Final Reflection

Final Reflection:

I have learnt a lot from this module which include:
1. Blog is a powerful learning platform which is an ideal tool for sharing our ideas and opinions.

2. The suggestions and recommendations on my blog from classmates I received were valuable.

3. We can share and exchange our information and knowledge effectively and interactively.

4. My IT skills were well-developed.

5. The course aroused my interest in visual representations as well as different kinds of technical tools.

6. The Lecturer was very helpful and patient. I appreciate his suggestions and opinions which definitely helped me a lot to explore my skills of creating learning object and Flash.

Design A Visual Display

Aim of Visual Display:

Introduces layers of Atmosphere

Links: http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/swryuen/task2.ppt

Please view the details at the bottom of my blog. Your comments are welcome.

Final Product Reflection

Group Project:

Title: Hong Kong Tourist Attractions
Top attractions (by YEUNG Kit-ping)
Parks (by Ronda)
Museums (by YEUNG Kit-ping)
Heritage Tour (by YEUNG Kit-ping)
Local Food (by Ronda)
Useful Links (by Ronda)

1. Top Attractions
8 top attractions: Lung Yeuk Heritage Trail, Ping Shan Heritage Trail, Ngong Ping 360, Big Buddha, Ocean Park, HK Disneyland, the Peak and Wong Tai Sin Temple.
Tools: hotspots

2. Museums
Great museums in Hong Kong.
Tools: hotspots

3. Heritage Tour
Remarkable heritage in Hong Kong mainly traditional chinese buildings: walled villages, ancestral hall and temples in the New Territories.
Tools: Photostory

4.PARKS
A photostory which is about 4 minutes, with background music and colourful descriptions for each photo.
Tools: Photostory

5.LOCAL FOOD
Small Hong Kong map with six major districts, the viewers can click the stars to check the details.
Tools: Hot spots

6.USEFUL LINKS
Hyperlinks to the appropriate sites.
Tools: Useful Links

Theories:

According to Tufte (2001), "Excellence in statistical graphics consists of complex ideas communicated with clarity, precision and efficiency."

Our learning object contains the following graphical displays features:

1. Serve a reasonably clear purpose: description, exploration, tabulation or decoration.

2. Reveal the information in details, from a broad overview to the fine structure.

Meanwhile, Tuufte (2001) states that graphical displays should show the data, present many numbers in a small space, make large data coherent, closely integrated with the statistical and verbal descriptions of data and avoid distorting.

On the other hand, our project follows the principles of Graphical Excellence, Graphical Entegrity and sources of integrity and sophistication. (Tufte, 2001)

1. Graphical Excellence:

-Well-designed presentation of information: Top attractions, museums, local food and parks photostory.

-Consists of ideas communicated with clarity, precision and efficiency: Two videos (Parks and Heritage Tour)

-Gives the tourists the greatest number of information in the shortest time in the small space: Tools include photostory, hotspot, useful links and interactive buttons.

2. Graphical Integrity:

-Clear, detailed and labeling were used to defeat graphical distortion and ambiguity.

-Write explanations on the graphic.

-Label important details in the data.

In conclusion, the graphical competence demands three different skills: the substantive, statistical and artistic. The expertise should participate in the design of data graphics and achieve the principles of statistical integrity and graphical sophistication.

Reference:

Tufte, E (2001). The visual display of quantitative information. Graphics Press LLC.

Theories:
Introduction to Mulimedia learning:
According to Mayer (2005), Multimedia is:

1. presenting both words (such as spoken text or printed text) and pictures (such as illustrations, photos, animation and video.

2. By pictures, the materials is presented in pictorial form, such as using static graphics, including illustions, graphs, diagrams, dynamic graphics and animation.

Our group project is in form of multimedia because pictures were presented as animation, words were presented as colourful text and pictures were presented as illustrations.

Meanwhile, multimedia refers to the presentation of words and pictures. Learning refers to the learner's construction of knowledge. Readers can build mental representations from words and pictures. Our project is the focus of Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning.

Finally, our project involves multimedia instruction which is presenting words and pictures to promote learning in a multimedia environment.

On the other hand, our project has the following positive effects:

1. Response Strengthening: strengthening the connection between a stimulus and a response.

2. Information acquisition: Add information to the memory.

3. Knowledge construction: Building a coherent mental structure.

4. People can learn better with collaborative online learning activities and learn better from animation than from static diagrams.

5. Positive effects of combing texts and pictures:
Numerous studies have shown that students learn better from words and pictures than from words alone. (Mayer, R, 2005)

Coherence and contiguity: learn better if the words and pictures are semantically related to each other (the coherence condition).

Modality: learn better when pictures are presented with spoken text instead of written text.

Sequencing: it is better to present a picture before a corresponding text than after the text.

As result, our project increase the reading ability and prior knowledge of students.

