PLA MULTIMEDIA PROJECT Selia Karsten September 1993 1. RESEARCH The book of the month is A KICK IN THE SEAT OF THE PANTS by Roger von Oech. Written to encourage the creative process, this book divides an approach to problem-solving into four distinct categories: Explorer, Artist, Judge and Warrior. These phases are analagous to the modules I am building for the Live and Learn software program. I have completed the 12 week course, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. The exercises required in this course have helped me find a more creative approach to the work at hand. I am also involved in a 13 week drama therapy course, Playback Theatre, another approach to creativity. I keep a daily log of work related to the project. As well, I make substantial journal entries each day as I monitor my progress. Because I am involved in the definition and shape of an original project, I find it is soaking into the fabric of my life to such an extent, it is a challenge to document in a factual report. Just as I will be teaching how to extract learning outcomes from experience, I am learning to do the same regarding the project. At the end of it all I am sure I will be more expert in quantifying and qualifying the work. The most helpful interview of the month was with Bob Jones of Sheridan College. His expertise in the area of educational software development consulting background make him an ideal mentor. He also works with TVO as a consultant to projects and so is familiar with that arena. We spent a day discussing my project. He advised me regarding the development of the structure and style of the Live and Learn software. He agrees that a non-judgemental, exploratory model will be an effective program for distance learners. We discussed the format for the eight modules I have proposed, how the learner will move through the various models of the process. I drafted an outline for this. (see attached) PLA Report - Sept. page 2 2. DEVELOPING WORKING RELATIONSHIPS On September 9th, I chaired a meeting with TVO's Cathy Boak and Fraser Steele, Mohawk's Roberta Burke and Seneca's Carol Henry, Marilyn Welsh and Lynda Jones. The focus was on establishing areas of repsonsiblity for the project and clarifying lines of communication. We set up guidelines and projected time lines. Carol, Roberta and I met to work through the TVO script outlines for the four programs, making corrections and clarifying the material. We met again with writer Lynn Harrison to go over these revisions in detail so she can begin the scripting. She expects to have completed the first draft for the first program by the end of September, with the other three program scripts to follow in October and November. At this meeting we also established that the script will follow the original workbook developed by Roberta and will not rely on any subsequent revisions she may develop. I will organize the workbook material to adapt to the scripts, revising any samples to fit the characters in the series. Lynda and Marilyn have offered to help in the desktop publishing of the workbook. I took Lynn to the PLA orientation at Vanier to get a sense of the applicants for portfolio development. This group was not necessarily representative, this being a pilot project for a co-op program. At Seneca, I moved into an office and began working with the Amiga 4000. Daryl Mahabir gave me a day long tutorial on the basic set-up and operations of this computer. He will be available for further tutorials as needed. I have been advised that I will have SCA students available to me for field placements next semester. In the meantime I am looking for a student apprentice who will work with me. I was given notice that the office I first occupied would no longer be available. Lynda generously offered to share her office space but after a brief trial I recognized that there would not be adequate space for both of us to work optimally. I do need to have my own office especially when I am meeting with people and having tutorials or working with a student. An office will be created near the computer labs behind the CEE. I have received a printer for rough drafts of text. Any hard copies of art work will continue to be done on my home printer. I have made out an order for office supplies. I continue to work at home until my new office space is ready. For the time being I continue to receive my phone messages on 2681 and my computer is in Lynda's office for safe-keeping. PLA Report - Sept. page 3 I utilized the PD lab computer for PLA logo ideas, working with Clipart available in the Coreldraw program. Two ideas were approved by Carol and Barb and were sent on to Media Services for further rendering. I have submitted an article on multimedia development for instructors to TIPS for an upcoming issue. In the first few days of the month I was completing the ARTFAX workshop in Scarborough. I have printed out samples of screens I developed using Deluxe Paint IV and DCTV (for digitizing video images). All art work to date has been compiled on floppy disk and documented. Trial screens have been imported to SCALA Multimedia. Amiga art instructor Liz Wilde and I have met to investigate post production processing of images. She is keeping me informed as to plans at Commodore for an upcoming conference. She has suggested that I look into membership with the Canadian Computer Graphics Association and Visual Arts Ontario. Bob Jones is keeping me advised as to meetings of the International MultiMedia Developers Association and the International Interactive Communications Society. I plan to attend an IICS meeting devoted to Amiga Multimedia in October. I met with Teri Chan, Head of Visual Arts at Rosedale Secondary to see her Amiga lab. She has offered to discuss my project with me as needed. She strongly advises me to find students interested in the project - she learns through her students. I keep in phone contact with Fraser Steele. He is presently tendering the project to various production companies. He has requested that one of the characters be changed to Spanish-speaking as he has received inquiries for the program from the United States. The Greek character Eleni is now Elena, with Spanish as her first language. PLA Report - Sept page 4 3. BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH DELIVERY MEDIA AND METHODOLOGY I continue to practice on the computer. All PLA related files are up to date. I have as yet not learned how to use the fax-modem I purchased. I want very much to be able to access network information and bulletin boards. I have signed up for a seminar on telecommunications with the Amiga in October. This subject was mentioned at the Amiga support group meeting for September and should be discussed in more detail at the October meeting. I am also hoping to take the Amiga MultiMedia course being offered through CED at Seneca starting in October. I spent three days attending MacWorld Expo with Lynda. I gained valuable information pertaining to educational and multimedia applications. Of particular merit were the sessions on software design planning and production. I attended a tour of the new CBC facilities with one of the architects on that building. I studied the information kiosks at CBC. These were designed on the Amiga platform. I went to the open house at Inter Access, Toronto's computer artists' cooperative. I toured Trinity Video - one of two metro video artists' co-ops. SUMMARY Primary working relationships have been established. The exploration and planning part of this project is an on-going concern. I understand from experts in the field that this germination period is the most crucial aspect in developing a a software program. Slowly a structure and format for the software is emerging. I will begin drafting a storyboard in October, revising as dictated by the scripts when they are completed. I continue to become more familiar with the tools I will be using to implement the program. Also, as the scripts are completed I will be able to start adapting materials for the workbook.