 
Unit 5 Assignments Commentary in Courseroom Discussions
[Many of these comments were based on this newsletter.]
Influential Trends, Vol. #22 The WBT Producer Conference Wrap-up May 4, 2000
************************* Influential Trends - E-newsletter ************************ Unit V Site Review of Virtual Landscapes Refer to these sites and observe the virtual landscape and comment on Head's key issues. http://www.legoland.com/legoland/ http://www.growingupdigital.com/ http://www.connectedfamily.com/
One thing that is really important in web design, especially commercial web design, is newness of content ... once the user sees that the page is pretty much static, and not a lot of new items are added, they quit coming back. I've kept an occasional eye on Growing Up Digital and Connected Family, since I was introduced to Papert in 1997, when I started my Master's degree. I swear, much of the content, especially on Connected Family, is exactly the same as it was! The 'sister site,' MaMaMedia, is quite the same way. For all of his excellence in writing (Papert's books are terrific!), I am a bit discouraged to re-visit these sites after more than a year of not checking in. Growing Up Digital seems to be more updated.
Comment: Although it was full of content, Legoland actually sent me e-screeching outta there. My first introduction to Legos, so long ago and far away, well long ago anyway, as this was Boulder I grew up in ... Legos were a sedate selection of white, black and a dark red. My Sunday School had an immense collection of them, which made S.S. fun. Perhaps crayola box variety just isn't appealing to this adult's eye! I also thought that the links didn't provide enough information to draw the ADULT eye ... and let's remember that the SALES on this site will most likely be made by an adult. Enough said. I don't think it's a very successful site -- although to direct a response to another discussion here, I do believe this is the corporate site for Legos. I thought that the calculator was a cute idea, before discovering that it didn't really DO anything. It really is a TOC for their catalog. Then, checking out what kind of Legos you could give to a baby, I had to laugh -- well, one with a cute face and too big to choke on. I left. Connected Family, as I mentioned in a response, has many elements that haven't changed in several years. It's got some great info on the site, however. The flower navigation element at least works better than it used to. The REAL 'fun stuff' begins if you click over to MaMaMedia. I think they pulled their orange background directly outta LegoLand. This site has been a trippy place since its inception. It used to have NO way to turn off that awful music, which now quits after 2 or 3 loops, thank goodness. My comment on these two sites is this: why oh why do people seem to think (from Saturday cartoons, to public television, to most-things media) that the screaming, loud, garish qualities are so appealing to children? Even if they ARE appealing to children, is it because we have TRAINED them to expect these qualities? Personally, I believe that the growing numbers of children with ADD, behavioral problems, and even sight/audio problems -- are because of what the MEDIA, and now the Internet, presents to them. What has happened to real quality in art and presentation forms, for children? It seems like the competitive matrix is ... the louder in sound, color and movement ... the better. And then we whine about why Johnny can't sit still. Pass around the meds and turn up the volume. :-) Growing Up Digital, I believe, is an excellent resource. There are choices that have been available since the site began, but as I started clicking through, I saw that there is much in the way of new content. Makes me wish I'd come back more often! Did any of you read the N-Gen section on the Mind? There is a great section on the "love" or "addiction" to the Internet. I really like how this site is put together. Usually, I hate frames, but this web designer had a good sense of what he/she was doing. It keeps you "organized," and always knowing what you are doing. I was disappointed, however, that there are quite a few dead links ... and some of them in the Resource/Reviews portion of the site. This is perhaps the saddest thing happening on web sites. More than being irritating, it speaks to me of someone not being dedicated enough to their original good idea, to keep it 'live' and fresh. And it leaves the visitor dead in the water ... with no real reason to return.
Comment: [Comment to Jean.] This looks like a great newsletter; thanks! You mentioned that you weren't sure about Trend #5: TREND 5: There is movement away from the traditional, systematic design of instruction for WBT design and development. You still have the traditional components of analysis, design, and development before implementation. Rather than taking a linear approach, you put up a rapid prototype, which becomes the framework for the design. There are continuous changes during prototyping and from continuous instructional evaluation and feedback. --- Actually, I think this sums up what is really happening in web-based, or distance learning. I had problems with their use of the English language, and had to re-read it several times before I understood it in the light I am now sure, they meant it. I think we ARE moving away from a systematic way of design. The keyword here is "linear." The very term, WBT, insists that we move away from linear modes, into the arena of "constant change." Their point for continuous changes came from the last part of Trend 5, which is that design is entering a time where it must be fluid. It MUST be based on feedback and instructional evaluation. Because of the wording, it was hard for me to see, at first -- but what they seem to be saying is that all of this has become so quick, so instantaneous, that a "systematic" way of doing things, just cannot be accomplished. This, I believe, is what undergirds the now-tired yet still true phrase: Paradigm Shift. How can we ever think of putting New Information content into the same old systematic box? When, with one click, this morning's new list of resources just put yesterday's static model of design, quite into the dinosaur age? Without an ability to "fly by the seat of our pants," Instructional Design -- along with every micro-subset of any topic you care to pick -- will flounder. We, along with all of humanity, are being called upon to adopt an attitude and capacity that is as lightning fast and fluid, as the medium itself -- the Internet. It's because the information changes, adapts, or is added to, so very quickly. It calls for a setting, educationally, that throws old design "systems" right out the window. My two sense. :-)
[To comment concerning "Mud Throwing Usability."] Comment: I don't think that the newsletter authors meant this at all. I think that they didn't mean 'unfinished,' and awaiting feedback in order to improve the product. I believe they meant that the initial design needs to incorporate the quickly shifting information of the Net. That, somehow we have GOT to get away from the linear aspect of the physical realm, and be able to inculcate in our design, the ability to reach beyond the limitations of the exactly 24 (98, 101, 14) pages of our educational web site. I see this as an absolute necessity for the "on-demand" description of the era we've entered. We all know the frustration of purchasing text books, even as recently as NOW, with copyright dates of 1998 or 1999 -- and much of the information is null/void. Outdated. No good. Apologies, and gee, here's a web site with updated info. Well, cut to the quick. Design the learning environment to make it possible to get that info, without the frustration of reading outdated material, and without it taking $50 out of the student's pocket. Fluid. Reload/Refresh. The mindset for academics has got to change, it has got to keep up with the offerings of other informational devices. The learning setting has got to become more like the changing nature of the search engines ... or what the learner receives is not, or partially not, valid.
Comment: I was introduced to this term, about two years ago, but we've actually had this in the palm of our hands since the inception of the Web. Basically, Gina has put it into perspective ... it's the combined use of CD and Web technologies, with many bandwidth problems being taken care of by the efficiency and speed of the CD. The limitless archival possibilities, as well as advanced use of large database technology, supplies a never-ending stream of information -- and has the ability to be updated instantaneously. This makes the "hybrid" offering not only capable of instant, updated information, but also entertaining and capable of being presented with a great deal of multimedia. Perhaps one of the best, or at least most widely used examples of this, is Microsoft's Encarta. With yearly updates in the actual software, I've found this to be an incredibly useful learning tool, as well as a model example of what can be done with linking a CD-ROM with an online database, and expanding out into the WWW with an overwhelming number of external links. The beauty of this software, to me, is that the interface design is very well done, and the tool is usable by a wide variety of ages and interests. My first copy of this was in the early 90s, and was a Mac version. My latest version was last year, but with the ability to update many things for free, it will remain very current for many years, even without upgrade. We could do worse than consider this "hybrid" model, at least until the Info Highway is capable of more speed in delivery. WebSpinner@refuge-earth.org ( that's me — Leanne! )
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