Reference:
Mayer, R (2005). The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Two FLASH movies Links:

http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/kpyeung/HK_attractions_ping_rev.swf (by Ping)

http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/swryuen/all2.swf (by Ronda)

Group Project: Reflection

Group Project Title: Hong Kong Tourist Attractions
Group members: Yuen Sze Wai Ronda and Yeung Kit Ping
Ronda's Part: Parks, Local Food, Useful links

Reflections:
In my group project, I take responsibility for three parts: Parks, Local Food and Useful Links.
1.PARKS: a photostory which is about 4 minutes, with background music and colourful descriptions for each photo.
2.LOCAL FOOD: small Hong Kong map with six major districts, the viewers can click the stars to check the details.
3.USEFUL LINKS: hyperlinks to the appropriate sites.

Advantages:
1. The Flash can motivate the students, visitors and readers.
2. It provides an effective platform for communication, collaboration, applications, and mobile learning.
3. It meets accessibility requirements with less hassle and more interactivity.
4. It provides e-learning for overseas and local tourists. The tools and services are used for rapid and robust e-learning development.
5. It allows educational agencies to be more efficient and effective by delivering digital experiences to students through videos, pictures, photos and web resources.
6. Readers can access, organize and save the useful links.

Limitations:
1. It was time consuming to make the colourful texts and images.
2. I could not embed the video with audio narration. The visitors probably would not be able to hear an audio narration.

Conclusion: A good experience for using the Flash. In fact, I learnt that it can improve efficiency in delivering superior digital interactions.
Link of my Flash:
http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/swryuen/all2.swf
Your comments are welcome.

Group Project: Useful Links

In my group project, there are seven useful links for the readers.
1. Hong Kong Outdoors:
Hong Kong Outdoors was founded by writer, photographer and wildlife enthusiast. The web site introduces the wild side of Hong Kong, covering activities from hiking to birding, and places from Fan Lau in the southwest to Tung Ping Chau in the far northeast of the territory.

2. Hong Kong Tourism Board:
This Website presents information about Hong Kong by data, photos, pictures, videos, audio and other materials. Example include: tourist attractions, food districts, transportation, shopping areas and heritage.

3. Explore Hong Kong Outlying Islands:
This website introduces major Hong Kong outlying islands, especially transport, shopping, events and sights.

4. Time Out: Hong Kong:
Hong Kong offers a huge range of attractions, both urban and rural. This website introduces the Victoria Harbour, local street markets, Buddhist temples, clubs and some of the best restaurants . The guide also include details about shopping, hotels, transport and nightlife.

5. Hong Kong Fun in 18 Districts:
This website provides information about 18 Districts in Hong Kong.

6. Hong Kong Travel Guide:
This website introduces specific topics of Hong Kong, such as activities for children, sports, food, shopping and Hong Kong travel tips.

7. Hong Kong Tour:
This website introduces Hong Kong by web photos, video clips, wallpapers, screensaver, poster, games and virtualtours.

Here is the flash I have made for my group project. Your comments are most welcome.

Group Project: Food Map

Hong Kong offers a variety of seafood, international restaurants, coffee shops, bars and side stalls. My food map aims to provide information about food districts and local food in Hong Kong. Food map lists all major districts in Hong Kong Island and New Territories. They include So Ho, Causeway Bay, Stanley, Lamma Island, Tsim Sha Tsui and Sai Kung. These places of interest introduces local food specialties and good examples to the tourists. Each example contains address and trasportation of the specific restaurant.

In my group project, I have used Flash 8 to create buttons, sound, hotspots and frames with colourful pictures. The Flash 8 buttons provides interative function to the readers. When the readers click the specific area, the description and food pictures will appear.

This food topic is very interesting and attractive. The cuisine in Hong Kong can be described as a fusion of eastern and western style cuisine. Hong Kong cuisine provide an unlimited variety in every class. Therefore, international expertise has given Hong Kong the reputable label of "Gourmet Paradise" and "World's Fair of Food".

Here is the flash I have made for my group project. Your comments are welcome.

Group Project: Park photostory

In my project, I used Photo Story 3 for windows to create a video. The park story aims to provide the information about the following parks:
1. Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
2. Hong Kong Park and
3. H.K. Wetland Park.

Photostory is a good method to present information about tourists attractions. The photostory includes features that enable us to create a slideshow with our digital pictures with music. We can edit our pictures, create our story with music, add narration, and share them with our classmates, family and friends.

My story includes motion, music, zoom effects and picture rotation. The special effects and transitions are also included. Each park contains 8 to 9 photos.

Benefits:
1. Readers can easily view the parks photos and videos with their Pocket PC and play them back in the Windows Media Player.
2.The tourists can increase their knowlege about parks.

Your comments are most welcome.

Note: If you find this Flash as below is too small, you may view it at the bottom of my blog.