Games in Education

I think games in education could be a positive addition to the system. Yes, Video Games mostly are for entertainment purposes, but the advancements of technology have allowed designers to make games extremely complex and in-depth. Games have quickly passed the days of just using a joystick and being able to predict what the AI would do against you, now you have to actually strategize what you want to do to be successful. But that's the point isn't it? I think games actually a positive benefit to the brain when used in moderation.

I've always had the opportunity to use games as an education tool through elementary and middle school with games like "math blasters" or "Reader Rabbit" or even the Accelerated Reader Program (a program that offers tests based in the books you read with pictures used in elementary schools, and based on the amount of points you get , you get rewarded. They also used games like "Sim City 2000" to help us think logically in when it comes to making decisions. Games add a sort of competition, as well as a fun, and interesting way of learning.

In cinema/television, some scripts written from cinema/televison, and books even are being turned into games and games into books and movies (see Max Payne, Tom Clancy, 24/CSI & Mortal Kombat). That fact is gaming has almost become like an interactive cinema, and the fact that you can actually play out your own destiny, is very entertaining. So even if your script isn't for Hollywood, there is always the route of gaming to take.

Below I have attached information of:

Accelerated Reader

Video of Games & Education

Web Presence

Web Presence is the ability to create a website, or blog online to get your opinion, or business etc. out there to the world for them to see. Web Presence is very important today because it is in a world where the internet is the leading source of technology, and it will only continue to get bigger. To have a successful web presence, it doesn't mean your site/blog has to have the most hits, or critical acclaim, it matters about the right people crossing over your page at the right time, and thats why sites like StumbleUpon help your cause.

In my field, being able to create a website for my production company is huge. Not only can I post my portfolio and blog up there for people to see, but at any time a Hollywood exec could pass by my page and be impressed with my abilities and offer me a job. As well as have the chance for someone to pay me for my services that I would offer. It is all about leaving it out there for someone else to find.

Heres a few links to in depth analysis about Web Presence

Wiki

UK Web Presence

Google Docs

Google Docs is an online version of Microsoft Office offered for FREE online. As I said in an earlier post about Open Source Software, not everyone can afford computer software. But Google Docs supplies you with the ability to use a word processing, spread sheet, powerpoint presentation and form/document creator for free online. It also allows you to share the documents with other users online and let them edit it whenever they please because the saved document is always online. The only disadvantage is if you don't have internet...but having a home computer without internet is almost pointless (with a few exceptions).

In my field communicating and collaborating ideas is very key. It takes more than one person to make sure stories flow, or any other sort of project you could be working on. So the collaboration factor is what makes Google Docs useful in almost any field.

Attached is a video "Google Docs: In Plain English"

Google Docs In Plain English

Distance Education

Not everyone can afford a true college experience...hence actually attending a four year university, getting involved, joining clubs, fraternities, etc, because not only do you have to pay for those things, you have to pay for tuition, classes, text books, course packets, living, meal plans plus many other things. But a college education has become very important to achieve career goals in our country. Distance education is very similar to how UF would offer online classes. All the course material is presented over the internet, and every once in a while, you have to get a text book. And you can do the classes on your schedule.

Distance education is all online, and allows anyone from anywhere to attend that Online University and attend the classes they want, and do the work when they have the time, allowing those people to get a job to help pay for the classes and class materials, and get the work done when they are in the mood to learn, rather than having to force doing everything at certain class times.

Distance Education hasn't really offered that much for my field, but there are a few articles and sites that teach you how to understand and develop film techniques.

Attached is a website that explores the pro's and con's of distance education.

Pro's & Con's of Distance Learning

Open Source Software

Open Source Software I think is one of the best things to happen for the online community. Not everyone can afford high end programs to do their work they need to do for either school, career or leisure. Programs like Microsoft Office can cost from $150 to $300 depending on whether you're getting business or student edition, Photoshop can cost up to $700. So programs like Gimp (a free alternative to photoshop) & Open Office (a free alternative to Microsoft Office) allow users to have free programs they need to do the basic work until they can afford the high end programs.

