote registration for these students at the senior level.
I was asked to take a group of grade 7s to the Media Lab. So, I gave TVnima a go based on my experiences with the program this past weekend (see previous posts). The 30 second introduction was well received by the students, in fact they answered the avatar when asked. It helped of course that I modelled this behaviour and interacted with 'Alex' myself. My lines were "I'm fine Alex how are you"/"Thanks for the introduction Alex". You will note were these lines fit in when you watch the video:
Overall, well worth the time. In fact many of the students indicated that they were going to play with TVnima when they got home!
I was asked to take a group of grade 7s to the Media Lab. So, I gave TVnima a go based on my experiences with the program this past weekend (see previous posts). The 30 second introduction was well received by the students, in fact they answered the avatar when asked. It helped of course that I modelled this behaviour and interacted with 'Alex' myself. My lines were "I'm fine Alex how are you"/"Thanks for the introduction Alex". You will note were these lines fit in when you watch the video:
Overall, well worth the time. In fact many of the students indicated that they were going to play with TVnima when they got home!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
FRAPS
I mentioned TVnima and FRAPS in my previous post. For information regarding the two check out the following presentation I came across:
Presentation for TVnima (FRAPS included)
This presentation gives you some good feeback with regards to using this program for education.
Presentation for TVnima (FRAPS included)
This presentation gives you some good feeback with regards to using this program for education.
MP #2 PreProduction
Wanted to pull my hair out last night! I worked all afternoon working on a proposal for Franc regarding MP #2, as I wanted to go beyond the Post-Test questions in the course. I used TVnima (tvnima.com), where you are in control of an avatar, which presents for you. I managed to combine PPT slides with digital audio (avatar speaking), with avatar movement. I thought it looked pretty slick. The whole thing was a minute and a half.
I downloaded FRAPS an online screen capture program (free), based on the instructions at TVnima. This program would capture the video I had created so that I could upload it to YouTube. This program is actually used by gamers to capture replays of the action they are involved in.
Unfortunately, the FRAP could not record the entire video for me, so I would have to rearrange the sequence a bit so a could record in pieces. This was too much after having spent a couple of hours putting the video together!
Thus, instead of tossing the whole thing into the virtual garbage, I decided to go without the avatar and put the slides and audio together in iMovie, which took a relatively short period of time, as I have a fair bit of experience with the program.
The following is the end product using iMovie. My proposal extends my look into the implications of the posthuman from MP #1 to the implications of video gaming in the process of moving towards the posthuman.
Least to say, I do not think I will use TVnima for my final MP #2 production as I had originally planned. Will most likely go with iMovie combined with PPT. This is a combo I promote at my school for teachers and students.
Moving on...
I downloaded FRAPS an online screen capture program (free), based on the instructions at TVnima. This program would capture the video I had created so that I could upload it to YouTube. This program is actually used by gamers to capture replays of the action they are involved in.
Unfortunately, the FRAP could not record the entire video for me, so I would have to rearrange the sequence a bit so a could record in pieces. This was too much after having spent a couple of hours putting the video together!
Thus, instead of tossing the whole thing into the virtual garbage, I decided to go without the avatar and put the slides and audio together in iMovie, which took a relatively short period of time, as I have a fair bit of experience with the program.
The following is the end product using iMovie. My proposal extends my look into the implications of the posthuman from MP #1 to the implications of video gaming in the process of moving towards the posthuman.
Least to say, I do not think I will use TVnima for my final MP #2 production as I had originally planned. Will most likely go with iMovie combined with PPT. This is a combo I promote at my school for teachers and students.
Moving on...
Saturday, November 13, 2010
MP#1 Reflection
Well this was my first serious foray into the use of FinalCut Express. This was a tough task. This program can do so much and I am working with no formal training with this piece of software. I have been able to piece together its potential by watching a number of YouTube videos. Oddly enough many of the concepts are discussed by teenagers! I suppose they have time to play with software. I have realized that making a 5 to 10 minute MP is a difficult task. One must know the topic you are disucssing, one must rough out a storyboard as well as formalize a script to go with the images.
One area I found particularly difficult was the uploading process to YouTube. I would like to find out if there is a way to reduce the upload time, it tool two hours to upload 10 minutes of video. I will research this aspect for MP#2.
I have also noted the frustrations that exist with all of the different formats that can be used for the creation of an MP. This leads to troubles when the MP is posted and peers cannot view the presentation, due to the fact that they do no have a media player that can handle the format which has been posted. It would be great if a stardard format could be created for video and other presentation types. At work I have display tvs and teachers who want to upload student videos into online areas such as Ning. If the teacher wants to send to the display and upload to NIng they have to do two different conversions to ensure the video will play and that the file size is not too big. Frustrating to say the least.
Having said all of this, I did enjoy putting my MP together. I have had to work hard to wrap my mind around the concept of the Posthuman. Will it be cyborg, will it be something else and what are the implications regarding current humans? In my rearch I can across Kevin Warwick
After watching this video an others regarding Warwick, I realize that momentum has swung to the cyborg side of the equation, a mix between machine and human. It will maintain the human form, but the cyborg will by in another league compared to humans in 2010. The crazy thing is it is happening today!
I have also come to realize that the Internet is assisting in bringing like minded indivduals together across boarders. Momentum is strong. Will we shed our physical vessel (body)? Not sure but change is a comin... (to be continued).
One area I found particularly difficult was the uploading process to YouTube. I would like to find out if there is a way to reduce the upload time, it tool two hours to upload 10 minutes of video. I will research this aspect for MP#2.
I have also noted the frustrations that exist with all of the different formats that can be used for the creation of an MP. This leads to troubles when the MP is posted and peers cannot view the presentation, due to the fact that they do no have a media player that can handle the format which has been posted. It would be great if a stardard format could be created for video and other presentation types. At work I have display tvs and teachers who want to upload student videos into online areas such as Ning. If the teacher wants to send to the display and upload to NIng they have to do two different conversions to ensure the video will play and that the file size is not too big. Frustrating to say the least.
Having said all of this, I did enjoy putting my MP together. I have had to work hard to wrap my mind around the concept of the Posthuman. Will it be cyborg, will it be something else and what are the implications regarding current humans? In my rearch I can across Kevin Warwick
After watching this video an others regarding Warwick, I realize that momentum has swung to the cyborg side of the equation, a mix between machine and human. It will maintain the human form, but the cyborg will by in another league compared to humans in 2010. The crazy thing is it is happening today!
I have also come to realize that the Internet is assisting in bringing like minded indivduals together across boarders. Momentum is strong. Will we shed our physical vessel (body)? Not sure but change is a comin... (to be continued).
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