Community Embraces New Word Game at Mid-Year Play Day This past Sunday, families at Takoma Park’s Seventh Annual Mid-Year Play Day had the opportunity to experience OtherWordly for the first time. Our educational language game drew curious children and parents to our table throughout the afternoon. Words in Space Several children gathered around our iPads […]
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Avoiding clutter while amplifying information. The pigment composition of a painting is revealed by examining microscopic views. The caption for each cross section is dynamically shown. (WebExhibits) Visitors explore the archaeological of the Theban Necropolis through a giant aerial photograph. Annotations appear on the photograph as the mouse is moved. (Theban Mapping Project) Users
Viewing a sequence
June 1st, 2006 by IDEA
Superimposing images for the purpose of comparison. An inviting way to compare related images is superimpose a spyglass. Here users compare X-ray, infrared and other views of a painting. (WebExhibits) Swap among different light spectra. (WebExhibits) Swap among colorblind simulations. (WebExhibits) Problem You need to compare views of the same item, or from the
Incorporating interactivity that is purposeful. Users perform knee surgery, understanding the process and steps. (EdHeads) Exploring the properties of ocean waves. (Pearson / Prentice Hall) Another exhibit, experimenting with ocean wave periods and amplitudes with a different interface. (National Geographic (Volvo Ocean Race)) Problem You need to explain how a process works. Solution Devise
Creating an online environment that fosters discovery. The sun in Monet’s “Impression Sunrise” is oddly vivid due to a curious visual phenomenon. Users explore this phenomenon by varying color saturation and brightness. (WebExhibits) Problem A web site that offers only text does not encourage visitors to delve deeper into the subject matter. Solution Create
Interactivity helps explain why the sky is blue. Problem Some subjects are naturally difficult to teach, while others are perceived as tedious. Teaching through the use of static text and images leads to a passive learning experience that doesn’t engage students. As a result, students’ attentions wane and the information isn’t assimilated. Solution Introduce
Enriching the learning experience with interactivity. Students become disengaged and learn less when information is presented passively, such as through lectures or static text. Although your web site may contain a wealth of educational information, the way the information is presented may not be engaging your visitors. When learners aren’t engaged, they don’t assimilate the
Constructivism
June 1st, 2006 by IDEA
Actively assimilating knowledge while constructing and interpreting new ideas. The core of Constructivism is learning by doing. The next time this cat wants to go fishing, he’ll try a different approach. Problem How do people go beyond their personal experience in order to learn and implement new concepts and ideas? Theory Constructivism has its
Cooperative learning
June 1st, 2006 by IDEA
Actively engaging students who work in collaboration. According to Cooperative Learning theory, you can read or hear about driving, but you can’t truly learn how to drive until you actually get behind the wheel. Problem How do interactivity and reality-based learning make people learn more effectively? Theory Cooperative Learning theory, an offshoot of Constructivism, incorporates