For my career, open source software is very helpful because the cost of my applications needed to edit video and music costs me around $1500 for the original purchase, and then the upgrades (which come out every year or two) cost around $300 each. So being able to use free software can save me a lot of money.

Attached is a link for Apple users for 100 great free applications to use for your computer (including Gimp, Open Office & Audacity)

100 Useful Free Mac Applications

Bubbl.us

Map


Thats the link to my bubbl.us map to how social networking through facebook,stumble,google docs, blogger and youtube you could successfully collaborate on a full feature script from across the world.

Visual Literacy

Visual literacy is a pretty interesting topic among internet users. With programs such as photoshop, and video editing software, it is easy to take anything from the internet and alter it to what you want it to present. The internet has no way of assuring that everything that is shown is true, so the people who want to sit there and mess with peoples head can openly and anonymously present new false information with these programs. People can photoshop images of the president and put him next to Osama Bin Laden and make them seem like they were best of friends when they were teens. These programs abilities are limitless with what they can do IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. This can be a huge problem because as the internet continues to become the best way of communication around the world, how do we know huge "reliable" companies such as CNN won't start using these programs to their advantage? I mean, if you pay attention, you know these companies like to stir the pot up way more than they should, so CNN using photoshop could present problems in the future with them doing things such as ruining Republican candidates image, as well as other companies taking advantage of this to make what they believe is the right thing, look like the right thing.

Ethic/Rhetoric of controversial altered images

Google Image Search "Photoshop Controversy"

Podcasting

In my opinion Podcasting is one of the best things to hit the net in its existence. In my field, movies and albums are something fans are always wanting to hear as many details about as possible, among all the pushbacks and difficulties between the staff members of projects, the fans want to hear whats going on. And what better way to do it with release a short podcast clip from garageband each week to keep the fans up to date to what is going on with your project. If every person in the music/film industry were to do this, it would eliminate the fans hardcore search to find information on the project as well as eliminate the mass amount of rumors that are spread weekly due to lack of information, and the need to know whats going on.

Here is a presentation that includes videos and essays on the impact of podcasting and how it will effect the future ways of communication.

Presentation

Digital Storytelling

In my field digital storytelling is pretty much what you could shorten film/music into. But I want to capitalize on what digital storytelling could do in the classroom. Many kids have a tough time paying attention to text books, and boring lectures, now imagine a text book turning into a anime movie, or an album, something along those lines, how much easier would it be to have things you use for enjoyment to study with? In my lifetime, I have found it much easier to learn something from a movie, rather than reading black words in the same pattern lines on the same white pages with little painting clips embedded on the corner of each page. Imagine a world where everything educational was visual or audio, not only would school be more fun, but kids would actually look forward to going and they would want to comprehend what they are watching.

I provided two links talking about digital storytelling and its impact on education as well as some web seminars on how to use this successfully.

Webinars

Cornell University Digital Storytelling Q & A

Web 2.0 Applications

Web 2.0 applications are the beginning of the second phase of the internet. The internet is full of interactivity, but for the most part, to be successful you must have a lot of knowledge in not only knowing how to use the programs, but how to program them for your own use. Now companies are creating easy to use applications such as Twitter, Facebook as well as knockoffs of these applications to help people bring the internet to what they want it to be. The internet is open, free, and you can do anything you want on it, these applications are just making it easier. With these new applications, not only will I be able to create a website with my work, and accolades to help me get future work, but to expand my horizons, reach people on the other side of the world, and make my work more interesting to read, as well as connect with people on a personal level.

Linked here is a Wiki page all about Web 2.0, and how it can help you become part of the social network we call the internet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0

Copyright Laws

For my field, being in the film/music industry, copyright rules are probably my fields "Bible", not only must I know these rules by heart, I must be able to practice them, and know when one of the rules is being violated. Plus I need to be able to watch out if anyone else were to try and scoop some of my ideas without permission. Without copyright laws, especially in the music industry, songs would be covered over and over again, and the biggest acts would end up taking all the money, so these laws help limit acts from owning their own lanes and eliminate the chances for newer artists to get their work out their without it getting taken.